How To Make A Child's Alien Costume

Picture the ‘incredible spaceman spiff’. With a cape over his head, high tech glares and a ray gun in his hand how valiantly he fights the hideous aliens in the faraway planet Quorg. These aliens, as you would know if you have read Calvin and Hobbes, most often represents his parents or teacher and the entire drama merely happens to be his fantasy. This can be said for most children whose fantasy is filled with battling demons, ghosts, or aliens. The unknown always attracts as well as scares us. More so for a kid. That is why everyone loves dressing up as ghosts, zombies, and aliens. Such is our love or fear that we even celebrate them. Playing an alien is the best way to indulge in this fantasy. The alien-ization of children parties and halloween began in full force after the release of Spielberg’s ‘ET’. This iconic movie changed the image of alien’s from an earth-attacking super being to a lovable neighbor of the earth. So, with children demanding an alien getup it is always better to know how to make one. To know more go through the article below for children’s alien costume making tips.

Making Alien Costume For Kids

Materials Required

Balloon inflated to about 12 to 15 inches
Large bowl
Papier-mâché glue
Newspaper, in 1 1/2- by 6-inch strips
Ruler
Scissors
Cardboard tube with a 2-inch diameter, at least 14 inches long
Masking tape
Green acrylic paint and paintbrush
Craft glue
Black paper
Utility knife
15- by 24-inch piece of cardboard (corrugation should run the long way)
3 1/4 yards of ribbon, 1 inch wide, in a color that matches pajamas
Velcro Sticky-Back strips
Black long-sleeved turtleneck
2 green rubber gloves
Fiberfill
Safety pins
Pajamas and slippers

Procedure

The Head

Place the balloon into the bowl.
Paste the balloon with a layer of newspaper strips.
Leave for drying.
Take the cardboard tube and cut 2 ½ inch slits, vertically and 1 inch apart.
Now fold the tabs, and press them against the bottom of the balloon and use the plate to secure them in place.
The balloon and the tube top must be covered in two layers of newspaper.
Paint the balloon green and leave for drying.
Cut the black paper into alien eyes and attach them to the balloon.

The Harness

The harness should be adjusted according to the size of the child.
Round off the corners of the cardboard rectangle and then cut six slits.
Three slits should be in one column and three in another.
The slits should be horizontal and cut vertically on top of one another, two inches apart.
Now thread the ribbon through the slits in a snake like fashion.
Attach Velcro strips to the end of the ribbons.
Take the alien head, and keeping it 2 inches above the child’s head, hold it behind the harness.
Then 5 inches below the mark cut the tube.
Now vertically slit 3 inches on each side of the tube. Keep the alien’s eyes looking forward.
Take the gloves and stuff them with fiberfill.
Use a safety pin to attach them inside the turtleneck cuffs.
The arms should also be stuffed with fiberfill.
Now drape a shirt over the harness.

The Body

Attach the slippers to the pajama leg bottoms with safety pins.
Stuff the thighs and fit them into the slippers and pajama bottoms.
Now pin it to the harness shirt.

The Hood

Fold the black fabric across its width in half.
The centre of the fabric should be attached to the top of the head and using a safety-pin fix it under the chin.

Assembly

The child should put on the shirt and the pajama top with the attached leg and feet.
And then the harness should be put on with the pajama legs hanging in front of the waist.
Now attach the hooded head to the harness.
Now hold the alien arms to the chest using Velcro strips.

How to Cite

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