Laptop Halloween Costumes: A Clever Costume Idea

My daughter loves to play "computer" with her Magna Doodle and a spare keyboard. So for Halloween, we decided to make her into a computer! Halloween doesn't have to be a time for witches and pirates. Having a little creative fun can make this Halloween the most memorable one yet!

What you will need:

* Box - a pizza box or a shirt box
* Aluminum Foil or Gray Paint - Optional
* Paper - a printed screen shot or a colored page
* Egg cartons - 2 or 3 depending on the size of your box
* Small pieces of paper, with a letter on each one
* Tape or Glue

Computer Assembly Made Easy

If you are using a pizza box, open it to a 90 degree angle. Use tape to secure the box open. If you are having a hard time with it, you can try to stabilize the fold with either more cardboard or dowel rods. If you are using a shirt box, open the box and fit the bottom into the top to form a 90 degree angle. Secure this with tape.

Cover the outside of your box with aluminum foil. You can secure it with either tape or glue. Double sided tape works well for this project. This step is optional, but has a very nice effect on the costume. You can just paint the box gray, or cover it with construction paper instead.

Now you will create your screen. Sit the box on a table. Take the paper with the screen shot or colored page and tape it to the inside of the box. You will want it on the part of the box that is standing up.

Making your keyboard can be fun, but a little frustrating. Cut the top off the egg cartons. Secure them to the inside of the bottom of the box with either tape or glue. You can choose to draw letters on them as they are, or you can attach a small paper to each one with a letter on it. Don't forget your space bar!

Computer Meets Costume

Now that you have your computer assembled, you will need to make it into a costume. Take some rope or ribbon and make two loops big enough to fit comfortably around the arms of the wearer, leaving a little slack. Think of making backpack straps, but do not tie them together yet. Use a strong adhesive, like duct tape, to tape the two ribbons to the back of the "monitor". I found that taping them twice, once near the top and again closer to the bottom, to be most effective.

Now you are ready to put the costume on. Dress in gray sweats, to match the computer. Put it on like a backpack, but in the front. Make sure that the wearer can see over the top. Tie the ribbon or string across the back from shoulder to opposite hip.

Fun Accessories

If you have an extra mouse laying around, you can attach the cord to the computer. Then attach the mouse to the sweatshirt or a glove.

Carry around a giant coffee mug to collect candy in instead of a bag.

Use up those free CDs you get in the mail by attaching them to the sleeves.