DIY Halloween Fun for the Family

It’s almost Halloween time! The fall décor has started to come out and the chilly weather has set in. October is such a fun month for our family as we begin to prepare for Halloween festivities. In my family we really like to dress up and go all out with the holiday and costumes. When I was younger my mom would let us choose a pattern of the costume, fabric, and accessories. This was something I looked forward to every year. It was a great time for us to connect and work together. Now, I have my own kiddos and we have started the same tradition.

Creating your own costumes can be very easy and fun. My mom was skilled in sewing and knew how to create some really amazing costumes when I was a child. I however did not learn how to sew but still wanted my kids to experience having homemade costumes and having fun being creative together. So, sometimes grandma helps with the sewing and creating too. We have started the tradition over another generation and it really is an amazing time we all get to experience. Working along with her we design and plan out what character my children want to transform into for Halloween. She does what sewing that we need and my husband and I try to do the rest.

Some tips I have for you non-sewers are to check out the ARC Thrift stores. There are a few around town to choose from and Saturdays you can find half off items. That’s usually where we start our search. For example, a few years ago we were all characters from Peter Pan and my husband was going as captain hook. We looked at the ARC for a long tail winter coat and cut it to fit the pirate look and searched at the craft and party stores for the added embellishments. I was able to find a blue nightgown and make a bow for my hair to look like Wendy. My daughter went as Peter Pan, my mom helped with the sewing on that costume and we let my daughter help with picking out the extra accessories. Like I said, my husband and I don’t know how to sew, but man we can sure hot glue! Really! Hot glue holds up super well! So, even if you can’t sew, you can always add a little flair to the store costumes to make them a little different. We let our kids choose all the materials and accessories that they wish to add and we all work together to create something fun! That’s what Halloween is really about to us; coming together and making memories even before all the fun of Trick-or-Treating.

Creating these costumes as a family is an easy way for us to have hands-on, imaginative fun. Being creative and allowing our kids to choose what they want to be for Halloween is so exciting for them. It really is simple to create your own costumes or just add to an existing one, even if you are not the crafty type like myself. Creating these memories is what is most important and it is an unforgettable experience for your family.

Good luck in your DIY journey we’re so excited to kick off the holiday season with you all!
-Ms. Whitney
Curriculum Coordinator
Lead Pre-K Teacher