{TUTORIAL}: Homemade Lego man costume for under $15

By Kellie O'Brien On October 23, 2013 · Add Comment

By Sheralee White

As part of Book Week in August, we put together a homemade Lego man costume for my six-year-old son. It took a few days to make but certainly wasn’t difficult at all.

With Halloween next week, I thought it was the perfect time to share how we made it for anyone looking for kids costume ideas.

Things you’ll need:

Cardboard box large enough to fit your child
4 small round takeaway containers (or small cat/dog food tin)
A hot glue gun with 3-4 glue sticks (these can be purchased from discount shops for about $7)
Pencil
Flour
Water
Salt
Newspaper
Plain white paper
1 can of spray paint

Timeframe:

2-3 days to make

STEP 1

Remove the flaps on the open box. On the opposite end, cut out a hole, large enough to fit your child’s head through. Cut smaller holes on each side to fit your child’s arms through.

STEP 2

One at a time, place the containers on the front of the box and use them to trace a circle using a pencil. Remove the container and follow the pencil outline with the glue gun. Stick the container, edge down, onto the glue. Repeat for each container.

STEP 3

Now you need to make the paper mache, Mix one part flour with one part water (about 1 cup flour and 1 cup water is enough) until you get a thick glue-like consistency. Add a bit more water if it’s too thick.

Mix well with a spoon to get rid of all the bumps. Add a few tablespoons of salt to help prevent mould.

You need to use strips of newspaper only.
Let the newspaper strips soak in the paper mache glue a little before using.
Cover your artwork with only 2-3 layers, then let dry completely. This is an important step.
Once a layer is dry you can add 2-3 more layers, remembering to let each layer dry before adding the next one.
The final layer can be plain paper – so it’s easier to paint – but use the thinnest paper possible and make sure it’s soaked well in the paper mache glue.