Halloween might be just around the corner, but as many a busy parent knows, that doesn't necessarily mean our kids' Halloween costumes are ready … yet! If you're trying to pull off a Halloween miracle on a limited budget, limited time, and a limited supply of creativity, never fear: There are plenty of ideas out there for cute Halloween costumes that you can put together for under $30.
Mermaid costume from cupcake liners
When it comes to creative and inexpensive costume ideas, this mermaid tail built from cupcake liners really … takes the cake. As explained by Good Housekeeping, you'll need a green apron and cupcake liners folded in half to make the mermaid fin, and the rest of the costume can be made up of clothing you already own.
Bonus points: you can go all out like Nicki Woo's daughter did in the photo above and be a zombie mermaid, just because.
Shop the costume:
- Cupcake liners (Target, $9.99)
- Chef costume (Target, $11.89)
A plant costume
If you need another fast and easy costume, this kids' plant ensemble is super creative and also straightforward. Good Housekeeping offers a template for plant leaves that you can trace onto green paper and hot glue to a basket and ta-da: Your baby is a plant. Congratulations!
If you have a little extra time, Oh Happy Day has another version of a kids' plant costume (pictured above) that is absolutely precious.
Shop the costume:
- Square basket (Target, $11)
Arthur
Adults and children alike can throw together an Arthur-inspired costume quickly as this example from Oprah Daily shows. The costume can be gender neutral, since all you need is a yellow sweater, a pair of jeans, and round glasses — in fact, you might already have these in your closet (or your kid's).
- Kid's yellow pullover sweater (Target, $20)
- Harry Potter glasses (Target, $3.50)
Polly Pocket
The '90s are all the rage these days, which means any costume that has '90s vibes is bound to be a hit. This Polly Pocket-inspired costume from Oprah Daily requires a whole lot of pink: pink shirt, pink leggings, pink ribbon, and pink posterboard.
If you have extra time and extra skills, Brite and Bubbly has a tutorial that takes things to the next level (pictured above).
Shop the costume:
- Kid's pink long-sleeve shirt (Target, $5.00)
- Kid's pink leggings (Target, $5.99)
Beanie Baby
In keeping with '90s costumes that will be a big hit, dressing yourself or your kids up as Beanie Baby is something you can pull off quickly and definitely for under $30. As this example from Oprah Daily shows, all you need are animal ears, face paint, and red posterboard with the Beanie Baby logo painted on it.
Shop the costume:
- Kid's long-sleeve black shirt (Target, $5.00)
- Kid's black leggings (Target, $6.00)
Cheese
Using food for costume inspiration can be an unexpected delight, and this cheese costume from Club Crafted shows that you can pull off a super cute take on the idea with minimal effort. With a yellow dress (or a yellow top and yellow pants), ribbon, and yellow posterboard, you're all set!
Shop the costume:
- Kid's yellow T-shirt (Target, $5.10)
- Kid's yellow leggings (Target, $5.10)
Bubble bath
I don't know about you, but the idea that bubble bath could be a Halloween costume never occurred to me until I happened upon this super easy how-to from Giggles Galore. With a couple dozen balloons, a white top, and white pants, you too can pull off this spook-tacular look!
Shop the costume:
- White balloons (Target, $3.00)
- Kid's long sleeve white shirt (Target, $5.00)
- Kid's white capri leggings (Target, $11.99)
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