Need a Halloween costume tonight? These 25 easy last-minute Halloween costumes for kids use clothes, cardboard, felt and simple craft supplies you may already have at home. Many can be pulled together in about an hour, with no sewing or only very basic assembly.

A random October morning in our house once began with my daughter announcing yet another Halloween costume idea. One day it was Super Girl, another day Elsa, another day Barbie — and one memorable morning, the Titanic!

Of course, like many busy parents, I eventually found myself on the eve of Halloween with no finished costume and very little time. If that sounds familiar, this list is for you. I’ve organized the ideas by realistic prep time so you can quickly find a costume that fits the time and supplies you actually have.

Need more Halloween ideas? Browse our Halloween Crafts for Kids, Halloween Printables and DIY Halloween Treat Bags.

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25 Easy Last-Minute Halloween Costumes for Kids

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes at a Glance

Best for: Toddlers, preschoolers and elementary-age kids
Prep time: About 1 hour to 4 hours
Budget: Mostly low-cost and made with household or craft supplies
Useful materials: Cardboard, felt, old clothes, tape, tights, poster board and recycled boxes
Fastest picks: Minion, Emoji, Bandit, Olaf, Scarecrow and Andy Warhol

Quick Answer: What Are the Easiest Last-Minute Halloween Costumes for Kids?

The easiest last-minute Halloween costumes use clothes and supplies you already have at home. Good options include a bandit using a striped shirt and black beanie, a Minion-inspired costume with a yellow hoodie and overalls, a scarecrow with plaid and denim, an Olaf-inspired snowman using white clothes, or an emoji costume made from cardboard. These are all recognizable without complicated sewing.

Need a Costume in About an Hour?

Minion-Inspired Costume – under 1 hour
Cardboard Emoji – about 1 hour
Little Bandit – about 1 hour
Olaf-Inspired Snowman – about 1 hour
Scarecrow – about 1 hour
Andy Warhol Artist – about 1 hour

Choose a Costume by What You Already Have

Cardboard: Emoji, Snail, LEGO, Cassette Tape
Black clothes: Bandit, Stick Figure, Andy Warhol
Overalls or plaid: Minion, Scarecrow
Tights: Octopus
Felt: Owl, Pizza, Pineapple, Unicorn
Balloons: Bubble Bath
Poster board: Paint Brush, Cheese

Easy No-Sew Halloween Costume Ideas

If you do not sew, start with the Minion, Bandit, Olaf, Emoji, Scarecrow, Stick Figure, Bubble Bath or Andy Warhol ideas. Several of the felt costumes can also be adapted with fabric glue or safety pins instead of stitching.

Halloween Costumes You Can Make in About an Hour

1. Minion-Inspired Costume

A yellow hoodie, denim overalls and simple glasses make this one of the quickest recognizable costumes on the list. If your child loves Minions, see our Minion crafts for kids.

Supplies: Yellow hoodie, denim overalls, plain glasses, black pipe cleaners, black shoes
Time: Under 1 hour for the basic costume

2. Easy Cardboard Emoji Costume

Cardboard and paint are all you need for a big, instantly recognizable emoji costume. Skip spray paint and use yellow craft paper if you need to avoid drying time.

Supplies: Cardboard, yellow paint or craft paper, markers
Time: About 1 hour, plus drying time if painted

3. Little Bandit Costume

This is one of the best closet-staple costumes. Use a striped shirt, black pants and a store-bought beanie to make it even faster.

Supplies: Black-and-white striped shirt, black beanie, white bag, black felt
Time: About 1 hour

4. Olaf-Inspired Snowman Costume

White clothes plus a few paper details turn into a cute snowman costume with almost no sewing. Pair it with our Olaf craft if you are planning a Frozen-themed Halloween activity.

Supplies: White shirt, white pants, white cap, pipe cleaners, construction paper
Time: About 1 hour

5. DIY Scarecrow Costume

Denim overalls and a plaid shirt do most of the work. Add a few fabric patches and simple face details if you have time. See more scarecrow crafts for fall.

Supplies: Denim overalls, plaid shirt, fabric scraps for patches
Time: About 1 hour

6. Easy Andy Warhol Artist Costume

An all-black outfit and white wig make this one of the fastest costumes here. For an art connection, explore our Andy Warhol projects for kids.

Supplies: White wig, black turtleneck and pants, soup cans
Time: About 1 hour

7. DIY Octopus Costume

Matching tights create the extra octopus legs. It is a clever costume for kids who love ocean animals.

Supplies: 4 pairs of tights, matching long-sleeve shirt, matching hat, cotton batting
Time: About 1 hour

8. DIY Donut Costume

An inflatable pool tube becomes a giant donut. The hands-on work is quick, but remember that spray paint needs drying time.

Supplies: Inflatable pool tube, foam hair curlers, spray paint
Hands-on time: About 1 hour
Total time: Allow extra time for paint to dry

Halloween Costumes That Take About 1–2 Hours

9. Itsy Bitsy Spider Baby Costume

This simple baby costume starts with a black onesie and tights. See more spider crafts for kids.

Supplies: Black onesie, black tights, black felt
Time: 1–2 hours

10. Flower Pot Costume

A lightweight plastic tub, artificial flowers and matching clothes make a bright costume without a lot of detailed crafting.

Supplies: Large plastic tub, plastic flowers, matching shirt
Time: 1–2 hours

11. Bubble Bath Halloween Costume

Pastel balloons attached to white clothing create an instantly funny bubble-bath look. Make sure balloons do not block your child’s vision or movement.

Supplies: Pastel balloons, white shirt, white pants, rubber duck
Time: 1–2 hours

12. Paint Brush Halloween Costume

Poster board and foam board make this a good choice for an art-loving child.

Supplies: Poster board, foam board, broom or brush material, craft paper
Time: 1–2 hours

13. DIY LEGO-Inspired Costume

A cardboard box and round lids make a simple brick costume. Use colored paper instead of spray paint if you need to avoid drying time.

Supplies: Cardboard box, paint or colored paper, can lids
Time: 1–2 hours plus drying time if painted

14. Rain Cloud Costume

A hat, batting and hanging raindrops create a dramatic costume without bulky body pieces.

Supplies: Wide-brimmed hat, batting, blue felt, yarn, black clothes, boots
Time: 1–2 hours

More Ambitious Last-Minute Costumes: About 2 Hours

15. Felt Owl Costume

This layered felt owl is beautiful but requires more cutting than the fastest ideas. Explore our owl crafts for kids for more inspiration.

Supplies: White, grey, black and blue felt
Time: About 2 hours

16. DIY Snail Costume

The oversized paper shell gives this costume lots of impact without complicated materials.

Supplies: Cardboard, brown paper, straps, foam balls
Time: About 2 hours

17. Easy Cheese Costume

Start with yellow or orange clothes and add lightweight cheese shapes for a funny food costume.

Supplies: Yellow or orange clothes, poster board, floral foam, headband
Time: About 2 hours

18. DIY Stick Figure Costume

Black clothes and white tape make the body easy; the headpiece takes most of the prep.

Supplies: Black long-sleeve shirt and pants, white electrical tape, black foam board, dowel rods
Time: About 2 hours

Costumes to Choose If You Have 2–4 Hours

19. DIY Pizza Costume

A giant pizza slice is easy to recognize, but cutting and arranging the toppings takes more time. See our pizza crafts for kids.

Supplies: Brown or beige fabric, felt in pizza-topping colors
Time: 2–3 hours

20. Colorful Bird Costume

This costume is a lovely choice if you enjoy working with fabric and felt, but it is not one of the fastest options.

Supplies: Thick fabric, felt sheets, ribbon
Time: 2–3 hours

21. Scuba Diver Costume

Recycled bottles make fun pretend oxygen tanks. Account for paint drying before starting this on Halloween afternoon.

Supplies: Soda bottles, foam sheet, goggles, paint
Time: 2–3 hours plus drying time

22. 90s Cassette Tape Costume

This retro cardboard costume is fun for older kids and parents who remember cassette tapes.

Supplies: Cardboard, clear plastic, washi tape, canvas straps, colored paper
Time: 2–3 hours

23. No-Sew Pineapple Costume

This cheerful fruit costume uses felt and elastic. It is no-sew, but cutting and assembling the pieces can still take a couple of hours.

Supplies: Yellow and green felt, batting, elastic
Time: 2–3 hours

24. Homemade Mermaid Costume

This no-sew mermaid costume is beautiful, but it is better suited to the day before Halloween than the final hour.

Supplies: Glitter foam sheets in complementary colors
Time: 3–4 hours

25. DIY Unicorn Costume

This colorful unicorn costume is magical but involves more crafting than the quick ideas above. Explore our unicorn crafts for kids too.

Supplies: Felt, wool, towel
Time: 3–4 hours

Easy Halloween Costumes for School

For a school costume day, the easiest costumes are ones that children can comfortably sit, walk and use the restroom in. Good options from this list include the Bandit, Minion, Olaf, Scarecrow, Andy Warhol and Stick Figure costumes.

Avoid large props that block desks or doorways.
Choose costumes that do not cover the child’s eyes or face.
Skip toy weapons for school events.
Make sure capes, fabric and hems stay above the floor.
Check your school’s costume rules before adding masks, makeup or props.

Last-Minute Halloween Costume Safety Tips

Make sure your child can see clearly and move comfortably.
Avoid loose pieces near candles, jack-o-lanterns or other open flames.
Add reflective tape or carry a light when trick-or-treating after dark.
Keep cardboard costumes easy to remove.
Choose comfortable shoes rather than costume footwear for long walks.

No Time to Make a Full Costume?

A simple outfit plus one printable or handmade accessory can still create a recognizable costume. Try a paper crown, character headband, cardboard mask, cape emblem or simple sign costume. Browse our Halloween printables for kids for more low-prep ideas.

Costume Sorted? Make a Halloween Treat Bag

Once the costume is ready, the next thing your child needs is somewhere to keep all that trick-or-treat candy! Make one of our DIY Halloween treat bags, or use the printable Halloween treat bag templates for an even quicker project.

Frequently Asked Questions About Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

What is the easiest last-minute Halloween costume for a child?

A bandit, scarecrow, Minion-inspired character or Andy Warhol costume is especially easy because most of the outfit can come directly from a child’s closet.

What Halloween costume can I make with clothes I already have?

Use striped clothes for a bandit, overalls and plaid for a scarecrow, yellow and denim for a Minion-inspired costume, black clothes for a stick figure or artist costume, or white clothes for an Olaf-inspired snowman.

What Halloween costume can I make in one hour?

Good one-hour options include the Bandit, Minion, Emoji, Olaf, Scarecrow and Andy Warhol costumes. If paint is involved, remember to include drying time.

Which Halloween costumes require no sewing?

The Bandit, Emoji, Minion, Olaf, Bubble Bath, Andy Warhol and Stick Figure costumes can all be made without sewing. Several felt projects can also be adapted with fabric glue.

What are good Halloween costumes for school?

Choose lightweight costumes that do not obstruct vision or movement. Bandit, Scarecrow, Minion, Olaf and Andy Warhol are all good school-friendly choices because children can sit and walk comfortably in them.

How can I make a cheap Halloween costume?

Start with clothes your child already owns and add one recognizable accessory. Cardboard, paper, felt scraps, tape and recycled boxes can turn everyday clothing into a costume without buying a full outfit.

More Halloween Ideas for Kids

Keep the Halloween fun going with our Halloween Crafts for Kids, Halloween Printables, DIY Halloween Treat Bags and 10 Easy Halloween Treat Bags for Kids.