Over 50 DIY Halloween Animal Costume Ideas for Kids

Have a couple of munchkins that you need to dress up this Halloween but can't afford to spend $35 or more each on the latest Hannah Montana, Spiderman, or Dora costume? Try some of these other fun Halloween costume ideas that are easy to make and great for kids!

Baby Bug Halloween Costume Ideas
Dress your toddler, infant, or preschooler as a cute and adorable bee, butterfly, ladybug, worm, or spider. You can usually find discounted Halloween bug costumes at the dollar store, thrift shop, or yard sales. If you want to make your own cute bug costume, there are many easy sewing patterns available, or you can opt for a sandwich sign idea made out of cardboard. Simply cut large ovals out of the cardboard and attach them at the top with yarn or ribbon. Use leftover cardboard pieces to make spidery legs or cute wings. You can top off the look with inexpensive antennae from the dollar store and some makeup lightly applied to the face. Be creative with your Halloween costume ideas. Your kids can dress up like ants, glow worms or fireflies (with glow-in-the dark fabric or paint), beetles, dragonflies, earth worms, or even a cute and cuddly roaches!

Fun and Super Easy Halloween Animal Costumes from the Zoo
You can make easy and fun animal costumes for your kids easily. Find a pair of pajamas that are the same color as the animal they want to be, for example, a cute green pajama set for a frog or lizard. Paint their face with inexpensive face paint and make or purchase cute animal ears. Open up any zoo book to get fun Halloween animal costume ideas like lions, tigers, elephants, zebras, bears, polar bears, horses, ducks, penguins, turtles, crocodiles, alligators, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, snakes, ponies, tadpoles, geckos, sharks, and flamingos. Beaks can easily be made with cardboard and elastic string, and cute ears can be made with headbands and colorful fabric or painted cardboard ears.

Make Your Own Bird Costumes for Halloween
Your child can dress up like a flamingo, penguin, eagle, dove, peacock, or any other type of bird this Halloween. Find a pair of pajamas (or leotard and leggings) the color of the bird. For example, if your child is dressing up like a duckling, you can buy a yellow leotard and orange leggings or a yellow shirt and shorts with long orange socks. Make the wings out of cardboard. Attach two loops on the underside of each wing. Your child can hook their arms through the loops. Make the first loop close to their hand (so they can hold onto their wings and "flap") and the other loop farther back for support. The loops can be made with loose rope or yarn. Make sure it is not too tight. Shape the beak out of cardboard to fit over their nose (with holes to breath properly) and attach with stretchy string around their face. If you are super crafty, create feathers and special features with fabric and sew to the costume. Add makeup to enhance the look. Other fun bird ideas can be roosters, chickens, geese, ostriches, bluebirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, robins, or even a roadrunner.