10 Easy Costumes Kids Can Make Themselves

You don't need X-ray vision to see that when your kids create these speedy superhero costumes, they can mix and match their own amazingly awesome attributes. Each of these outfits starts with leggings and a long-sleeve T-shirt (which don't even have to match). Then come the accessories: head bands, eye masks, chest letters, capes, lightning bolts, and belts.

Print the Lightning Bolt Template
Print the Star Template
Print the Alphabet Template
Print the Planet Template
Print the Headband and Cuff Template

Print the Owl Beak Template

Print the Parrot Beak Template

These girls were transformed into hula dancers in one afternoon. What's their secret? Their leis are made of vibrantly colored gift bows and their swinging skirts are fashioned from rope-style mop heads. The dancer on the left is even a ukulele player; her instrument is made out of recycled cardboard cereal boxes, a paper-towel tube, and rubber bands.

Learn how to cut and shape aluminum food storage containers to make a knight costume for kids.

Howdy, pardner. To turn your kid into a charismatic cowboy, just rustle up some brown-paper grocery and trash-compactor bags. When you get home, snip and punch them into a fringed vest and chaps, then add paper-fastener studs and candy-cup conchos. A mop-maned horse is ready to accompany this rider on a hunt for candy.

Hip, hip, hooray! The crowd will go wild for this cheerleader and her very cheer-full ensemble. The pleated skirt is made from strips of yellow sponge cloths and blue tape, and the pom-poms are made from checkered mop heads. Bright shoelaces, dot stickers, and a paper-star cutout deserve extra applause.

The prettiest princesses must wear lots of lace, and paper doilies will do splendidly. These girls are dressed in underskirts made from plastic kitchen bags and pleated paper place mats, and overskirts made from plastic tablecloths and doilies. Their ruffled jabots are made of doilies cut in fan shapes of graduated sizes. Now, where are their knights in shining armor?

What's shaking? The Charleston is the sweetest dance in town when the flapper wears a dress of shimmying sugar packets. This gal has pink cupcake-cup roses at her hip, in her hair, and on her shoes; her necklace is a stapled strand of cellophane-wrapped candies.

This space-age adventurer is ready to explore galaxies, thanks to his high-tech night-vision goggles, egg-carton space suit, and foam-cup helmet. His weapon -- a cookie press with a plastic-cup-and- cone insert -- protects him from alien encounters.