Make your own monster costume from a cardboard box! This is a super-easy DIY Halloween costume idea, or just a fun Dress-up craft you can make any time.

This craft was originally published in 2013, and has been updated and reshared for today’s audience.

We’re re-visiting some of our easy cardboard recycling crafts this month. Last week I shared a princess castle we made from a recycled cardboard box. Well, this craft was made on the same day back when my daughters were pre-schoolers, using a box exactly the same as the cardboard castle (a wine box).

Oh how my kids have grown since then, and oh how my photography skills have improved too!

My daughter loved to dress up and play RAAAH games with her monster costume once it was finished, and she was extra proud because she helped to make it herself.

Originally she wanted to make a cookie monster, but once she set to work painting the box, she soon got bored with that and painted her hands, feet and basically anywhere but the box. There was no more blue paint left, so we had to cover it up with green and Cookie Monster became a Sea Monster instead, haha.

While this would make a fun DIY for a Trick or Treat costume, we made it just for dress ups and imaginary play.

How to make a monster costume from a cardboard box

You will need:

Cardboard carton, wine box size. You can pick these up for free at any bottle shop.
Lead pencil and serrated kitchen knife or a stanley knife
Kids acrylic or poster paint
Sponge brushes or rollers
Glitter foam – I’ve used adhesive sparkle foam but coloured card stock would also work (and would also be a more environmentally friendly choice)
Crepe paper cut into streamers to decorate
Scissors
craft glue

Place the box on your child’s head and mark roughly where their eyes will be.
Sketch two circles where the eyes will be and add a monster mouth.
Cut out the eyes and mouth (if it’s an open mouth) out using a serrated kitchen knife or a stanley knife. Keep the cut-outs aside.
Place it on your child’s head again to make sure they can see through the holes.
Place a drop sheet or some newspaper down and paint the cardboard box the colour you wish your monster to bee. Allow to dry.
Use the cut out pieces you’ve kept aside. Place an eye circle over a piece of white craft foam and trace a larger oval shape around it for the eye. Cut two out the same size. Repeat with a smaller oval in blue, black or green to be the inner eye circle. Place the mouth shape over a sheet of white glitter foam and trace around the shape, then trace a larger shape around it to make the lips.
Stick these pieces onto the dry cardboard mask. Cut out a nose and some optional glitter foam spots to decorate.
Finish off by gluing on some crepe paper streamers – you’re done!