Helping your child make his/her own Halloween costume is an opportunity for spending quality time together. Having a parent’s full attention for the duration of the process is priceless. Once you commit to a few sessions of costume making, (20 – 30 minute intervals are recommended for more involved projects) it can be relaxing and fun.  Remember- it doesn’t have to be perfect! A lovely finished product is always a victory, but homemade Halloween costumes are mainly about the journey. Take your time, enjoy conversing with your child while you cut, paste, sculpt, sew or draw. Stay positive. A wise art teacher once told my daughter, “There are no mistakes in art.” A mishap can usually be turned into something even more creative than what you originally planned.

Halloween is a child’s time to shine– as they want to see themselves for one day/night and you have the opportunity to help them turn their vision into a reality. Allow them make their own choice about what they want to be for Halloween. Your job is to oversee the project and choose craft methods that are suitable to your combined capabilities and materials that are durable and comfortable. Your child will flesh out as much of the plan and do as much of the work as possible. Help them to feel they are the director and you are their assistant. The idea is to work alongside one another as a team. Give gentle direction when needed and continually give reinforcement that your child has a great idea and that the hard work will be worth it in the end.
Note: normally I do not believe in “doctoring” children’s art work, but for Halloween the costume will need to survive parties and trick-or-treating. If necessary, re-work parts for the sake of durability and try keep all creative aspects.

Discover your hidden talents (you may pass it along to your offspring.) What we do for ourselves is one thing; what we are willing to do for our children is another! My own experience taught me this. I have always loved the idea of sewing. I have owned a sewing machine for years, but it wasn’t until my daughter begged me to help her make a bunny costume that I finally put the machine to good use. She sketched out her idea and helped me choose the material. She helped me disassemble a blouse to use the pieces as a pattern for the costume. We cut the fabric, measured and pinned. My job was to stitch it altogether. She had full faith in me that I would be able to put this thing together. I had no idea if I could do it, but how could I not???

We were a good team and it all worked out. Seams weren’t perfect, it was a little big in some places, a tad small in others. However, the hugs and smiles I got when it was finished and the glow my daughter had on Halloween was priceless. We were both so proud that we were able to collaborate to make that design a reality. Priceless! Since then my daughter has designed and sewn many garments, and I have made a few myself. As I’m writing, she’s in the other room getting started on this year’s Little Red Riding Hood costume. The hum of the sewing machine is music to my ears. I’ve got to get in there and do my share, so I’ll sign off.

Some Practical Suggestions:

  • Time Management – Allow more than enough time to complete this project. Rushing at the last minute is no fun at all.
  • Communication – Talk over the family vision of how this is going to happen BEFORE you jump in. Two adults engaged in a power struggle over the mechanics of the project while their child sits there watching is not the memory you are going for.
  • Gearing up –  Visualize every step of the project ahead of time. Encourage an older child to sketch pictures of it first, then buy materials. The brainstorming phase provides lots of inspired conversations in the weeks before you begin actually making the costume. Buy or make a little extra of what you will be using to allow for mishaps.
  • Designate an Area to the Project – Prepare an area where making a mess is okay. If you are feeling uptight about the decor getting ruined, you won’t be able to have a nice time and your child will certainly sense it.
  • Stay focused – Turn off your phone and your computer for the half-hour that you have set aside to be with your child.
  • Keep it Simple – Especially if this is your first time venturing into the world of crafts. You don’t have to make the entire costume from scratch. A little fabric paint on a pre-made garment works well. Make an accessory to go with a costume- decorating a hat or making a wand, beading a necklace or creating a cardboard sword- small personal touches will make your child feel so proud of their creative efforts. “Look what we made!” is somehow much more special than “Look what we bought!”
  • Stay Positive. Things will turn out differently than you planned. Life lessons in flexibility and resilience will come into play. Mentally prepare yourself to breathe and keep a good attitude. The most important part of making a costume together is the happy memory of quality time together. Do your best and share some smiles in the process.

If the idea of making a Halloween Costume with your child seems like a good idea but you have no idea where to begin…email me your questions and I’ll reach out to you and give you some support! Mllemariss@aol.com

All my very best wishes for a Happy, Creative, Memorable Halloween–

Marissa Priester. L.M.S.W.

Assistant Teacher at Early Learning Foundations Preschool
Marissa Priester L.M.S.W. has been making Halloween costumes with her husband and children (ages 5 and 10) for eight years. Marissa studied art and design at The Kansas City Art Institute and the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is a member of  National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). She has a private practice as a child and family play therapist.

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