🎃 7 Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids on a Budget

Halloween doesn’t have to be expensive to be magical. If you’re feeling the pinch this year, but still want your kids to enjoy the fun of dressing up and trick-or-treating, we’ve got you covered.

Here are 7 creative, affordable, and adorable costume ideas you can pull together using items you probably already have at home—or can find at a local dollar store or thrift shop.

1. 🧻 Toilet Paper Mummy

All you need is some toilet paper (or gauze/white fabric strips). Wrap your child in layers (loosely, for safety and comfort), and add dark eyeshadow around the eyes for extra spooky flair.

2. 🦸 DIY Superhero

Grab a towel or old sheet as a cape, use a plain shirt and leggings, and tape or sew on a paper lightning bolt or star. Add a paper mask or face paint, and let them invent their own hero name!

3. 🧙‍♀️ Classic Witch or Wizard

A black t-shirt or dress, a DIY paper cone hat, and a broom from the kitchen = magic. Bonus points if you have costume jewelry or glittery fabric to add.

4. 🐱 Easy Black Cat

Dress your child in all black. Cut ears out of cardboard or felt and attach them to a headband. Draw on whiskers and a nose with eyeliner—and meow, you're ready.

5. 🍔 Food Fun Costume

Got a cardboard box? Turn it into a giant slice of pizza, taco, or hamburger with colored paper or markers. Cut armholes and let your little foodie wear their favorite meal.

6. 🌈 Rainbow Kid

Dress in layers of colorful clothing, one color per piece. Add ribbons, a paper sun hat, or cloud cut-outs for effect. It’s bright, cheerful, and totally unique.

7. 📦 Recyclables Robot

Tin foil + cardboard = robot magic. Tape foil around boxes to make a chest plate and headpiece. Add bottle cap buttons, drawn-on circuits, or blinking lights if you have them.

🧡 Final Tip:

Let your child be part of the creative process! Involving them in making their costume can be just as fun (and meaningful) as the trick-or-treating itself.

And remember—Halloween is about joy, not perfection. A homemade costume, a bucket for candy, and a lot of imagination go a long way.

🎃 From all of us at the Houston Lone Star Diaper Bank—Happy Halloween!