By Jackie G. Maxwell

Depending on the age of your little ones, you may want to keep ideas for toddler Halloween costumes on the simple side. Since most of the very youngest trick or treaters are only going out to amuse the grandparents and immediate neighbors, it needn't be terribly complicated to still bring a lot of smiles.

For infants, and those who get tired of walking, animal costumes work very well, can be done in minutes, and don't require great sewing skills.

Turn your toddler into a cow, with a white hooded shirt, white sweat pants, black wool and some black felt. Cut cow-type “splotches” out of the felt, and either use double-sided tape or easily removed basting stitches to attach to the shirt and pants. Remember to keep two triangular pieces of felt to tack ears onto the hood. A dozen pieces of wool, cut to about 18”, can be braided to make a tail for pinning to the seat of their pants. If the toddler is slightly older, and not likely to “bust your balloon”, buy one disposable glove at the drug store, tie off the thumb so no air can get in it, then inflate the glove, tie it off at the wrist, and pin to the belly of their shirt.

Cats and dogs are equally as simple, using the same matching shirt and pants combo, with a few accessories. For the dog, you can buy rubber/vinyl noses, or you can create your own hound dog face with a little makeup to match the shirt, and then draw on a black nose, and a black ring around one eye. Use felt to make a couple of oval-shaped ears, cutting one round end off, and tacking them to the hood of the shirt. The tail can be as easy as a piece of rope or cord, or you can sew a tube of felt and stuff it with quilt batting or lint from the dryer! For the finishing touch, cut down an old belt to create a “collar” and glue on some rhinestones.

Black cats are not only easy, they are delightfully charming ideas for toddler Halloween costumes. Get a matching black sweat pant and hooded shirt, plus black felt for the ears. Make sure you have a little pink felt as well, to glue to the inside of the black ear, to make it more realistic. Use make-up to draw on the nose and whiskers, and give your toddler black mittens, and black socks to wear over their shoes. You're at the end of the job when you make a matching tail out of black felt, or a length of black cord from the curtain shop. A narrow black dress belt with rhinestones glued on, and a tiny bell, makes your kitten, purrrrrfectly divine.

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