Introduction: Super Easy Kids Astronaut Costume

About: I'm a former bicycle industry designer turned professional jeweler. I like working with my hands and am happiest when I'm in the shop building my creations. If you need help with your project just let me know!

When I asked my youngest son what he wanted to be for Halloween this year there was absolutely no hesitation.

"Astronaut. Gotta be an astronaut."

So here's how to put together a super easy kids astronaut costume using readily available materials! This is a really fun and quick costume project.

Let's get started!

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Our requirements for this costume were that it needed to be inexpensive, quick to make, warm (he can wear his coat w/hood underneath it) and he needed to be able to easily take it on and off by himself at school. With that in mind here's what you need to create this astronaut suit. Most everything can be found at a local home improvement store.

Note: While I did not have time to make a helmet you can find a cool astronaut helmet guide here.

Tools:

Hot glue gun- I've been using this Ryobi cordless model and I love it!

Hacksaw

Scissors

Heat gun

Scroll saw (there is another option available listed in the tutorial if you don't have this.)

Half round file

Materials:

Painter's suit XL size -for an adult you would probably need two XXL suits.

Red and blue spray paint

1/8" plywood (can also use craft foam sheet)

Nasa patches -or follow this instructable to make your own custom space patches!

White duct tape

Aluminum tape

1-1/2 in. PVC DWV Hub x Hub Coupling 2ea

1-1/2 in. x 1-1/4 in. PVC DWV Trap Adapter 4ea

3" PVC drain/sewer cap 2ea

5 gallon bucket

Step 2: Make the Suit Couplings

The suit couplings really give this astronaut suit that extra something special.

The couplings are made from four 1 1/2" PVC trap adapters. In order to fit these to the suit I cut eight rings from 1/8" plywood using a scroll saw- these rings help reinforce the suit where holes are cut in the suit by sandwiching the suit material between the rings. If you don't have access to 1/8" plywood or a scroll saw you could make the rings from craft foam sheet cut with a hobby knife or scissors.

The two plywood rings on each coupling are held in place by a retaining ring that is made from a 1 1/2" hub coupling that is cut in half using a hacksaw (do not fully assemble them at this time.)

After making the coupling parts I painted two of the couplings red and two blue. I held these with a small section of foam pipe insulation during painting. There is no need to paint the plywood rings or the retaining rings.

Step 3: Make the Neck and Wrist Rings

While I didn't have time to make a proper helmet I really felt it needed a neck ring.

To make the neck ring I cut the lip off a five gallon bucket using a hacksaw. A half round file was then used to clean up the cut edge. Next I cut a section out of the ring so I could shrink down the diameter to better fit the suit and my son's head. I heated up the plastic ring using a heat gun to help form the ring to shape and then joined it together using duct tape.

The wrist rings were made by cutting the solid end off 3'" PVC drain/sewer caps and cleaning up the cut edge with a half round fille

Step 4: Fitting the Suit

Modifying a painter's suit was the easiest way to make the astronaut suit base.

I had my son put the suit on over his winter coat. It gets pretty cold where we live and his coat would add the right amount of puffiness to the suit. Next I shortened the arms and legs.

To shorten the legs I cut off the bottom of the legs and folded a cuff (save the cutoffs.) I shortened the arms by folding the sleeves up (so they overlap) around the bicep area. I taped the folded bicep area using white duct tape. Next I slid the cutoff leg section over the upper arm and taped it to the suit using white duct tape- this helps gives the suit the multi layer look of the real astronaut suits. The wrist cuff rings are slipped inside the suit sleeves and taped in place using white duct tape.

To attach the neck ring I pulled the zipper down a bit below where the ring sits and then taped the ring in place to the suit collar using white duct tape. The suit collar should be taped to the inside of the neck ring.

Step 5: Adding Couplings and Patches

Adding couplings and patches!

I sketched outlines on the suit for that placement of the couplings and cut out the holes with scissors. The couplings were then fit to the suit- one reinforcing ring goes on the front and another reinforcing rings on the inside of the suit, followed by the retaining coupling. These were then glued in place using hot glue. Be careful as hot glue can melt the Tyvek suit material if too much is used or the glue gun tip touches the suit!

The patches were then applied to the suit using hot glue.

Step 6: Finishing Up

Final details!

To finish the suit off I wrapped Aluminum tape around the neck ring and the wrist rings for that super extra "spacey" look. To complete the look my son wore his snow boots as moon boots.

Now admire your handiwork- you now have a super cool, low cost astronaut suit!

If anyone has any questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Halloween Contest 2018

Runner Up in the
Halloween Contest 2018