(NC) This spooky time of year is the perfect chance for you and your little ones to get creative and use your imagination. Here are some tips, tricks and treats for coming up with your own do-it-yourself costumes.
Start with what you know. Kids always have a favourite they stubbornly hold on to until they tire of it. Embrace their current obsession — whether it’s a cartoon character, type of animal or career — and pull from your wardrobe, theirs, or a thrift store to create a costume that’s current but not cookie-cutter.
Stay warm. Here in Canada, we have less flexibility when it comes to making costumes kids will wear outdoors. An easy way to stay bundled up is with a blanket costume your child can wear over their coat. Think jack-o-lanterns, emojis or ghosts made with single-coloured blankets with sewing or fabric glue for the facial features.
Have fun. While you might be tempted to make your child’s costume entirely yourself so it looks perfect, your kids will enjoy it more and feel a sense of pride and ownership if they take the lead or make a contribution, depending on their age. Even little ones can help stick on stickers or choose the colour palette and fabrics.
Follow the golden rule. You want to make sure your costume doesn’t offend anyone, so stick to this guide — a culture is not a costume. This means that ideas like Pocahontas, a Japanese geisha or a Mexican sugar skull are all off limits.
Keep it safe. Whatever costume you end up creating together, make sure it will keep them safe throughout the evening. Tails and long robes can present tripping hazards, while dark colours mean cars might not see them crossing the road. Stick to bright colours and for extra safety, give them a light-reflective sticker. Free from ADT Canada, these stickers are designed so that light from passing cars make them (and your kids) shine brightly. Find out more information at adt.ca.