6 parents share their kids' wildest DIY Halloween costumes, from a bottle of hair conditioner to a trash can

My husband has always loved homemade Halloween costumes. So ever since our oldest son was born, he's put his creative skills into practice by coming up with family costumes. We were Peach, Mario, and Toad the first year, and a group of cacti the next.

In 2021, we decided to ask our oldest, who was three years old at the time, what he wanted to be for Halloween. He said, very assertively, "a sand dune, with a seagull on my head," later adding that he wanted his twin sisters to be pails and us parents to be towels.

Everyone told us he was going to change his mind, and to not embark on the seemingly impossible task of fulfilling his sand dune dream. But with help from the costume concierge at Primary, Nguyen Le, who helps parents come up with easy solutions to wild ideas, we made it happen.

It was a hit, and a costume we will all remember forever.

I asked other parents about the impossible costume requests they got from their kids, and how they made them happen. I also included one of my twin daughter's costumes for this year, because her request caught us off guard, but we managed to make it happen.

Here are some of the magnificent Halloween costumes.

One of my twins said she wanted to be a trash can this year.

We laughed and thought she was being silly, but just like her older brother, every time we asked she gave us the same answer "trash can!" So once again, my husband got to work and turned an actual trash can into a costume.

To make it more comfortable, he cut out the bottom of the trash can so she can walk easily, made two holes for her arms, and attached an old t-shirt at the top so the costume rests on her shoulders and there's no need for her to hold it up.

She was so excited when she first tried it on and walked around the house giggling with joy.

Ali Velez Alderfer from Powder Springs, Georgia. Mom of Rafael, age 5:

My then-3-year-old was obsessed with the song Hickory Dickory Dock. When I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said, very matter-of-factly, "The clock!"

He also said he wanted me and his dad, along with his Nana and Papa, to be the animals that went up the clock. That's exactly what we did.

I knew I wasn't necessarily going to have the time or bandwidth to start from scratch. I searched for something long and color-blocked that I could use as a base and ended up buying what can best be described as a Moses robe dress, building from there.

I ordered some felt, fabric glue, elastic, a round styrofoam wreath, and other craft supplies. The package didn't show up until the day before Halloween, so I stayed up late cutting, gluing, and sewing it all together. It was equal parts exhausting and exciting.

For the grown-ups, I ordered felt animal masks from Amazon.

My son was so happy with the costume and sang his song as he walked up and down the block. Over the weeks and months to follow, he wore the costume any chance he got until he finally started to grow out of it.

As a full-time working mom, I had always done store-bought costumes, and might still do so in the future, but this was special. I felt pressure to get it right, not wanting to disappoint my son, but he was so happy to see his idea come alive that he wasn't looking at the quality of my stitching or whether the felt was the right shade of gold.

In the end, I was proud of my work and satisfied that I could personally create something one-of-a-kind for my unique boy.

Jessamyn Harris from Santa Rosa, California. Mom of Symphony, age 12:

My daughter has a policy of "objects only" Halloween costumes, and insists on them being homemade, with her dad doing most of the work. In past years, she's been a Rubik's cube, a baked potato, an avocado, a Christmas present, and a bottle of hair conditioner

When she said she wanted to be hair conditioner, I admit I tried to change her mind but she was convinced, and her dad was game.

My husband used foam and fabric for the bottle and made cute cardboard cap for her head. My husband and daughter wrote "Hair Conditioner" in pen on the fabric so there was no confusion about it. Other costumes my husband has helped make have involved paper-mâché, wire, spray foam, spray paint, and more.

Every year, I get antsy as October clicks by and my daughter and her dad haven't gotten the costume finished yet, but they always pull it together, often working late nights, to make it happen.

It's an activity that's just theirs, which means I'm hands-off, and it makes it extra special for them.

They're both proud of the costumes, and they are so memorable that family and friends still bring them up.

Elizabeth Broadbent from Columbia, South Carolina. Mom of Blaise, 11:

My son asked to be the South Carolina Lizardman. The legend says that in 1988 a boy was attacked by something that had "blazing red eyes, green scaly skin, long black claws on its three fingers, a staggering seven feet tall." Sightings of the Lizardman have been reported through the years during the summer, and in 2015 a woman claimed to have taken a photo of it.

My first thought was "Oh no. I need to make it." So, I got all the supplies needed for a lizardman.

I hot-glued pieces of fabric onto a t-shirt and pants in various shades of green, then bought him green shoes and painted his face. He wore green gloves. The costume weighed at least six pounds and it was a million degrees.

He ended up looking awesome and now I feel like, I've done it before and will do it again.

Sarah White from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Mom of Anna, age 13:

Last year my daughter wanted to be Uraraka, a character from the manga series "My Hero Academia," in the character's Halloween costume, which was a witch.

I'm game for most things because I'm a crafter, but it did seem like a costume that had a lot of parts — including a giant purple bow that defies all logic and a corset befitting an anime character's chest, but maybe not the best for a 12-year-old.

We talked about which parts of the costume were essential — she ditched the giant bow — and how to use purchased garments to make the rest of the costume. I sewed lace edging to a skater skirt to mimic the look of a petticoat, hacked a long-sleeved t-shirt to make the ruffled sleeves, and made a fake corset out of t-shirt material.

I was happy to modify purchased items rather than having to sew a skirt and shirt. I could have done it, but it's better not to have to when you're on a deadline. Of course, no one knew the particular "witch" she was dressed as, but she was happy.

Jeanne from California. Mom of Yvie, age 6:

My child wants to be a sushi burrito this year. Sushi is her favorite food and her dad owns a sushi restaurant. Her only request is that it's not itchy.

I thought, "challenge accepted" when I heard about her idea. I love creating costumes, and now that I have children, making things together is a fun way to bond. I hope to teach my kids to think out of the box and be innovative. Anyone can spend money to buy a cool costume but there's so much pride in creating your own.

I try my best to repurpose things from home or find items from my local "Buy Nothing" group. If I can make the entire costume for free from a recycled item, I feel like I won.

It's important to show my kids that we can create something without spending a lot of money. The fun part is being creative with supplies. For example, the "rice" part of her costume is a bath mat.

My daughter is so excited for Halloween. She is incredibly proud and has been saying she cannot wait to show all her classmates. I do believe it's the world's first sushi burrito costume.

I want other parents to just go for their kids' costume ideas. Even if the costume doesn't turn out exactly as you envision, it's a learning opportunity for your child and a bonding experience.