Things You'll Need
Black bodywear (like long underwear or a sweatsuit)
Black foam or cardboard strips
Needle and thread OR hot glue gun
Black gloves, socks and shoes
1 Black pipe cleaner
2 black or colored pom-poms
Black beanie cap
Black cape (sized to wearer)
Scissors
Fabric paint
Face paint (optional)
Beetle costumes are a popular choice with kids who love bugs. Homemade and do-it-yourself varieties have the added benefit of allowing you to customize your costume to your desired type of beetle. Homemade beetle costumes start with a foundation of black garments and feature the brightly colored wings characteristic of many beetles. Easy and inexpensive to create, beetle costumes are a great choice for everything from Halloween to science fairs, and they allow kids to showcase both their scientific knowledge and artistic flair. Or, instead of focusing on entomological accuracy, go the cute route by dressing your little bug in brighter colors.
Step 1
Assemble the black foundation garments, starting with black long underwear or a snug-fitting sweatshirt and sweatpants set. Attach the black foam strips -- or black cardboard strips, cut to size and painted black -- to the front of the shirt using hot glue or needle and thread. These will be the beetle's legs, so feel free to add any details you like, such as pincer claws. Complete the foundation with black gloves, socks, and shoes or slippers.
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Step 2
Attach the pipe cleaner to the beanie cap by threading it through the weave of the hat, letting the two ends of the pipe cleaner stick out directly above the forehead. Attach the pom-poms, using hot glue or a needle and thread. Bend the pipe cleaners so they stand up as straight as possible, creating the beetle's antennae.
Step 3
Cut the cape down the center to create two wings. Shape as desired. You may also want to hem the cape to be shorter, to make the wing details more obvious. Decorate the cape using fabric paint to resemble your choice of beetle.
Step 4
Paint the child's face black to blend in with the rest of the beetle costume, if desired.
Tip
Browse images of different types of beetles online or in a book to see the wide variety of beetle colors, shapes and sizes. Adjust the costume to fit your preferred beetle.
Make your beetle cute, not creepy-crawly, by dressing your child in primary colors and decorating the cape with bright polka dots. Add large googly eyes to the front of the beanie cap.
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