Halloween is coming. And you already know what that means: costume requests, last-minute panics, and the question of whether you can pull something together without spending a fortune.

Here's the thing: you probably already have everything you need. If you've got kids, you've definitely got empty Cheeky Panda boxes lying around. That soft toilet paper and tissues packaging? It's actually brilliant for costumes. Cardboard is lightweight, easy to paint, easy to cut, and honestly more forgiving than you'd think when you're working under deadline pressure.

We've put together a bunch of ideas below. Some you can throw together in an afternoon, others that are a bit more involved if you're feeling ambitious, so whatever your craft confidence level, there's something here.

Once you’ve put your costume together, don’t miss your chance to join our yearly costume competition by sharing a photo and tagging us @cheekypandahq on Instagram. We’d love to see your creations, and you’ll be in with a chance to win a year of toilet paper!

So, let's get started!

1. The Easy Classic: the Toilet Paper Mummy

Looking for a costume that takes 10 minutes and requires zero craft skills? We give you the toilet paper mummy. Literally just wrap your kid (or yourself / your friend / your… dog? no judgment) in toilet paper. Done.

The beauty of using Cheeky Panda? The paper is soft enough that it won't irritate skin, and it's strong enough to actually stay put while running around trick-or-treating. Plus, our double rolls are super long, so it won’t cost a fortune to wrap them up, so you can just go for it!

2. All fun and games

If your kid loves playing cards or board games, why not take inspiration from their favourite one to create their costume? 

Regardless of which version you choose (the dice, the playing card, the Uno card, the Rubik’s cube, or your family’s own favourite), the box is lightweight enough that they can actually move in it, it photographs brilliantly and you could turn it into a matching set for siblings or friends.

Even better: the steps are super simple! 

• Take a large Cheeky Panda Box. Cut it into a cube shape if needed

• Make holes for the head and arms, and make sure to leave one side open for the legs

• Draw and paint the design and you’re done!

3. Wings for the win

Ready to level up? These two ideas take a bit more creativity, but the payoff is huge, and your kid can pick whatever winged animal they love most: bat, bird, butterfly, fly… the sky’s the limit!

Most are fairly easy to make. You’ll need to: 

• Open up a large box so you have a large, flat cardboard surface to work with

• Draw and cut the shape of the wings

• Paint the cardboard 

• If you wish to go for a “sun catcher” style (like the butterfly above), hollow the shapes out, then glue colour cellophane into the openings you just created (as shown in this short video) 

• Attach arm straps: the easiest way to do that is to poke four small slits in the centre section and thread flat elastic or ribbon through them like a backpack

4. The Paper Bag Monster

This is peak simplicity meeting peak creativity. Grab a Cheeky paper bag (like the ones our toilet paper or kitchen rolls come in), draw a monster face on it with marker, cut out eyes, and slip it over your kid's head.

That's it. That's the costume.

The genius part? Every kid's monster looks different. One might be silly and goofy, another might be genuinely creepy, another might have dozens of googly eyes because, why not? There's no "right way" to do it, which means your kid gets to make all the creative decisions. 

You can stop there, or you can go further: paint it wild colours, glue on felt teeth or paper spikes. But honestly? The simple version is perfect. And if you've got multiple kids, you can make a whole monster family in 20 minutes.

5. Face in the hole mask

This one is really simple, super flexible, and delivers far more impact than the time it takes to put it together would have you think.

Cut a large shape (it could be a circle, a flower, a cloud, a sun, a lion mane, a water drop etc.) out of a Cheeky Panda box, paint it in bright colours, and cut a hole where the face goes. Your kid pokes their face through, and suddenly they're a flower, a sun, a cloud, a lion… whatever you cut and painted it to be!

This one is pure joy. Kids love it because their face becomes part of the costume, and it photographs brilliantly. The cardboard is rigid enough to hold its shape even when it's being worn, so it won't sag or collapse mid-trick-or-treating.

You can keep it simple (just paint and done) or you can get fancy with it by adding sequins, glitter, felt details, or even a 3D crown or rays sticking out from the edges. You could also add a bit of face-painting to take it to the next level. But honestly, even the most basic version looks impressive.

Bonus: it's genuinely comfortable to wear because your kid's face isn't covered. They can see, breathe, and eat candy without any issues.

6. Box mask

If you want to take things a step further, but keep it super easy and fast to make, a box mask is the sweet spot. Simply cut the bottom of a Cheeky Panda box and some holes for the eyes, paint whatever character or creature you want, and you're done.

This works for literally anything: a creeper from Minecraft, a cat, a monkey, or whatever your kid's into. The cardboard is sturdy enough to hold its shape and thick enough that it won't poke or irritate their face.

The beauty is flexibility. You can just paint a face or add details like ears, horns, a snout, tentacles…

7. The Robot

This is the costume for kids (and parents) who want to go big. Stack and tape Cheeky Panda boxes together to create a boxy robot torso, paint it silver or metallic grey, add a box head on top, and suddenly you've got a full-size robot costume that looks genuinely impressive.

Then, you can let your imagination run wild on details: painted buttons, dials, antenna sticking out of the top, pipe-cleaner arms, or even LED lights if you're feeling fancy. The cardboard is surprisingly sturdy when you stack and tape it.

This one takes a bit more time and effort than the others, but the payoff is huge. It's the costume that makes people stop and take photos. It's the one that wins competitions. And honestly? Kids feel like absolute legends wearing it.

Pro tip: make sure they can still see out of the head piece and move their arms comfortably.

8. The Dinosaur

Build a dinosaur head (source: Adventures in Cardboard, Eleanor Ford) by cutting the shape out of a Cheeky Panda box, paint it in bright colours (green, blue, pink… dinosaurs come in all colours!), add teeth, spikes, and eyes. 

Then use flat tissue boxes for the feet. Cut an opening on the top of the boxes, paint them to match and add some claws, and you've got a full dinosaur costume that's genuinely roar-worthy!

9. The Vending Machine

This is absolute genius for a Halloween costume. 

Build a vending machine shape from stacked Cheeky Panda boxes, paint it to look like an actual vending machine by adding a coin slot, buttons and a display screen, and fill the "window" with actual snacks and candy. Your kid becomes a walking, talking vending machine.

The beauty? Your kid has snacks built into their costume. They can hand out candy to other trick-or-treaters while they're out. 

Paint the front to look like a real vending machine: add a coin slot, buttons, a digital display (you can draw or print one). Make the windows clear so people can see the actual snacks inside. The cardboard structure holds everything in place, and the whole thing is lightweight enough that they can wear it comfortably for hours.

10. The Journalist

This one's beautifully simple. Grab a tissue box, attach a kitchen roll core as a handle, add a tennis ball (or crumpled foil) as the microphone head, and suddenly your kid is a reporter. Throw on a shirt and tie, maybe a press pass made from cardboard, and they're ready to cover the breaking news of Halloween night.

It's low-key, it works, it requires almost zero craft skills, and the whole thing comes together in minutes. Perfect.

11. Super-simple Rewind Toy

This one barely qualifies as a costume because it takes so little effort, but that's exactly why it works. And it requires almost nothing beyond a marker, scissors, glue and five minutes of your time. Plus, your child gets to wear whatever outfit they want while still having a complete, coherent costume.

To make it, cut a large "8" shape out of a Cheeky Panda box, paint it silver or metallic (or leave it in the cardboard brown). Glue it into the inside of a toilet roll core. Attach it to a ribbon or a belt and secure it to your kid’s back. Add a princess dress (or any costume / outfit your kid likes) and you've instantly transformed them into a rewinding toy.

If you want to take things a step further, you could practice some moves that match the costume, whether that’s a princess’ curtsey or a wizard’s wand movements.

12. The Judge

This is peak comedy. Take toilet paper cores, stack and glue them together into a wig shape, attach them to a hairband and voila - you’ve got yourself a powdered wig!

Add a black robe or outfit, and maybe a gavel made from a wooden spoon and cardboard, and you've got a costume that's genuinely hilarious.

13. The Pilot

Cut cardboard wings from a Cheeky Panda box, add some kitchen roll tubes for the engines and some shoulder straps to secure it on your kid, add some goggles (real or drawn on), and your kid is a pilot ready for takeoff. It's simple, it's charming, and it works with basically any outfit underneath.

This one sits in that sweet spot between effort and impact. It doesn't require hours of construction, but it looks polished and impressive. Plus, kids genuinely love the wings!

14. The Car

This one scales from dead simple to absolutely show-stopping, depending on how much you want to commit.

The simple version: Cut the top and bottom of a large Cheeky Panda box, add some shoulder straps, then add wheels and a cut-out stirring wheel and paint the whole thing to look like a car (add headlights, licence plate, stripes…). Once dry, have your kid wears it like a tunic. Takes an hour, looks cute, done.

The impressive version: Build a full 3D car from multiple boxes, paint it in detail, maybe even add lights. Your kid wears it as a full costume)and suddenly you've got a Transformer-level creation that honestly looks like something from a movie set.

Check out this Pinterest inspiration to see what's possible when you really go for it.

The beauty is flexibility. You can make this as simple or as elaborate as you want, and it still works either way. Even the basic version is fun. The full version? That's the costume that makes other parents ask, "How did you even make that?"

15. Everyday Life’s Worst Nightmares

Halloween gets all the credit for "scary," but parents know the real terrors. Running out of toilet paper mid-week. Hearing that first sniffle in September and knowing it's going to cycle through the entire household until May. The slow creep of colds and chaos that defines autumn and winter.

So look no further for inspiration than everyday life’s worst nightmares. Dress your kid up as a giant empty toilet paper roll. Or pop them inside a tissue box costume. 

Because what could be more scary than running out of essentials when you need them most? (Though honestly? These scenarios don't have to happen: subscribe to Cheeky Panda and get your essentials delivered before panic sets in.)

Most important…

Don’t forget to show us what you make! Share a photo and tag us @cheekypandahq on Instagram. We’d love to see your creations, and you’ll be in with a chance to win a year of toilet paper (so, fingers crossed, you’ll have supplies for next year’s costume, too)!