The Importance Of Fostering Sibling Groups And Why You Should Consider It
September 25, 2019
8 Life-Changing Reasons To Become A Foster Parent
October 25, 2019
Halloween is the perfect bonding time for you and your foster children. You can decorate, dress up and share an enjoyable evening trick-or-treating together. One way to bond with your foster child during this time of the year is through planning a Halloween costume. Whether your foster child just arrived or they have lived with you for some time, you may find yourself in a crunch to come up with an idea. For fun and clever last-minute Halloween costume inspiration to help get you started, read on!
Jack-o’-Lantern
One of the easiest costumes to create is a pumpkin. Start with an oversized orange sweatshirt or hoodie, and use felt pieces or fabric paint to create a Jack-o’-lantern face. Stuff the sweatshirt with cotton batting and tuck into your pants with a rope belt. Don’t forget the stem! Sew a felt stem to the top of your hoodie, or a brown knit hat with a pipe cleaner can also do the trick. Just pull the pipe cleaner all the way through and twist the ends together.
Ghost
Cue the Peanuts music! Remember when Charlie Brown and friends dressed as ghosts to trick-or-treat in It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown? You can certainly take an old white sheet and cut large holes for eyes (be sure not to cut too many holes like Charlie Brown did), but we like this spooky idea from DIY Network that uses gauze fabric and eerie face paint.
Witch
A witch costume is fun and easy to pull together at home. Simply pick up a witch’s hat from your local dollar store and dress your child in all-black. You can also add green makeup depending on how scary you want your little witch to look. Black shiny shoes add a nice finishing touch to this costume. Add a broom and take off with your witch in search of candy this Halloween.
Cat / Dog
Turning your foster child into an adorable kitten or puppy is easy as can be! Simply draw a pink or black nose with face paint and maybe a few whiskers. Dress your child in their fur color of choice — we recommend a comfy fleece sweat suit for chilly October nights. For puppies, use felt circles for spots. Hat and tail kits are affordable at the dollar store or make your own felt kitty or puppy ears with a headband. Encourage cute meows and barks as they trick-or-treat!
Old Lady / Old Man
This fun costume idea transforms your young foster child into an elderly person within minutes. For a granny, add loose curlers, bright lipstick, a housecoat and slippers. For a Grandpa, dress your foster child striped pajamas or an argyle sweater and bow tie. Find the perfect pair of glasses to complete your costume at the dollar store, and simply pop out the lenses. A walker or a cane is another nice touch! For tips on temporarily making hair look gray, click here.
Life with children in foster care gets busy; don’t let Halloween sneak up on you! Instead, use this guide to help pull-together a fantastic last-minute costume and enjoy the memories you make together. All are easy to make and your child can even lend a hand. While you’re at it, add to the fun by dressing up with your trick-or-treater in a matching costume, and have a happy Halloween!
Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency licensed by the State of Illinois, a member of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).
