Balloons can be used to make a variety of different costumes.
Rather than spending a fortune on a custom made costume, consider making your own costume with balloons. Many costumes are only worn once or twice, making it impractical to spend a fortune on a store bought costume. Creating your own costume from balloons is an inexpensive way to customize a look and cut costs, especially on children's costumes.
Grapes
Purple balloons are used to represent a "bunch" of purple graps.
Blow up medium-sized purple balloons and pin the twisted ends of three balloons together to create a "bunch." Pin the bunches to a purple long-sleeved shirt. Safety pin a strip of twisted rope along the sitting area and then pin two bunches of balloons to the twisted rope in order to conveniently remove when needing to sit down. Cut out a brown piece of felt in the shape of a stem and sew or safety pin the stem to the top of a green knit toboggan or green felt cap. Accessorize with brown shoes.
Jar of Jelly Beans
Small colored balloons are used for jelly beans.
Tape the bottom of a strip of clear cellophane with white electrical tape. Apply the electrical tape down a 6-inch hem from the top of the cellophane. Blow-up a colored variety of small balloons for jelly beans. Push safety pins through bottom hem of the cellophane to pin around the waist. Randomly pin balloons to the shirt. Cut out arm holes three-times the size of the arm and hem the holes with the electrical tape. Push safety pins through top hem of the cellophane to pin around the collar of the shirt.
Bath Time
Small balloons are used to create the look of bubbles.
Cut out the bottom of a round plastic wash basin big enough to fit around your body. Cut out holes in the rim to thread a large rope in each side for shoulder straps. Blow up between 20- and 30-small white balloons and set aside. Safety pin balloons over your shirt and use duct tape to secure a line of balloons around the inside edge of the bathtub. Connect a few balloons together to hang over the side. Wear the wash basin with the ropes over your shoulders.
Warnings
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more children have suffocated on un-inflated balloons and pieces of broken balloons than from any other types of toys. Pieces of latex from balloons can cause a small child to choke or suffocate if swallowed. When making costumes, be sure that the child is old enough and responsible enough to understand the consequences of swallowing balloon pieces. Explain to older children that they should steer clear of younger children while wearing their costume in case a balloon bursts, leaving behind scraps of latex.
