--Terri

Spaghetti and Meatballs
What you need: Red Shirt, white pants (for plate), large styrofoam craft balls, brown paint, red paint, green paint,  an old can (I used a large coffee can), a label from a Kraft parmesan cheese bottle, red yarn, white yarn, a red foam visor.

I draped the yarn over my shoulders and head (this gets messy --- just like spaghetti ). For small children you may want to attach the yard to the shirt using hot glue to avoid them wrapping the yarn around their neck-- make sure it hangs a little under the arms and around the bottom of the shirt. I used the visor and put yarn randomly around the visor and hot glued the craft balls painted brown with small amounts of red (for the sauce) to the visor.  I painted an old coffee can green and pasted an old Kraft parmesan cheese label to it. For an added touch I punched random holes in the lid of the coffee can and put some shredded white confetti inside to occasionally sprinkle on myself.
--Nikki

Laundry Basket
"Purchase an inexpensive laundry basket from the dollar store. Cut out a circle from the bottom to fit your child. you can then use close line or something similar to act like suspenders. Clothespin clothes to the child and the basket. This is cute and inexpensive."
--Tracy

Playing Card
"Use two sheets of poster board (one for front, one for back) Decorate like a spade, heart, club, or diamond, your child's choice. You can staple sturdy ribbons or bias tape to the top edges of each piece (so that they lay over your chills shoulders like suspenders would) It just slips over their head & clothing, be sure to cover the staples with some tape (most any kind will do) so that your child will not be snagged by them. This is great for those contests at school if your child likes to slip off their costume so they can play!"
--Tava, Mom of 3, Hiawassee, GA

Flower
"Use a green sweatshirt and sweat pants. Cut a hole in a piece of purple craft foam the size of your child's face. Staple elastic on the sides. Cut out petals from pink fun foam glue them to the purple base, leaving some purple showing."
--Anonymous

Creativity with Sweats
"You can make thousands of things if you have sweats. Just add yellow stripes to black sweats and a pair of fun foam wings and you're a bee; Black spots to white sweats, a horned headband (just cut out fun foam horns and glue them to a purchased headband or a length of elastic that has been sewn together) and you're a cow. Bunnies, bears, horses, frogs, have all been done at my house on the same basis, just an outfit, add a head thing and you're done! Good luck and happy haunting!"
--Lorene Clark, Spring City, UT

Bag of Jelly Beans
"Blow up a bunch of colored small balloons. Take a clear plastic trash bag and fit it over your person with holes for arms, legs, and head. Put balloons inside trash bag. Add a creative hat if desired. Totally easy and quick!"
--Anonymous

Black-Eyed 'P'
"This is very simple. Get a plain shirt, like a sweatshirt or a t-shirt -- any color will do. Go to the craft store and get some self-adhesive felt (craft area) and cut out a the letter 'P'. Iron the 'P' on the shirt. Put black make-up around one eye and your costume is done! You are a 'Black-eyed P'!"
--Jody B., Kansas City, MO

Morning Grump
"All you need is a bath robe, a coffee mug, slippers, your hair in a mess and a sign around you neck saying 'I'm not a morning person'. Have fun!!"
--Melissa

Bunch of Grapes
"For a small child, this 'grape' costume is adorable. Purple sweats with purple balloons tied to them. Adding a green felt stem and leaf to their head would complete it."
--Denise, Dallas

Harry Potter
"Paint glow-in-the-dark stars on a graduation gown  (bought at thrift store usually under $3), form black tag board into a cone. Staple, covering with tape to the inside so it doesn't scratch your child's head. Add string to hold in place. Decorate with precut gold stars and some glitter paint. Add just enough glitter paint to robe to make it look mystical. For a wand, tie gold ribbon around baton or tightly rolled up newspaper. Pain scar on child's forehead add glasses and, viola, Harry Potter!"
--Chastity, Tacoma, WA

Living Tree
"Create a tree costume by sewing fake leaves to a hooded sweatshirt. Leaves could be green or autumn colors. Use brown sweat pants for the tree trunk."
--Anonymous

Glow-in-the-Dark Skeleton
"I purchased a fabric panel with glow-in-the-dark skeleton parts that was to be a stuffed wall hanging or decoration. Then I bought a black sweat suit and used the double sided fusing to adhere the skeleton to the sweats. Now I have a walking, talking, glow-in-the-dark skeleton."
--MB, Cheyenne, WY

Pair of Dice
"Paint a cardboard box white and put black dots on it like a die. If you are going with a partner use another box and you both can be a set of dice.
--Christine, Delaware

Pile of Leaves
Use a red hooded sweatshirt and red sweatpants. Attach fake leaves (like silk ones) all over. Wear a red mask to cover the eyes and put a few leaves on it. It's a pile of leaves! Have the child carry a rake!
--Anonymous

Ice Queen
"Spike your hair when it's up in a clip and hair spray it till its really hard. Then you can put baby powder it in so it's white or you can put sparkles or both. Powder your face and put body glitter where you think it would look nice. Wear a long white dress. (Any thrift store has them if you don't) and put sparkles on that. Believe me it looks great!
--Anonymous

Gumball Machine
Dress in all red shirt, pants and hat. Place several small colored balloons in clear trash bag and put arm & head holes in bag. Wear bag with balloons with bag gathered at the waist. Make a small sign that says 25 cents.
--Anonymous

Lost-and-Found Sock Person
"Use safety pins to attach orphan socks everywhere on your sweater, and pants. For added effect, sew socks together for as a hat and make a sign saying 'Lost Socks' and wear as a necklace. Have fun!"
--Lynn, Canada

Headless Man
"Get a t-shirt and paint blood on it and stuff  it. Pull it over your head and then your a headless man!"
--Abby, Ocean Grove, Victoria

Nerd
"Roll up your jeans, tape your glasses, and do your hair in pigtails. It is a big hit and lots of fun!!
--Anonymous