Carnival is coming and we bring you ideas to disguise the little ones in the house. On this occasion we will see some original homemade carnival costumes, simple and made with balloons. A blackberry, a bunch of grapes, a bag of jelly beans or a foam bath are our proposals.
These are costumes for children from the age of three, when they can move and walk without difficulties and when the temptation to blow up the balloons is not so great because they already understand that without balloons there is no costume. So that at least some horitas in disguise last…
Jelly beans bag costume
This is the most colorful costume, since we use balloons of all shades and sizes, as if they were jelly beans. We need a very large transparent plastic bag and balloons of different colors. In the closed part of the bag, at the base, we cut two gaps for the legs, tight enough so that the balloons do not escape below.
On the sides we will make the holes for the arms. Then we carefully place the kids in the bag, "putting it on" by the legs. When we have removed the child's arms, we can fill the bag of swollen balloons from the upper opening. Next we need a wide and colorful ribbon to "close" the bag of jelly beans at shoulder height.
In order not to leave all the force in the loop, we can staple it to the bag so that it is more assured that it supports the weight and does not slide down because the bag is opened by the shoulders.
As a complement, on a sheet of A3 size paper we can write the label for the bag of jelly beans with the brand or slogan that we like the most, "Tomifrutti jelly beans", "Rainbow jelly beans", "The sweetest jelly beans," "Jelly beans for everyone," "10 flavored jelly beans" ... And the jelly beans are ready to parade.
Grape Cluster Costume
I have tried this costume myself. It is about taking a hard cardboard and cutting it with a round shape and a hole in the center to put it through the head and that is resting on the shoulders. On this support will go a fabric to the knees, which can be black, purple or green, depending on the color we choose for the grape grains.
Now we just need to staple or sew the balloons to the fabric, which will be narrowed from the widest point on the shoulders (thanks to the cardboard) to the knees, to take the form of a cluster. To achieve that form of cluster, there is also a very simple trick that consists in swelling the upper balloons more and as we go down towards the knees, use less swollen balloons.
A simpler version is the one shown in the photographs, when we do not use a fabric as a base but the balloons are sewn to the same clothes.
Of course a grape leaf made of felt or green cardboard can complement this costume as a hat. An alternative that is so simple to attach is to take a child's hat and sew or paste small grape leaves cut into cardboard.
Blackberry Costume
The fruit of the blackberry is a flattened version of the cluster costume. The balloons should be rounded rather than oval, of the same size, black or red, and form a sphere around the child's body. As a complement, a green hat or a leaf-shaped cardboard on the head will make the base of the blackberry.
Bubble Bath Costume
For this fun costume we need white balloons that will act as soap bubbles. We sew the balloons to the old clothes that they carry underneath (better if it is flesh-colored or white, like the balloons, so that it does not catch up).
Now we only need a few simple accessories to finish the costume. A bathing cap and a very large and colorful sponge, or gum in the hair to create a “wet” effect, make the kids true “foam bathers”.
If we want something more sophisticated (but also more uncomfortable for kids and complicated to elaborate), you can create a "bathtub" around the child, placing a square or rectangular cardboard box with no braces, without base or lid.
Of course, we have to model this box beforehand to give it the appearance of a bathtub or bidet, painting it or covering it with white, making it some curvature at the upper edges, inventing a tap ... Personally I prefer the version without a bathtub, for comfort and simplicity for more children and girls
We hope these Homemade carnival costumes made with balloons They are interesting and give you ideas so that the children of the house do not run out of a fun outfit.
Photos | Joe Shlabotnik and soundfromwayout of grapes on Flickr, Jennie Faber of blackberry on Flickr On Babies and more | Carnival Special
