30 Cardboard Box Costumes

Last Updated on March 2, 2026

With Halloween just around the corner it’s time to start dreaming up some costume ideas. If your kids are like mine, they will likely change their minds about what they want about 23 times leading up to the day. So you should have a few different options up your sleeve! Since most of us have a couple of boxes lying around at all times, some ideas for cardboard box costumes are good to have on hand. Most of these you can whip up using only scissors, string and paint!

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I’m a big believer in the homemade Halloween costume. And not just because I’m an avid crafter and any excuse for a project will do!

Creating a costume can be a family exercise in creativity. Get everyone involved and the kiddos can have a little pride in a costume they helped make. Store bought costumes tend to be cheaply made and will fall apart half-way through the trick or treating anyway.

Yes, I understand that cardboard box costumes aren’t going to last more than one night either, but at least they required a little imagination and effort. You’ll be making memories to last a lifetime!

Because you’ll always remember the year that little Johnny dressed up as a washing machine!

(And if you’re reading this and Halloween is tomorrow and you’re panicking, check out this post of 34 Last Minute Costume Ideas!)

Note: A lot of the tutorials associated with the photos below are no longer available. But I think in most cases the photos are enough to go on as an inspiration of what you can accomplish with only cardboard and imagination!

Cardboard Box Costumes for Halloween

Some of these just link to a set of photos, they don’t all have instructions. But in most cases the photos are enough. It’s a cardboard box after all, not a huge financial loss if you screw it up. lol!

1. Robot Ballerina
2. Garden Fairy – No longer available, but here’s a sweet butterfly wing tutorial instead.
3. Ice Cream Cone
4. French Fries – Tutorial no longer available, but you get the idea! 
5. Llama – No longer available, but here’s a different llama tutorial instead. 🙂
6. Emojis

You could get creative with the Super Mario theme and do a family costume. Someone could be a question mark block or a mushroom. Sky’s the limit! (For even more group ideas, check out this post of 32 Halloween Costumes for Families!)

1. Wall-e
2. Tardis
3. Thwomp
4. Viking Ship – no tutorial available
5. Rocket Ship – no tutorial available
6. Barbie Box

Inexpensive DIY Halloween Costumes

1. Buzz Lightyear
2. Angel Wings
3. Dinosaur
4. Fidget Spinner
5. Pac Man
6. Rainbow Wings

Easy DIY Cardboard Costumes

I like that this batch doesn’t require a lot of box reconstruction. It’s basically just leaving the box as is with the head and arm holes cut out, then painting. Ok except for the mailbox, which is hilarious and reminds me of Gru. Haha

1. Dice
2. Rubik’s Cube by Made Everyday – (The tutorial from Design Mom is no longer available)
3. Washing Machine
4. X-Ray
5. Mailbox
6. Traffic Light

Funny DIY Halloween Costumes

Well, if you’ll never be afford a real Birkin bag, at least you can enjoy dressing your kid up as one!

The row houses would be an AMAZING group costume! Can you imagine a whole row of them toddling down the streat?! 😀

1. Birkin Bag
2. Dinosaur
3. Takeout Box – I can’t find the tutorial for this one anymore, but it looks self-explanatory!
4. Slice of Cake
5. Carousel Horse
6. Row House

DIY Cardboard Box Costumes for Kids

Last year, my boys insisted on being an ambulance and a police car. We all worked together to put these together, and they were very well received in our neighbourhood. I think people really appreciate the effort of a homemade costume! At any rate, my boys were super happy and super cute, and that’s what matters most!

What are your kiddos planning to be this Halloween? 🙂