10 Homemade Halloween Costumes for Pre-Teens

It's that time of year again. The air is crisp, the leaves are starting to turn, and Fall is hustling and bustling around us. Which means one thing...Halloween is just around the corner. My kids are already racking up ideas from the party store magazines for this costume and that costume. But if you're like me, you just can't justify spending $35-$50 for a costume that they will wear one time, for a few hours, that won't fit them next year. Also, many of the costumes you can purchase at a store are either too childish, too scary, or too scantily clad. Our rule of thumb is to be sure the kids could wear their costumes to a church party, but many times that's hard to find. So last year we instituted a new Halloween rule: costumes must be homemade with items we already have, and we will only allow $10 per child for any necessary accessories. After my kids realized that I wasn't kidding and got over the initial shock of my outrageous announcement, we immediately began coming up with ideas for homemade costumes. We all got a bit creative and the good times started to roll. What we realized is how much fun it is to piece together your own costume, how hilarious it is to see the costumes that just don't work out, and how much more we were able to enjoy the Halloween season. This year, the money we save on costumes will be much better spent renting family-friendly scary movies, making Halloween treats, and visiting a haunted trail at a local park in town. So bring on the Halloween fun...and check out our ten best ideas for homemade costumes:

For Girls:

1. Spa Princess: Wear a bathrobe, slippers and wrap a hand towel around your head, secured with a safety pin. Purchase some green face make-up and apply to the face as a spa mask, and place a sleep mask where the towel meets your forehead. For some extra fun, wear fake nails and false eyelashes.

2. Slumber Party-goer: Wear your coolest flannel pajamas and fuzzy slippers, put your hair in pigtails with ribbons tied around them, and use blush to make your cheeks rosy. For added effect, carry a teddy bear with you.

3. Cowgirl: Wear jeans, a plaid flannel shirt and straw hat. Find some rope to tie around your waist as a belt, put your hair in pigtails, and use eye liner to make freckles on your face.

4. Gypsy: Wear a flowery skirt, a peasant top (if you don't have one wear a short-sleeve button down, or tee and tank top), striped knee socks or tights, and black shoes. Tie a scarf around your head, and wear heavy make-up and as much costume jewelry as you can. Hoop earrings add a definite gypsy touch, and if you have a large scarf, wrap it around your shoulders as a shawl.

5. Miss America: Wear your prettiest long dress, high heel shoes. Curl your hair and wear full make-up. Purchase a tiara, long white gloves and wide white ribbon to use as a sash. With a black marker or glitter pen, write MISS AMERICA on the sash.

For Boys:

1. Hobo: Wear jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, a belt and a small black or straw hat. Use another shirt or two to stuff the flannel shirt, to give the appearance of a large belly. Misbutton the shirt and don't fully tuck it in. Use cotton balls or a crumpled tissue to apply mascara to the face as a beard. For an extra touch, tie a stuffed red bandanna to a stick.

2. Hippie: Wear any slacks, dress shoes, and a button down shirt with several of the top buttons undone. Wear some gold chains and light-colored sunglasses, and purchase an afro or long-haired black wig.

3. The Incredible Shrinking Man: (This is a fav of mine, but my kids seem to think it's a bit odd!) Wear your own slacks and dress shoes, but wear your father's button down shirt, tie, and suit jacket. The bigger the suit jacket and shirt, the better. But be sure to wear your own pants so that you don't trip and fall.

4. Nerd: Wear any pants, but pull them up as far as you can and use a belt. Wear a short-sleeved polo shirt or button down shirt, preferably with a pocket, and a sweater vest (if you have one.) Purchase a pair of big black glasses with no lenses and put tape on the nose piece. Use hair gel to slick your hair down, and wear white socks with black shoes.

5. Rock Star: Wear jeans, a white t-shirt, a vest, and tennis shoes. Converse work well for this costume. Use hair gel to slick your hair up and back, and wear one glove with the fingers cut out. If you have a wallet on a chain, or a cool belt, throw that on for added effect. And be sure that you don't leave the house without your coolest pair of shades.

Whatever you decide to be this year for Halloween, be responsible, be safe, and happy trick-or-treating!