Plain Clothes

• Your child's closet may provide the basis for a Halloween costume. You can build on the clothing he already has to turn it into a costume he will always remember. Find a pair of overalls, and your child can become a farmer if he wears them with a plaid shirt and a green baseball cap. He can be Mario from the Nintendo video games if he wears the overalls with a red hat and shirt and a fake mustache, or make him Luigi by dressing him in green.
  A dress can become a princess costume for your daughter when you pair it with a tiara and some sparkly makeup. Or make her a fairy by cutting a pair of wings out of cardboard and painting them to match her dress. Then give her a wand made by taping a silk flower to a pencil.
  A Hawaiian shirt and a pair of shorts can turn your child into an American tourist. Give him a toy camera to carry with his outfit, and have him wear socks with sandals.
  Dad's white shirt can become a lab coat so your child can pretend to be a doctor or a mad scientist. Pair it with a toy stethoscope or a set of beakers and a fiendish laugh.
  Mom's old bridesmaid dress can become a costume for Miss America. Purchase a few yards of ribbon at a craft store to make a sash, and write "Miss America" on it with a glittery glue pen.
  
  

Felt and Foam

• Purchase a few yards of felt or foam at a craft store and turn your child into a new creation. Spray paint a foam oval brown and add Velcro strips so you can attach felt eyes, a nose and a mouth to your child. Now he's Mr. Potato Head.
  Cut a circle out of colored felt and make your child into an M&M candy; write the "m" on the front with white paint, and add a white sweat suit underneath. Using a similar concept, your child can be a lollipop or a cookie. Just change the way you decorate the felt circle.
  
  

Boxes

• Spray paint a box silver and paint on buttons and gears to make your child a robot. Or paint it black and add three construction paper circles: one red, one yellow and one green. Now she's a traffic light. Turn her into a birthday present by wrapping the box and tying a bow to her head, or decorate her like her favorite brand of breakfast cereal. A simple box you were going to throw away has now become a treasured homemade Halloween costume.