The message I want to convey in this blog post is that investing in your children when they are young is the very best thing any parent can do to help the child navigate this complicated world and become the very best version of themselves possible. Of course “investing in your children” can mean so many things, but my message is, and always has been, that creativity is not only a wonderful way to bring joy into anyone’s life, it also develops the brains of children in ways that are very very beneficial when they start to tackle high school and college. The brain that has been exposed to problem solving from a young age is so much more equipped to understand and succeed in just about anything! Got it?
One fun and not so difficult thing to do with your kids is to make DIY costumes. Period. Make it a family rule that “we don’t buy costumes when we can make them” with the exception of course of small props, and don’t give in! Truly homemade costumes are so much better and your kids will benefit exponentially as the costumes get more complex over the years. Our costume time here in Israel is the holiday of Purim, so around that time, when my kids were little I did not take them near any shops selling costumes so as not to make them feel deprived, an important point! Of course do make sure that the homemade costumes are super duper, so that everyone is happy in the end!
Okay, lets take a look at how you can succeed at DIY costume making from start to finish, so that the process is a learning experience as well! I present you with 6 Ways to Make DIY Costumes With Your Kids That Will Benefit Their Education!
6 Ways to Make DIY Costumes With Your Kids That Will Benefit Their Education!
1. Have A Brainstorming Session
A family brainstorming session regarding ideas for costumes is so much fun and the best way to start. You might start by giving each person a piece of paper so that they can write down their ideas, and then each person presents their list to the group. Or, if you want to make it more informal write a bunch of random words on a slips of paper, have each person choose a slip from a bowl and come up with an idea based on that word. You could also decide to do costumes based on historic characters, or even a well known saying. Brainstorming sessions are a great way to show kids how communication fosters creativity, and that working with others can help their ideas become even better.
2. Make A Realistic Schedule To Avoid Last Minute Panic Or Disappointment
A very important tool to tech kids, especially creative ones who may find time management more difficult, is to plan ahead time-wise such that no one ends up staying up all night before the costumes are needed (admittedly as a Mom of little ones that was me!) Make a step by step plan with time alotments for each step, and don’t forget to include some time when that burst of inspiration comes and someone may want to add something to their costume. Meaning do your best to finish the day before the costumes are needed, a very valuable lesson in itself. If by some chance someone forgot to do their homework in the middle of all the DIY costume excitement, rather than getting stressed buy essay cheap and next time make sure everyone adds their school work deadlines into the schedule as well, oops.
3. Use Materials That You Have On-Hand (Or Finds From The Thrift Store)
One of the funnest part of DIY costume making is taking a look around your entire home and finding things that can be upcycled as parts of a costume. if you are truly a minimalist and you don’t have much spare junk laying around, so take a trip to the local thrift store and have fun roaming the racks for interesting and inspiring finds. I used to visit our local thrift store on Rosh Chodesh Adar, when everything was on sale for 1 shekel, and we made many many costumes with our clothing scores. Of course using materials that you have on hand also includes cardboard boxes, old sheets, plastic tablecloths and just about anything……I certainly have used some tired plastic flowers for costumes! We wear costumes during Purim, and because it happens a month before Passover, it is a great time for spring cleaning and re-purposing!
4. Invest In Some Helpful Tools
Creativity can get you very far, but sometimes you’ll need certain tools to really help make the ideas a reality. I recommend large and long upholstery needles for sewing and poking through things, a good craft knife, a good hot glue gun, a grommet tool and some gorilla glue. I’ve made a King’s scepter topped with a toy plastic tiger, but good glue is necessary! Ah yes, and a selection of spray paint (use outdoors only) and fabric paint or fabric paint medium could be quite helpful.
5. Explore Some New Crafting Techniques
Because you’ve planned ahead and are not pressed for time (hopefully) why not use this DIY costume making project as an opportunity to learn some new skills. Paper mache, embroidery, tie-dying, fabric applique and beading are all things that can be used in costume making and are great avenues to explore!
6. Do Run To The Store For Small Finishing Touches
Even the very best DIY costume ideas can sometimes use a little boost with some store-bought accessories like gloves, hats, glasses, feather boas, crowns, etc. Ah yes, and of course facial hair and wigs! Including some store bought items into the costume may not be necessary at all, but even just a pair of funny glasses can sometimes do the trick. The most important thing is that your child feels really proud of their costume!
Okay, are you ready to invest in your children by spending time and effort making DIY costumes? I did just that and I don’t regret even a minute.!
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