Super Cute DIY Bull Rider Costume for Halloween
If you’re looking for a homemade Halloween costume that’s a little different, this DIY bull rider costume is such a fun idea. Made primarily from cardboard boxes and items you may already have at home, it creates the look of a rider sitting on a bucking bull.
This creative costume was originally shared with us by a guest contributor years ago, and it’s still one of those clever ideas that proves a memorable Halloween costume doesn’t have to come from a store.
The best part is the way the bull moves. Elastic straps help the cardboard bull bounce as the child walks, giving it the appearance of a bucking bull with a rider hanging on!
Why Make a DIY Bull Rider Costume?
A homemade costume like this is especially fun when you want something people aren’t likely to see over and over again while trick-or-treating.
- It uses simple materials. The bull is built from cardboard boxes, paint, elastic, socks, and hot glue.
- You can use clothing you already own. Jeans, a shirt, belt, and cowboy hat complete the bull rider look.
- It has movement. The elastic allows the cardboard bull to bounce while the costume is being worn.
- It’s easy to personalize. Change the bull’s colors, markings, clothing, or accessories to create your own version.
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Supplies for a Homemade Bull Rider Costume
You don’t need an elaborate costume-making setup for this project. The original costume was made using the following supplies:
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- 1 large cardboard box that can fit comfortably around the child
- 1 small box, such as a shoebox
- Paint
- 2 yards of elastic
- Hot glue gun and glue
- 1 pair of jeans
- Belt
- Cowboy hat
- Shirt, either western-style or a regular T-shirt
- 1 old pair of tube socks plus 1 stray sock in white, brown, or black
Helpful Supplies for This DIY Bull Rider Costume
If you don’t already have everything on hand, these are a few of the supplies used to make the costume.
How the Bull Rider Costume Works
The cardboard portion of the costume creates the bull that sits around the wearer. The clothing and cowboy hat turn the person inside the costume into the bull rider.
The elastic straps are what make this idea especially cute. As the wearer walks, the bull can move and bounce along with them, creating that bucking-bull effect.
You’ll find the complete assembly instructions in the printable recipe-style tutorial near the bottom of this post.
Tips for Making Your DIY Bull Costume
- Start with the right size box. The large box needs to fit around the wearer comfortably without making it difficult to walk.
- Reuse shipping boxes. This is a great project for putting sturdy cardboard boxes to work instead of buying new materials.
- Use clothing you already have. A pair of jeans and a basic shirt work perfectly well if you don’t have western clothing.
- Check the fit before Halloween night. Have the child walk around in the finished costume so you can make sure the box and elastic are comfortable and easy to move in.
- Make it your own. Paint different markings on the bull or change the rider’s clothing to personalize the finished costume.
Prefer to Buy a Bull Rider Costume?
If you love the look but don’t have time to make one from scratch, these ready-made ride-on costumes give you a similar rodeo-inspired effect.
DIY Bull Rider Costume
Materials
- 1 large box – that your child could easily fit around himself
- 1 small box – like a shoebox
- Paint
- 2 yards of elastic
- Hot glue gun and glue
- 1 pair of jeans
- Belt
- Cowboy hat
- Shirt – does not have to be a western shirt, can be just a t-shirt
- 1 old pair of tube socks and a stray sock (white, brown, or black)
Instructions
- To start, take the large box and cut off all flaps from the bottom and KEEP them. Cut a hole large enough for your child to fit in, with a 2-inch allowance added on all the way around. You do NOT want to cut this hole in the middle. It needs to be closer to one side.
- Take the flaps that you cut off and use one of the longer ones to cut bull horns. You can cut one long piece like I did, or two separate horns.
- With the 2 smaller flaps, you will need to cut out the lower foot part of a boot.
- Use the last flap to cut an oval out. This oval, when sideways, should be about the same width as your small box.
- Next, you will want to hot glue the horns to the small box (your bull’s head). Then, hot glue the oval to the lower front of the bull’s head. Now you are going to hot glue the bull’s head to the big box (the body). Hot glue the head to the end that is the closest to the hole. Believe it or not, you are practically done!
- Paint your cowboy boots whatever color you want. I chose red. Now paint the bull the colors you want. My husband said that black would have looked the best (and he is probably right), but black, trick or treating, and night do not go well together.
- I spray-painted this bull, and it took less than 5 minutes to complete the whole thing and cover any words on the box. Make sure to paint the entire outside, head, and body.
- When the spray paint dries, paint spots in brown or black on the body and paint the horns. This is a great time to paint spots on your tube socks as well. Draw the eyes and nostrils.
- If you believe it is going to rain, you may want to put a coat of clear spray paint to seal in the acrylic paint you are brushing on. Take your hot glue gun and glue your stray sock to the back for a tail (I cut the end into little strands to look more like a tail).
- Hot glue 2 straps of elastic to the inside of the hole. Glue each end of elastic to the hole, so the straps will go over each shoulder. You’re done with your bull!
- Now to get your cowboy set up. Put on his shirt and a pair of pants (or shorts depending on where you live). Try not to put jeans on him. Cut the toes off of the tube socks and put them on over the pants like leggings from the 80’s.
- Now press the jeans against the front of your cowboy (like you would at the store to see if they would fit). Thread the belt through the front loops that you can see, then wrap the belt around your cowboy’s waist and thread through the other side’s front loops.
- Fasten your belt and the jeans should stay up just laying flat against your little man. Staple the cowboy boots in each leg, don’t worry these come out easily without damaging the jeans. Have your cowboy step into the bull and pull the straps onto each shoulder.
- Drape the legs of the jeans on either side to give the appearance of him “riding” the bull. You are all done! Have him raise his arm and strike a pose for Mommy to start taking pictures!
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Fabulous, you are so good making such a gorgeous costume for your little boy, it looks great, and at a great price. Just goes to show, a little imagination and little cost can do wonders.
LOVE this..So creative.. Officially following ya with smiles.. I’m Marilyn from http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com and I would LOVE for you to stop in sometime/link this to my Pin Inspirational Thursdays link party happening now. TY.. Off to indulge in all this burst of creativity here.. :))
ADORABLE! What a great idea!
I stumbled this!
So cute and creative!
This is too cute! Thanks for the idea!
We have done this costume!!! One of my favorites. It is really cute although dd didn’t like walking around in the box for long periods!
You did a great job. Your son is a cute cowboy.
Brilliant! Awesomely creative. 🙂
.-= Lis Garrett´s last blog ..Teen Addicts Offer Advice on How to Tell if Your Child is Using Drugs, and Tips for Parents to Prevent Kids’ Drug Usage =-.
Very cute! I posted it on my facebook page for all my friends to see. 🙂
That is so Awesome! I love it!!! Thank you for the tutorial!
.-= Dana´s last blog ..Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…by Dylan Jayde =-.