32 of the Best DIY Animal Costumes

One thing I love about animal costumes is that my kids use them all year long for pretend play. I feel good about spending extra time making DIY costumes knowing the costume will be enjoyed year round. If you have an animal lover on your hands, this list of 32 DIY animal costumes for kids and adults covers all the bases from farm animal costumes to zoo animal costumes and everything in between. Oh and I love the idea of a group family zoo costume! Anyone?

Farm Animal Costumes

Use a farm theme for a family costume or a trunk or treat idea. Adults can go as farmers with overalls and red bananas and then pick a few of these animal costumes for the kids. Or if you have a tractor lover on your hands, this cardboard box tractor costume would be a fun addition too!

1. Chicken

Does it get any cuter than a baby chicken? The answer is no! This DIY chicken costume was made with 2 white feather boas and 2 sets of yellow rubber gloves. For more details, check out Living the Swell Life.

2. Cow

What’s a farm without the cows! Here’s an easy, no sew cow costume that anyone can make in 30 minutes. For the complete tutorial check out Make It and Love It.

3. Horse

This adorable, creative diy horse costume is made from a cardboard box! Don’t miss this hot pink cardboard box horse over at Kid Stuff World too.

4. Pig

This pig costume includes a tutu which is always extra cute! Just add ears and a pig snout to a light pink hoodie for an adorable, easy pig costume. For the complete tutorial check out Spot of Tea Designs.

5. Sheep

This no sew sheep costume is adorable! Just hot glue cotton balls to a white hoodie and cut the sleeves off of the hoodie! For the complete tutorial, check out This Lovely Life.

6. Bunny

All you need for a bunny costume is a white leotard, a white tutu, and bunny ears! My daughter insisted on carrying am Easter basket as her candy bag and told everyone she was the Easter Bunny! (Here is the white leotard and bunny accessories my daughter is wearing.)

7. Spider

A spider is not a typical farm animal, but I had to include in this section in honor of Charlotte’s web. How cute would Charlotte and Wilbur be as a sibling costume? For the complete spider tutorial, check out Pretty Providence.

Zoo Animal Costumes

8. Flamingo

This pink flamingo costume might be my favorite animal costume on the list! All you need are pink boas, felt, sheets of foam, and a hot glue gun! For a step by step tutorial of this no sew flamingo costume, check out this DIY flamingo costume post.

9. Panda

This panda bear baby costume is super simple to make and involves very little sewing. You can ditch the sewing for hot glue if you’d like! Check out C.R.A.F.T. for the DIY panda bear costume.

10. Crocodile

Turn a long narrow cardboard box into a crocodile head with this simple tutorial from Evil Mad Scientist.

11. Fox

For a detailed fox costume tutorial, check out Taylor Made Creates.

12. Moose

How cute is this tiny moose? And how smart is it to use gloves as moose antlers? For the full tutorial, check out the House of Paint.

Safari Animal Costumes

Grab a few friends and make some DIY animal costumes on this list then show them off with a costume party!

13. Elephant

This elephant costume was specifically made to look like Gerald from Piggie and Elephant. My family loves that duo so much we made Elephant and Piggie pumpkins last year! This costume does involve sewing with a pattern but it would be fun for imaginative play all year long! For the complete tutorial, hop on over to Larissa Another Day.

14. Lion

This DIY lion costume is adorable and best of all, it’s a no sew costume! Check out the complete tutorial on Night Owl Blog.

15. Giraffe

I love that this mama incorporated her daughter’s fore arm crutches into her giraffe costume! For more pictures and details about the costume check out A Life Less Ordinary.

Under the Sea Costumes

16. Shark

This DIY shark costume is made out of a large piece of cardboard and spray paint. I attached a reusable grocery bag handle to the back of the shark so my son could easily hold the shark. Click here for more DIY shark costume details.

17. Jellyfish

A clear umbrella with streamers or ribbons attached is the key to this adorable DIY jellyfish costume made by Mariah from Giggles Galore.

18. Octopus

It doesn’t get much cuter than a baby octopus costume and I love that this one is made with knee socks!

Bird costumes

From a pigeon to a peacock… this list of bird animal costumes has it all. (Minus a penguin, I want to make a penguin costume!)

19. Pigeon

You can make the cutest little DIY pigeon costume with a paper plate and a mint colored dress! Best part? It will take you less than 3 minutes to paint and put together.

20. Chicken

This chicken costume for kids is extra special if your kiddo who loves the book, Interrupting Chicken! It’s also super easy to make. All you need is a cardboard box and paint.

21. Peacock

This is the best handmade peacock costume I’ve come across. The onesie and tights are store bought, but the tail feather “belt” is handmade. For more details and pictures, check out Creatively Christy.

DIY Animal Costumes

The following list of cute animal costumes don’t fit into any of the categories above, but they’re too cute not to make the animal costumes for kids list!

22. Bat

These bat capes and hats are perfect for little bat lovers. Find the simple sewing project on Made Everyday.

23. Hedgehog

Alida Makes sewed the cutest toddler hedgehog costume I’ve ever seen. I love that it’s warm and comfortable too. This is one of those costumes that will get used all year long!

24. Lizard

What kid doesn’t love lizards? Turn a green hoodie into a lizard with some eyes, nose, and tail! For the lizard costume tutorial, check out Taylor Made Creates.

25. DIY Koala costume

All you need for this koala bear costume is a grey onesie, grey pants, and white felt. The koala bear mask is super simple to make with a free printable template! Find all of the DIY koala costume details here.

Adult animal costumes

26. Fox

This awesome Fox costume can likely be put together with clothes from your closet or thrift store. You will need to DIY a mask and tail. This costume was originally found What I Wore tumblr which has since been transitioned into Stars + Field.

27. Goldfish

Turn a plain orange hooded sweatshirt into a goldfish costume masterpeice with a little hand sewing! Find the complete tutorial on Jenna Brand.

28. Lobster

All you need to be a lobster for Halloween is 48 plastic red cups, 15 plastic red plates, tons of clear packing tape, and a lot of patience. For more details about the DIY lobster costume, hop on over to Answering Oliver.

29. Jellyfish

30. Lady Bug

This lady bug costume can be put together in less than 15 minutes once you find the right supplies. Click here for details on how to make an adult lady bug costume.

31. Bat

I love how she up-cycles an old umbrella into a pair of epic bat wings! For a step by step tutorial, check out the Evil Mad Scientist

32. Wolf

This no sew wolf hoodie is perfect for a quick, easy Halloween costume. Find the complete tutorial on Lia Griffith.

Have you ever made a DIY animal costume for Halloween? Time to grab the scissors, cardboard, faux fur, and old t-shirts and whip some diy animal costumes! If you’re looking for more DIY Halloween costume ideas, don’t miss these:

• 39 DIY adult costumes
• 29 DIY kid costumes
• 19 Group costume ideas