How to Make a Robot Costume

Halloween doesn't have to be a rush to get to the local costume store to sift through the numerous expensive, and sometimes overdone, Halloween costumes. Sometimes the best costumes can be made right at home. Original costumes made from items around the house or easily, and cheaply, bought at the store, can be just as endearing, or scary, or funny, as anything found in a store. Take a robot for instance. There are many, many different kinds of robots. There are frightening robots, square robots, funny robots, robots that light up, tall robots, short robots, male robots, and female robots. Just about anybody can be a robot! A robot may be one of the easiest costumes to make with articles found around the house.

One of the things needed is silver makeup and paint. Most people relate robots with the square head and body shape, so large, oversized boxes are often favorites with which to build a robot. If possible, one should find a large box that can fit over the torso. This box should be covered in tin foil or painted with silver paint, and holes should be cut on either side for armholes, and the top and bottom should be cut out. There are many battery-operated stick-on lights available now, also, that can be found at any department store. These can be stuck along the bottom or top of the costume, or they can be used as start and stop buttons for the robot. Reflectors could also be used on the costume. Either of these is also an excellent safety precaution for nighttime parties or trick-or-treating.

Those who live in a colder climate would probably be wise to wear a gray or black sweat suit. Tights and a short-sleeved shirt could be worn in warmer climates. Arms for the robot can be made from dryer vent tubing, cut to size and attached to the box with silver duct tape. Gloves can be worn on the hands, in either black or gray.

The head of the costume could be done several different ways, depending on the preference. A smaller box could be used that will cover the head. A small slit could be cut for the eyes with the remainder of the box painted silver with various knobs and/or reflectors and lights around the outside. A box could be used with the entire front cut out. If one prefers not to wear a mask, however, makeup could be used as an alternative. Silver makeup covering the entire face can be used quite effectively as well. Gold or neon makeup could be used on the cheeks in a circular pattern to break the color and add a robotic look to the costume. Silver hairspray is inexpensive and can be found at most stores around the children’s Halloween costumes. A black or gray headband can be used with pipe cleaners inserted through it and Styrofoam balls attached to the ends to look like antennae.

Shoes can be covered by shoeboxes painted silver or gray. The box lids will need to be glued on, and a hole will need to be cut just big enough for the shoe to fit inside. Use silver duct tape to secure the box around the ankle or calf if necessary.

The fun thing about a robot costume is the many different variations that can be done. The costume is limited only by the imagination, and two rarely ever look alike. The following are some sites to start some basics of robot building. Start from there and let imagination take over for the knobs and buttons and lights and gizmos!

• How to Make a Robot Costume: Simple robot design using two cardboard boxes.

• How To Make a Halloween Robot or Cell Phone Costume | How Did I Do It?: Robot design using cardboard boxes and dryer tubing and sophisticated hands. Good picture.

• ZOOM Activities. Halloween Costumes | PBS Kids: Instructions for costumes for a robot, a milk carton, and a television set.

• Essortment: Halloween costume projects: Robot costume with a cute idea for a “costume meter” to keep track of the positive and negative remarks about the costume.

• Robot Costume - Just Mommies: Instructions for a very well-covered robot, head-to-toe. Good picture.

• Halloween.net - Robot Costume: This costume does not use a box for the head, and instead uses makeup. Good picture with good details for the body and head.

• Better Homes and Gardens: Snazzy Robot Costume: Different, colorful robot that is far from silver. Uses numbers as well. Great picture.