Kids love the circus and will have a ball planning one of their own with costumes that are simple to throw together. Every circus needs a ringmaster, a clown or two, some acrobats and animals. Use items from the closet, or buy them on the cheap at a yard sale. Then jazz up each look with some simple craft or party store accessories. Let children help create these realistic circus performer and animal outfits.
How to Make a Child’s Ringmaster Costume
For the ringmaster costume, have the child wear a white button-down shirt with white shorts or pants and a red jacket. Cut out black felt and add it to the jacket lapels and around the cuffs. Add some sparkle by decorating the felt-covered areas with sequins. Finish off the ensemble with a black top hat, bow tie and a cane. Use face paint to draw on a pencil-thin mustache.
Making Clown Costumes for Boys and Girls
Outfit clown kids in super-baggy pants and oversized t-shirts. If suspenders are available, add them; if not, cut out long thin pieces of black felt and use safety pins to attach them to the pants in suspender-like fashion. Create clown faces with face paint and be sure to include bright red noses.
Cut a colorful collar out of felt and attach it to the shirt with safety pins. Complete the look with a wig made from different colored pieces of yarn glued around the edges of a paper plate. Keep the wig in place with a funky bowler hat.
Circus Acrobat Costumes for Children
Use leotards and ballet tights to make acrobat costumes. Tutus and ballet slippers also work. Let the acrobats carry batons, hula hoops or long pieces of ribbon as accessories. Paint simple flowers and vines on one of each their cheeks with the face paint and use glitter gel or lotion on exposed skin to add additional sparkle.
Easy Elephant Trunk Craft for Kids
Make simple elephant trunks out of paper towel rolls for some of the young performers. Paint each roll with dark gray paint and let it dry completely. Then poke two tiny holes in one end of the roll and attach some pieces of yarn. Use the yarn to tie the elephant trunk around the kid's head to keep the trunk in place. Gray sweat suits make great elephant bodies.
Make a Simple Lion Mask for a Circus Animal Costume
Use a paper plate, some paint, crayons and yarn to design a simple lion mask. Cut out eyes and a mouth in the right places on the plate, and then let the kids use the materials to decorate it. Don't forget to glue lots of yarn around the edge to make a mane. Also use some yarn to hold the lion face in place by tying it through two holes on either side of the finished mask.
These girl and boy circus costumes are perfect for Halloween, a party or an impromptu desire to put on the greatest show on earth. Economical, fun to make and a clever way to use up leftover craft materials, making ringmaster, acrobat, clown, elephant and lion ensembles will keep kids happily busy and imaginatively entertained for hours on end.
For other games and activities for kids, please read Best Kids' Play Games that are Fun for Girls, Outdoor Summer Safety Tips for Kids and Activities for Kids on a Myrtle Beach Vacation.
Janice Fahy - Janice Fahy is a freelance writer who is comfortable researching and writing on just about any topic under the sun.
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