Instead of shopping for a Halloween costume, create one with your child. You'll have fun and save money, too.

Encourage your child to participate. Look through books and magazines for inspiration.

Rummage through the attic and closets for old clothes, shoes, and other forgotten treasures. Search for costume jewelry and hats at second-hand outlets and garage sales.

Visit the local party store for inexpensive finishing touches, such as fangs, glitter, and outlandish wigs.

Costumes From the Closet
Construct scary or silly paper plate masks by cutting holes for eyes and nose and then decorating with dried beans, glitter, or construction paper. Glue a popsicle stick to the plate as a handle or string yarn through holes to tie it.

Decorate an old pillowcase with colorful markers and cut out head and arm holes. For small children, this can be the primary part of a costume.

Old velvet or satiny curtains become capes fit for kings, wizards, or Count Dracula. Tie handfuls of scarves around waists and heads for magician or gypsy outfits.

Easy-To-Make Costumes
Scary Spider: Start with a black leotard and tights. Stuff three pair of black panty hose with old hose and then attach these "spider legs" to the waist of the leotard.

Add a stocking cap for the head and use a headband and black pipe cleaners for antennae. Paint the child's face black or add extra-scary spider eyes.

Jack-O-Lantern: Find old hunters' fluorescent orange vests at dollar stores. Stuff the vest with newspaper or small pillows. Add a green turtleneck and pants. Top off with a fluorescent orange painter's cap with a face drawn on top. The bright orange color is an extra safety precaution on dark nights.

More Quick Costume Ideas

• Create a scary bat costume out of a black garbage bag.
• Sprinkle glitter in your fairy princess's hair.
• Use aluminum foil for a shiny metal effect on any costume.
• A green-hooded sweatshirt with ping-pong ball eyes on top makes an instant frog.
• For cowgirls and boys, rely on overalls and flannel shirts and finish with cowboy hats.
• Baby powder sprinkled on hair turns it gray.

Homemade Face Paint
Decorate your child's face as a clown, wizard, or ghoul using this easy face paint. Remove it later with cold cream.

1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon cold cream
Food coloring

Have fun!