Easy Animal Costumes For Infants and Toddlers

Copyright 2000, Amanda Formaro http://familycorner.com

Children look so cute dressed as fuzzy and furry creatures. Especially with whiskers painted on their chubby little cheeks! Here are some fun animal costumes that are perfect for infants and toddlers, as well as children of all ages.



Note: For all of the costumes below, use our make up recipe and paint on a cute nose and whiskers! Almost any animal costume can be made with a little imagination and a sweatsuit!


Sheep

white hooded sweatsuit
cotton batting or stuffing from a pillow
white or black felt triangles for ears
double sided tape
two pairs of white or black socks

Apply strips of double sided tape up and down the sweat suit. Attach cotton batting in clumps by pressing onto the tape. For the ears, cut two triangles from either black of white felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood. Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Have child wear one pair of white socks on his hands and one pair on his feet (use black socks if you used black felt for the ears).


Skunk

black hooded sweatsuit
white faux fur
fabric glue
black felt
2 pairs black socks
double sided tape
black fabric

Cut the faux fur into a long strip and adhere it on the hood and down the back of the sweat jacket with strips of double sided tape. Cut a small oval shape for the tummy area and adhere that with fabric glue. For the ears, cut two triangles from black felt. Either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood. Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Have child wear one pair of black socks on his hands and one pair on his feet.


Bunny

pink, brown, or white hooded sweatsuit
powder puff or large pompom or a handful of cotton balls
double sided tape
white pantyhose
wire coat hanger
plastic headband
two pairs of socks to match suit color
plastic or real carrot

Attach powder puff, pompom, or cotton balls to back of sweat pants using double sided tape. Bend the coat hanger into the shape of two long bunny ears. Gently stretch the panty hose over the ears and attach to plastic headband. Carry a carrot!


Turtle

green sweatsuit (hooded is optional)
2 piece green or light brown poster board
scissors
craft paint or thick markers
hot glue

Cut one piece of the poster board into a large oval shell. Draw large wobbly circles on shell. Go over outline with markers or paint to accentuate. Cut two long, fairly thick strips (between one and two inches depending on the size of the child) from the second piece of posterboard the full length of the board. Using hot glue, attach these strips to the top of the back side of the shell, then run over child's shoulders as straps. Hot glue straps in place. Leave enough room for "give" so child can move his/her arms without tearing or breaking the straps.


Puppy

brown, tan, gray, black or white hooded sweatsuit
Fabric circles in a contrasting color (i.e. white suit, brown spots, etc.)
2 sheets of felt in color matching sweatsuit
scissors
double sided tape
2 pairs of socks in color matching sweatsuit
dog collar or belt cut to size (optional)


Using small pieces of double sided tape, attach fabric circles to sweatsuit in various different areas. Cut two floppy ears from 1 sheet of the felt and either hand sew or hot glue onto the hood. Keep in mind that hand sewing will make the ears easily removable so you can reuse the sweatsuit after Halloween! Cut a long tail from the second sheet of felt and attach to the back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands and one pair on her feet. Top off with a dog collar or a belt cut short to serve as a collar.


Cat

gold, brown, tan, black, gray or white hooded sweatsuit
faux fur in color matching sweatsuit
fabric glue
felt in color matching sweatsuit
plastic headband
scissors
2 pairs of socks in color matching sweatsuit
dog collar or belt cut to size (optional)

If desired, use black marker to draw stripes on sweatsuit. Cut two triangles for ears and hot glue to the headband. Cut a small oval shape from the faux fur for the tummy area and adhere that with fabric glue. Next make cuffs and a collar. Use the cuffs on the sweatshirt as a guide for how wide and long you need to cut the faux fur strips. Attach the strips to the sweatshirt using fabric glue. Cut a long tail from the remaining felt and attach to the back of the pants with a safety pin. Have child wear one pair of socks on her hands and one pair on her feet. Top off with a dog collar or a belt cut short to serve as a collar.

Spider/Bug

black hooded sweatsuit
2 pairs of black socks
4 pair of black tube socks, nylon or polyester
cotton batting

Stuff the tube socks with cotton batting to make the spider's legs. Sew or pin the eight legs to the sides of the black outfit. Have child wear one pair of black socks on his hands and one pair on his feet.

Note for infants: When your baby crawls, the legs flop up and down on the ground, making it look like a spider crawling across the floor. Adorable!

Variation: To make a bug costume, use a green or brown (or any color you like) sweatsuit and coordinating socks.