What age group is this costume for?
Elementary School
Middle School
High School & Beyond

Estimated time required to make this costume:
1 half hour to 2 hours

Difficulty level:
Quick and easy - no sewing required

Items you will need: (Hit your return key to start a new line)
A black dress, robe, or sweatsuit; two pieces of white posterboard; clear postal tape; sandpaper, or sand & glue; and a witch's hat (buy, or use: two pieces black posterboard; black electrical tape; a square of black felt [optional]; and a piece of elastic [optional])

Instructions:
From each piece of white posterboard, cut out a piece in the shape of an oversized slice of white bread, about as wide as your witch's torso. With the scraps of posterboard, cut out two long straps, and tape them to the "bread" such that the straps go over the shoulders and the bread goes in front and in back. Decorate the hat (see below if you are going to make it) and the bread with sandpaper, any way you like; alternatively, draw designs with the glue, cover with sand, and shake off the extra sand. If desired, tape some small scraps of posterboard to the inside of the bread with parts sticking out, and color those parts to look like cheese, lettuce, baloney, or whatever. If desired, write the words "Sand Witch" on the front and/or back. Wear the "sandwich board" and hat with the black outfit.

To make a witchÆs hat, cut out a hole just large enough for the witchÆs head in the middle of one piece of black posterboard. Make this into a brim by cutting all around a few inches away from the hole. To make the pointy part (cone), draw and cut out a large, wide ôpie-pieceö shape (perhaps two-thirds of a pie) on the second piece of black posterboard, with the two straight edges (the radii) as long as the hat will be tall and with the arc edge at least as long as the circumference of the hole in the brim. Bend this pie piece so that the two straight edges meet to form a cone, and trim if needed, making sure the cone fits the hole in the brim. Tape the cone together and tape the cone to the brim; use a lot of tape to prevent light from shining between the two pieces. Line the hole with a felt square, if desired, to make the hat more comfortable. If the hat is not an ideal fit, you can either trim it or add a piece of elastic to make a hat strap. In the latter case, tape the elastic to the top of the brim on each side (covering the elastic with tape so that it is not visible above the brim), and pass the elastic through where the cone meets the brim.

CAUTION: Hat straps may be a choking hazard. Do not use them with small children.