How do I make a hail storm costume for a Toddler?
October 3, 2013 6:27 PM Subscribe
My brother calls his daughter, Hailey, HailStorm. He wants her (she's 20 months) to be a hail storm for Halloween. How do I do this?
So far, we have a grey sweatsuit.I need to attach hail to it, but, how do I make hail and how do I make it look best?
Adorable Hailey in August of this year.
So far, we have a grey sweatsuit.I need to attach hail to it, but, how do I make hail and how do I make it look best?
Adorable Hailey in August of this year.
Best answer: I'd be inclined to buy some really large clear plastic beads (like these) and just sew them on all over the suit, or maybe attach them by a short tether of sparkly silver thread (available at craft stores, check the embroidery section) so that when she moves the hail bounces and flies. Possibly stipple the grey sweatsuit with dots of silver paint to give some depth to the effect.
For bonus cuteness, buy a bunch of those wiggly "alien antennae" headbands at the dollar store and use their combined springs to make a wiggly hail headband.
posted by Bardolph at 6:38 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
For bonus cuteness, buy a bunch of those wiggly "alien antennae" headbands at the dollar store and use their combined springs to make a wiggly hail headband.
posted by Bardolph at 6:38 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: "how do I make hail"
You'd provide a remarkably realistic, if small scale simulation if you gave the kid an ice cube to throw, randomly, every 10 seconds or so, from a portable cooler. Let her Dad pitch in, too, so to speak, on any people that don't quickly get the point.
The grey sweatsuit is a good start, and a little tiara of tinfoil lightning bolts might be adorable, as a crowning touch. And teach her to blow from puffed out cheeks, on cue, too. All good hail storms come with mighty winds.
posted by paulsc at 6:42 PM on October 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
You'd provide a remarkably realistic, if small scale simulation if you gave the kid an ice cube to throw, randomly, every 10 seconds or so, from a portable cooler. Let her Dad pitch in, too, so to speak, on any people that don't quickly get the point.
The grey sweatsuit is a good start, and a little tiara of tinfoil lightning bolts might be adorable, as a crowning touch. And teach her to blow from puffed out cheeks, on cue, too. All good hail storms come with mighty winds.
posted by paulsc at 6:42 PM on October 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I like the idea of the styrofoam balls or beads, but attaching them with thread so they hang loose. That way she could spin around and they would flair out. Maybe the styrofoam would be better so she didn't hurt herself if one flew off. What about a gray cloud on a headband to sit abover her like a halo?
posted by Youremyworld at 7:15 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Youremyworld at 7:15 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I like the idea of the styrofoam balls or beads, but attaching them with thread so they hang loose. That way she could spin around and they would flair out.
This is what I was thinking, too. If you just glue the styrofoam on, she'll just look... I dunno, like a rock or something.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:18 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is what I was thinking, too. If you just glue the styrofoam on, she'll just look... I dunno, like a rock or something.
posted by showbiz_liz at 7:18 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: In addition to clear plastic beads all over the suit, how about a wide-brimmed hat with beads hanging down all around?
posted by ottereroticist at 7:21 PM on October 3, 2013
posted by ottereroticist at 7:21 PM on October 3, 2013
Best answer: To be a real breath of boringness, do remember to attach things firmly and watch out for choking hazards. Dangly beads are just perfect for chewing on and/or ripping off the suit. But highly aesthetic....
posted by aimedwander at 7:29 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by aimedwander at 7:29 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 20 months? I'd go with jumbo cotton balls because of the sitting in the stoller.
posted by 26.2 at 7:33 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by 26.2 at 7:33 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Toys for children under 2 are supposed to be larger than a certain size to avoid having them be a choking hazard. Make sure anything you attach is not in the size range to be a choking hazard for her or other children.
posted by yohko at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by yohko at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Yeah, I was thinking that if you attach any beads to her costume, make sure they're sewed on very securely, so she can't pull one off and eat it. If you have dangly things (i.e. so she can spin and have them flair out), I'd be inclined to make them soft, so she can't whip herself, on a soft cord, and fairly short so she can't tangle her fingers or wrist in it.
posted by pompelmo at 8:43 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by pompelmo at 8:43 PM on October 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Love the lightning tiara, but if you're going to be outside, maybe attach the bolts to a grey watch hat for warmth?
She's too cute, and with red hair! Look out, dad, Hailstorm indeed.
posted by BlueHorse at 10:37 PM on October 3, 2013
She's too cute, and with red hair! Look out, dad, Hailstorm indeed.
posted by BlueHorse at 10:37 PM on October 3, 2013
Best answer: Definitely cotton balls. Bonus with cotton balls - it would be much easier to sew through them with a thick, shiny thread (you can buy shiny silver yarn!) and work back and forth inside each cotton ball a few times, come back out the same hole at the top, and twist the strings together for sturdiness. You could even, if you're a certain level of crafty, make a long garland like this, and then to attach to the suit just wrap in a spiral and tack on wherever needed.
posted by Mizu at 12:01 AM on October 4, 2013
posted by Mizu at 12:01 AM on October 4, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks, BlueHorse. She is a wild little red head with a mind of her own already. Hailstorm is definitely an appropriate nickname.
I'm going through ideas here, and I think I'm going to add on a grey tulle tutu as well, because babies in tutus are too cute.
Hopefully, even more people will have ideas come light of day.
Thank y'all!
posted by SuzySmith at 2:23 AM on October 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm going through ideas here, and I think I'm going to add on a grey tulle tutu as well, because babies in tutus are too cute.
Hopefully, even more people will have ideas come light of day.
Thank y'all!
posted by SuzySmith at 2:23 AM on October 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster:
You'd provide a remarkably realistic, if small scale simulation if you gave the kid an ice cube to throw, randomly, every 10 seconds or so, from a portable cooler. Let her Dad pitch in, too, so to speak, on any people that don't quickly get the point
She has an arm on her and that would be awesome. I am setting this part up, at least for a Halloween party she'll be attending. We have a perfect cooler and plenty of freezer space to make hail in...
posted by SuzySmith at 2:27 AM on October 4, 2013
You'd provide a remarkably realistic, if small scale simulation if you gave the kid an ice cube to throw, randomly, every 10 seconds or so, from a portable cooler. Let her Dad pitch in, too, so to speak, on any people that don't quickly get the point
She has an arm on her and that would be awesome. I am setting this part up, at least for a Halloween party she'll be attending. We have a perfect cooler and plenty of freezer space to make hail in...
posted by SuzySmith at 2:27 AM on October 4, 2013
Ummm, while the ice-cube-throwing would indeed be cute, perhaps make that a bucket of ice CHIPS she could toss? Less impact on the person it's tossed at, less likely to leave large chunks of ice someone might slip on.... you want something that'll melt quick enough to not be dangerous, as well as small enough to not be painful!
posted by easily confused at 5:13 AM on October 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by easily confused at 5:13 AM on October 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you don't want to throw ice, ping pong balls are a good alternative.
posted by mikepop at 8:42 AM on October 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mikepop at 8:42 AM on October 4, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The ideas above are great for the hail itself - but I think that any costume that just involves a gray sweatsuit and some balls of "ice" won't really convey the full idea of a hailstorm. For that, you need clouds! I made these last Halloween - they're super fun. Here's the tutorial.
The modification I'd suggest for your purposes is to either:
A. Make a smaller cloud that could be attached to a kid's hat (for this, you'd want to attach it with duct tape before you put on the white fluff)
B. Make one of the clouds and tie it on to her stroller
C. Make one of the clouds and attach it to a small umbrella or something else that could easily be held above her
posted by leitmotif at 5:30 PM on October 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
The modification I'd suggest for your purposes is to either:
A. Make a smaller cloud that could be attached to a kid's hat (for this, you'd want to attach it with duct tape before you put on the white fluff)
B. Make one of the clouds and tie it on to her stroller
C. Make one of the clouds and attach it to a small umbrella or something else that could easily be held above her
posted by leitmotif at 5:30 PM on October 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: The Ice Cube idea is just going to be amongst family, so not a big worry, plus her dad does have ping pong balls planned as well.
I'm going to try and do a cloud as well somehow. I think as part of her hat with the lightning bolt idea. I'm so excited.
posted by SuzySmith at 10:12 PM on October 4, 2013
I'm going to try and do a cloud as well somehow. I think as part of her hat with the lightning bolt idea. I'm so excited.
posted by SuzySmith at 10:12 PM on October 4, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
option 2: There is a decepticon named Hailstorm (nerdy)
option 3: Use Google image search to find a weather symbol for hail (I think the technical symbol is a boring triangle but maybe a clipart-y graphic from a TV weather station?) and just use an iron-on transfer to put it on the sweatsuit.
posted by Wretch729 at 6:37 PM on October 3, 2013