I faded to love Halloween as a child, but over the years I became paralyzed about the number of violent, creepy, and downright disgusting costumes I came across. What was wrong with dressing up like a princess or a mermaid or a bunny rabbit? Why did all the costumes have to glorify vampires, monsters, and witches?

I decided to focus on the more innocent aspects of Halloween as a fun holiday of dressing up and getting candy, rather than using it as an excuse to scare myself. Here are some decorations and costumes kids can make themselves with adult help; these costumes represent a more child-friendly flavor and don’t focus on the dark and sometimes exceedingly scary aspect of the season.

Here are some costume ideas that are sweet and humorous and could work for any dress-up party, not just Halloween:

(1) A princess. It’s not very original, but it’s fun and easy to make. Any long dress, preferably one with lace, ribbons, or other accents, will do. Add a tiara (you can either accomplish one from cardboard and/or construction paper, glitter glue, etc., or buy one cheap), some pretty shoes, and perhaps a cape or shawl made from an used dress or a sheet, and you’re ready to play princess. If you bought a princess gown or other “girly” costume in the past, considering revamping it with homemade decorations and accents.

Objective by using a more knowing dress and adding bows and fluttering sashes, you can create a really splendid girls’ gypsy costume from the same materials.

(2) Animals. These are fun to make but are a little bit harder. Have any animal-print sheets, clothing, or material you’re not using anymore? Turn them into Halloween costumes! Also, a white sheet can be painted with child-safe paints that will work on material. Paint on zebra stripes, leopard spots, or whatever your child’s heart desires. Animal masks can either be bought or made. If you want to make one, cut out a mask shape using his or her face as a guide, then paint or marker it and use glitter glue or glitter markers to make fun, original accents. Stickers would work too.

If you’re looking for a non-jungle animal Halloween costume, a cow costume could be made by spray-painting a sheet murky and white or using a black and white material. You can also sew black patches onto a white background. A cat costume is easy to create. Get some “fuzzy” material (many stores now sell material that comes in a very soft, plush, almost fur-like material) and make a simple pull-over garment . . . add a cat mask and face-painted whiskers for a fun look. A dog costume can be made in the same way.

(3) A ghost. If your child *must* go trick-or-treating as the stereotypical Halloween ghost, make sure it’s not a scary-looking ghost. Old sheets, white dresses, or a garment made from a solid-color cloth can all make convincing ghost costumes. Paint on (or crop out) a funny or child-like smile instead of a scary-looking grimace. Dimples might be cute.

(4) A robot. This is a unique Halloween costume idea that isn’t as hard to make as it sounds. Simply hollow out some cardboard boxes and fit them together over the child in such a way that he or she resembles a “robot.” The fun part comes after the costume is assembled and the “detailing,” painting on a “face”, buttons, and gears, can begin. Children will adore helping with this part of the costume.

You can also make your own Halloween treat bag. Use a large brown paper bag and paint or glue on designs, or jazz up an old Easter basket by adding Halloween stickers or decals or spray-painting it black and orange.

Making Halloween decorations is exquisite easy, too. Use posterboard, construction paper, and/or regular paper and draw your own designs. You can utilize Halloween coloring pages; impartial print them out, tape or glue to a heavier paper to make them more durable, and color them in! Get creative; buy orange and sad glitter pens, glitter glue, markers, etc. Kids can make decorations, banners, and even table settings by hand. With some “fall” colored construction paper you can make some stout Halloween decorations by making paper rings and intermatching the orange and black, then hanging the finished creation from the ceiling or table. Have fun and get creative! If you choose to use fall colors for your Halloween decorations, some items can actually be reused for Thanksgiving decor.

I used to love Halloween as a child, but over the years I became disturbed about the number of violent, creepy, and downright disgusting costumes I came across. What was wrong with dressing up like a princess or a mermaid or a bunny rabbit? Why did all the costumes have to glorify vampires, monsters, and witches?

I decided to focus on the more innocent aspects of Halloween as a fun holiday of dressing up and getting candy, rather than using it as an excuse to scare myself. Here are some decorations and costumes kids can fabricate themselves with adult help; these costumes represent a more child-friendly flavor and don’t focus on the dismal and sometimes exceedingly scary aspect of the season.

Here are some costume ideas that are sweet and funny and could work for any dress-up party, not just Halloween:

(1) A princess. It’s not very modern, but it’s fun and easy to effect. Any long dress, preferably one with lace, ribbons, or other accents, will do. Add a tiara (you can either make one from cardboard and/or construction paper, glitter glue, etc., or buy one cheap), some graceful shoes, and perhaps a cape or shawl made from an old dress or a sheet, and you’re ready to play princess. If you bought a princess gown or other “girly” costume in the past, considering revamping it with homemade decorations and accents.

Just by using a more colorful dress and adding bows and fluttering sashes, you can produce a really pretty girls’ gypsy costume from the same materials.

(2) Animals. These are fun to make but are a little bit harder. Have any animal-print sheets, clothing, or material you’re not using anymore? Turn them into Halloween costumes! Also, a white sheet can be painted with child-safe paints that will work on material. Paint on zebra stripes, leopard spots, or whatever your child’s heart desires. Animal masks can either be bought or made. If you want to make one, cut out a mask shape using his or her face as a guide, then paint or marker it and use glitter glue or glitter markers to make fun, original accents. Stickers would work too.

If you’re looking for a non-jungle animal Halloween costume, a cow costume could be made by spray-painting a sheet black and white or using a black and white material. You can also sew black patches onto a white background. A cat costume is easy to create. Get some “fuzzy” material (many stores now sell material that comes in a very soft, plush, almost fur-like material) and make a simple pull-over garment . . . add a cat camouflage and face-painted whiskers for a fun look. A dog costume can be made in the same way.

(3) A ghost. If your child *must* go trick-or-treating as the stereotypical Halloween ghost, make sure it’s not a scary-looking ghost. Used sheets, white dresses, or a garment made from a solid-color cloth can all make convincing ghost costumes. Paint on (or cut out) a funny or child-like smile instead of a scary-looking grimace. Dimples might be cute.

(4) A robot. This is a unique Halloween costume idea that isn’t as hard to make as it sounds. Simply hollow out some cardboard boxes and fit them together over the child in such a way that he or she resembles a “robot.” The fun part comes after the costume is assembled and the “detailing,” painting on a “face”, buttons, and gears, can begin. Children will love helping with this part of the costume.

You can also make your own Halloween treat bag. Use a large brown paper bag and paint or glue on designs, or jazz up an old Easter basket by adding Halloween stickers or decals or spray-painting it sad and orange.

Making Halloween decorations is pretty easy, too. Use posterboard, construction paper, and/or regular paper and draw your own designs. You can use Halloween coloring pages; just print them out, tape or glue to a heavier paper to invent them more durable, and color them in! Get creative; buy orange and murky glitter pens, glitter glue, markers, etc. Kids can make decorations, banners, and even table settings by hand. With some “tumble” colored construction paper you can make some great Halloween decorations by making paper rings and intermatching the orange and dismal, then hanging the finished creation from the ceiling or table. Have fun and gather creative! If you choose to exercise fall colors for your Halloween decorations, some items can actually be reused for Thanksgiving decor.