15 Spooktacular Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids

Looking for some homemade Halloween costumes and ideas for kids? I’ve got 15 ideas for you, with varying levels of difficulty – from easy to the more involved.

Shop-bought Halloween costumes are, without a doubt, convenient, but at what cost? In 2019, it was reported that an estimated 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste – equivalent to 83 million plastic bottles – was generated from throwaway Halloween clothing sold by big-name retailers in the UK.

Whilst there are no more up-to-date figures available, all the available data indicates that plastic waste is still increasing. This means, we can assume that, in 2025, Halloween plastic waste is as high, if not higher, than it was six years ago.

As you can imagine, I’m all about having an eco-friendly Halloween. So if you are looking to give this plastic waste a miss and make your own Halloween costume, then I have got you covered.

Awesome Homemade Halloween Costumes & Ideas

With Halloween fast approaching, I have put together 15 homemade Halloween costumes for kids of all ages. This will help give you some inspiration and plenty of time to get making! 

For each homemade Halloween costume, click on the link to be taken to the full tutorial.

Batty About Bats

This DIY bat costume from the Etsy Blog looks fab, and as a sewing novice, dare I say it, relatively straightforward. All you need is a black long-sleeved top and some black fabric, and the Etsy team talks you through exactly what to do. Pair with some black leggings or tracksuit bottoms and you’re good to go!

The Homemade Halloween Shell Suit Costume

This DIY snail costume from Oh Happy Day looks like so much fun. This homemade Halloween costume is mostly made with brown kraft paper – no sewing required! Save up your packaging from online purchases all year, and you’ll have what you need to make this!

Dino Might

This DIY dinosaur hoodie, on The Craft Patch blog, would be adorable for toddlers! All you need is an old hoodie and some coloured tape, and you’re good to go! There’s no sewing required. Plus, the spikes are removable, so the hoodie remains completely intact.

The Buccan-ear

For babies, I’m a big fan of keeping things really simple at Halloween. As such, I love these animal ear headbands from the Hart + Sew blog. An old headband, a little bit of felt, and some old fabric salvaged from old clothes, and you’ve got a cute and easy upcycled costume.

Up & Away

There are no specific DIY instructions for this homemade Halloween costume, but this baby dressed as Carl from Up made my heart sing. How cute is this, and so easy to put together with clothes that might already be in your kid’s wardrobe? If not, try sourcing clothes secondhand from eBay or Vinted to make this as low-waste and kind to the planet as possible.

 Owl Be Having You

These DIY owl wings from Llevo el Invierno are so pretty and sure to delight any kid this Halloween! Again, you can use fabric scraps from old clothes or old duvet covers to keep it as low-waste and cheap as possible.

Where’s Wally?

I’m a big fan of simplicity, so this Where’s Wally costume from Repeat Crafter Me appeals to me so much! You can use a hat and a top you already have. Or you can turn to eBay or Vinted to source preloved items that your kid can wear at Halloween and for the rest of the year.

Repeat Crafter Me also has a handy crochet pattern if you want to go a step further and make the hat!

Let’s A-Go!

So, I’m a little bit obsessed with this Mario and Luigi outfit idea that I spotted on Instructables. It’s so cute and easy. There are no specific DIY instructions, but you probably don’t need any. Simply add some yellow felt to a pair of dungarees you already have, and you’re pretty much there! So quick and easy!

A Just Purr-fect Homemade Halloween Costume

Lots of Halloween costumes can be quite scary-looking, which can be terrifying to little kids. My two girls both had a few Halloweens where they did not want to be anything scary or spooky, so we went down the cat route.

This tutorial from Polka Dot Chair is pretty comprehensive, with details on how to make the mask and tutu if you want to go that far!

Too Despicable?

Do your kids love Despicable Me? Then they’ll love these Minions’ homemade Halloween costumes on Spot Of Tea Designs. Spot of Tea Designs has the full DIY for the hat, and the rest of the outfit comes together easily with items you might have already, or can easily find on secondhand clothing sites.

Taking The Mickey

Again, this DIY Mickey Mouse costume from The Chirping Moms looks quite simple to make but oh-so effective! You can use clothes you already own, or pick up cheaply secondhand, to make it planet-friendly. It’s another great idea for little kids who are too scared of anything spooky.

Never Grow Up

Don’t want your little one to grow up? Try this Peter Pan costume DIY spotted on Merrick’s Art. It looks fairly straightforward! A green polo shirt and some green leggings, and you’re more than halfway there!

Butterflies In Your Tummy?

I love these DIY butterfly wings from Buggy & Buddy. It’s a little bit more involved and will take a bit more time compared to some of the other outfits, but it’s really beautiful. I’d maybe suggest wearing it with black leggings and a long-sleeved black top for our colder climes?!

Shark Attack

For another relatively simple Halloween costume idea, try this shark costume DIY from Make It Love It. You just need an old hoodie and some felt, and you’re almost there! There is a bit of sewing involved, but you could possibly get the glue gun out instead if sewing isn’t your strong point.

Chop To It

And finally, in the last of my ideas for handmade Halloween costumes for kids, I’ve found this lumberjack outfit DIY, again from Make It Love It. It’s absolutely hilarious! I want to make this for me! Again, pair clothes you already have with a beard made from felt, and you’ve got an absolutely brilliant costume.

More Sustainable Halloween Inspiration

I hope you’ve enjoyed these homemade Halloween costumes! Will you be making one of them?

And if you’re looking for more sustainable Halloween inspiration, I’ve got you sorted:

• Here’s my ultimate guide on how to have a sustainable Halloween.
• Try my guide to zero-waste Halloween decorations to make.
• And after Halloween, here’s how to not let your pumpkins go to waste.