Children's Costuming - Part 2

On Sunday I talked about making costumes for kids.  There's another aspect to costuming kids, though, and that's competing with them.  Kids are unpredictable, and you never know what they're going to do onstage.

Thing 1 rolling on the stage.

In crafting a performance for my niece and nephew I try to involve an adult as much as possible.  Having an adult onstage with them not only makes them feel better but makes them much more likely to follow the plan.  I've found that judges will readily overlook a helper adult in stage blacks.

Thing 2, who refused to take his shoes off.

 Kids seem to be less susceptible to stage fright than adults.  Perhaps its their desire to please, or that they haven't learned yet about people judging them.  Or perhaps it's that audiences are really inviting for children.  I dunno. This doesn't mean that they won't make stage mistakes, though.  Thing 2 was really hard to get on stage at all because he likes to be contrary.  When he did get on stage he walked from one side to the other, barely stopping to look at the audience.  Fortunately he didn't speed walk, but the slow pace could be tortuous at times.  Grandma and I were able to break up his later performances by suggesting things he could do.  It was also beneficial that his first time onstage I went with him.  He looked a little intimidated but did fine, and it got him really happy to go onstage the rest of the weekend.

For Costume Con 32 I'm crafting a performance that involves all three children.  It's going to be difficult because the adults I would usually tap to help them are going to be involved in the entry, and there's not really a logical progression that allows them to be led onstage.  I'm trying to work out a creative way to start them onstage or have them led in by other adults.  That's really the key, to keep adults involved and prep kids so that they know what's going on and you can reduce the unpredictability.  In the end, though, kids will be kids, and sometimes their antics are even more fun and adorable than what you planned.

Costuming the Kids

Halloween is coming up.  In this house that means one thing: costumes for the niece and nephews.  I don't costume myself on Halloween.  In fact, this is the first year where we live even remotely near a neighborhood where kids might come trick-or-treat.  Bars never appealed to me either, most of my costumes are too unwieldy and complicated to just go out drinking in only to lose a contest to a girl in a bikini.  Kids, though, they need costumes.

Thing 1 in last year's costume: Rapunzel

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when costuming kids that I don't generally think of for adults.  First off is comfort.  While I'll sacrifice a lot of comfort in my own costumes you really can't ask kids to do that.  They want to look great, but they've still got to feel ok.  I try not to put a lot of boning or foundation in kids' costumes because it can ride up and poke them in places.  Usually careful choice and placement of interlining or interfacing is enough. You've also got to think environment.  I made Thing 1's Rapunzel  costume for dress up as well as Halloween which is why she's wearing a turtleneck under it.  Halloween is usually cold, and kids need coverage.  If I had made the costume just for Halloween I probably would have done something so she didn't have to wear a turtleneck.

Thing 2 as a Ninja

The third thing you need to think about is sizing.  I like the Things to get as much play as possible out of their costumes because they love dress-up time and make-believe.  Thus their costumes are always a little too big so they last longer.  Coincidentally it also makes it easier to make costumes for kids that are halfway across the country.

Monkey as Bob the Builder

Finally, remember that it may be impossible to get kids to wear some things.  I've made costume accessories for Thing 1 that she straight out refused to wear.  Thing 2 is great at not wanting his picture taken, so I make him things and am happy with what few pictures I can get out of him.  Kids can be finicky, so just be happy with them and share their joy.  That's what it takes to instill the next generation of costumers!