10 Halloween costumes you can make in just five minutes

Having trawled the supermarkets at the weekend, I can report with some horror that Halloween costumes for a nine-year-old now seem to cost the GDP of a small country. Trying to spot anything under £10 for Cyrus was like searching for a unicorn, and considering he’ll wear it once and then it ends up on Vinted, it felt a bit much. Gone are the days of cute outfits; it’s now an aisle of clowns, ghouls, and terrifying pumpkins with teeth. I shuddered at the thought of parting with my hard-earned cash for such horrors.

So, naturally, I was delighted to discover a list of 10 Halloween costumes you can make in five minutes flat, courtesy of the team at Playdale. Practical, quick, and often made from things you already have at home, these costumes are a lifesaver for parents like me juggling half-term, work, and the annual last-minute costume panic.

1. Miss Trunchbull (Matilda)

Nothing says “terrifying authority figure” quite like Miss Trunchbull. Grab some black trousers, a grey sweatshirt, and the biggest belt in the house. Slick the hair into a low bun and channel your inner headmistress. Bonus points for carrying a fake chocolate cake – or a real one if you’ve had a 50th birthday recently like me.

2. The Room on the Broom witch

A classic costume for the little reader in your life. A red top, purple or black skirt, and a trusty broom will do the trick. Tie hair into a plait with a bow and, if you can find one, add a cuddly cat toy. It’s cute, witchy and unmistakably Julia Donaldson.

3. Steve (Minecraft)

The easiest way to win over a screen-obsessed child. Blue jeans, turquoise T-shirt, and brown shoes – done. Add a cardboard pickaxe or foam sword for authenticity. If you’re feeling extra creative, cut eye holes in a box, draw on Steve’s pixelated face and call it art.

4. Where’s Wally?

Every parent’s dream: a costume you can find in the washing basket. Blue jeans, a red-and-white striped top, glasses, and a bobble hat. Send them into a Halloween party and play your own version of “find the child before the sweets run out.”

5. The classic zombie

Low effort, high impact. Rip up some old clothes (the ones already covered in slime stains will do nicely), smudge dark eyeshadow under their eyes, and add a smear of fake blood. Ta-da – terrifying in under five minutes and costs precisely nothing.

6. Wednesday Addams

Black dress, white collar, two plaits. Done. For extra points, throw in some black eyeliner and your child’s best deadpan stare. It’s a modern classic, thanks to Jenna Ortega’s reboot, and a win for anyone whose child naturally exudes Wednesday-level sarcasm.

7. Labubu

If you haven’t yet been introduced to Labubu, this is the latest “creepy-cute” collectible craze so consider yourself lucky if you don’t know about it yet. To recreate the look, grab a fluffy onesie, draw on a mischievous grin with face paint, and add a pair of cat ears under the hood. Voilà, 2025’s answer to the Beanie Baby, but make it spooky.

8. Marvel Zombies

Perfect for superhero fans who’ve outgrown their Spider-Man costume. Add some face paint, fake blood, and a few rips to last year’s outfit, and you’ve got yourself a zombified Avenger. 

9. Eleven (Stranger Things)

A pink dress, denim jacket, and white trainers is easy. Add a touch of fake blood below one nostril and you’ve got Eleven in all her nosebleed telekinetic glory. Stranger Things may be ending, but this look never gets old.

10. The mummy

When all else fails reach for the toilet roll. Wrap your child (lightly, please) in loo paper over old clothes, leaving a few ends trailing for effect. Add dark eyeshadow for that freshly-awakened-from-the-tomb look. It’s simple, effective, and guaranteed to raise laughs at the school gate. 

“Honestly, sometimes five minutes of creativity beats £15 in a supermarket aisle full of clowns.”