Creating a costume for your child does not have to be overly complicated. There are many easy costumes that you can put together with a couple creative pieces of clothing found at a second-hand market, garage sale, or even in a friends closet. It just takes a little planning and a lot of humor. Let's look at a few possibilities.

The first costume piece we are going to look at is the tutu. You can pair the tutu up with a body suit and you have an instant ballerina. Just pull her hair back into a bun and put a pair of stretchy slippers on her feet. Match the Tutu and bodysuit to a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, a pair of red leggings and she is magically transformed into the cute little Mini we all love. This technique also works with wings for a ladybug, fairy, or butterfly. A tutu is versatile and can be used to make any costume you would like. Just find the right accessory and you will have an instant witch, princess, or even Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ.

Next, let’s look at an easy boys’ costume. For a boy grab a pair of overalls and pair it with a red or green shirt and you have Mario or Luigi. Similarly, Pair it with a train conductors hat to man a train or even a straw hat to be a farmer. A pair of overalls and a yellow shirt and you have a minion, with an old shirt and a sign around the neck that says, “will work for food,” and you have a hobo. The overalls are as great of a staple to have just as much as the tutu.

How about the cape? We cannot forget how powerful a cape is when a child puts it on. He or she instantly become a superhero, a snake, a king, or maybe a vampire. The cape is easy to make and covers a lot of area. It is also symbolic, so it is another costume accessory that will go a long way.

The last one we will go over is the sweat suit. This is great for cold Halloween nights and is re-usable. Pick up a sweat suit for your child, make sure the pants and top match. Grab all white and stuff it with cotton after the child pus it on for a stay puff marshmallow man. Make Black Spots from felt and pin or sew them onto the white outfit and you have a cow. That same white outfit with smaller spots would work for a puppy dog. Make bone shapes from white felt and sew or pin to an all-black outfit and you have a spooky skeleton. A red sweat suit paired with a fire fighter hat and you have a fire fighter or a blue sweat suit with a blue painted face and you have the blue man group.

Costume ideas do not have to break the bank. Especially on a child who will only be able to wear it for 3 months to a year. Just use a little imagination and keep your eyes open to the possibilities and you will have a costume in no time. Just remember it's all about having fun.