Not only is this scarecrow costume fast AND simple AND adorable, there’s a reasonable chance you already have everything you need to make it! (And if you don’t, you can probably acquire what you need for well under $10 at your local thrift store.)
And with a few simple modifications, this costume will also work for a farmer or cowboy.
Why a scarecrow costume?
By the time Kimmie was ready for her second Halloween, picking her costume was a no-brainer for me. She and I had just spent an entire summer of Mama gardening outside with one VERY interested, VERY helpful little toddler. She had a little set of gardening tools that she loved to carry around in her rope-handled weed bucket. And she loved nothing more than keeping me company and “helping” when I pulled weeds, planted flowers, and spread mulch.
What could be more adorable than letting her take her tools and bucket along when we went trick-or-treating, and dressing her up as a scarecrow?
Super-Simple, Super-Fast Scarecrow Costume
Even better, we already had most of the items we already needed to make this costume on hand. And those we didn’t were easy to find at local secondhand shops. Depending on your child’s interests, this costume would also work for a farmer or cowboy, with just a few tweaks.
What you’ll need for a scarecrow costume
- A pair of overalls in your child’s current size.
A plaid shirt. This is one item we didn’t already have, so I snagged a couple at a local children’s resale boutique for about $2 each. (Honestly, I couldn’t decide which one I liked better. And since it ended up being very cold that Halloween, Kimmie ended up wearing one under the other for warmth.)
- A brimmed hat. I used a woven straw hat that had been my brother’s when he was little. Because it was personalized with his name, I covered this with a strip of bandana fabric from my sewing scrap pile.
Some sort of boots or shoes. if your little scarecrow doesn’t already have work boots in their size, you can substitute high-top shoes or even rain boots/galoshes. (Or, if they’re tiny enough, sock-shoe combined options like Skidders are also a great choice.)
A bucket, both for an accessory and for candy-collecting. Any small bucket or sand pail will do; we used a rope-handled one from my gardening stash.
Fabric scraps, to sew on some fake patches. I cut squares from the same bandana scrap I’d used as a band on the hat. Then I basted them on with large, loose stitches, so they were easy to remove afterward.
- Child-sized gardening tools are optional, but cute.
Also optional: some straw to stick in the edges of the hat and coming out of the edges of the overalls. If you don’t already have a decorative hay bale on your front porch for the fall, you should be able to scrounge a few scraps off the floor at any home or garden center that sells them. (I did collect straw to accessorize Kimmie’s costume with, but then forgot to use it at the last minute!)
Finally, some red lipstick is nice for drawing red circles on your scarecrow’s cheeks. Also optional, but an adorable finishing touch.
Farmer costume variation:
- Instead of a brimmed hat, you could substitute a baseball-style cap. (Especially if it’s one with a tractor company logo on it, like John Deere, my girls’ personal favorite brand of tractor.)
- Definitely the tools and (for hauling around their loot) bucket. Skip the patches, straw, and rosy-red cheeks; instead, stuff a bandana hanging out of a pocket somewhere.
- If your little garden helper already has their very own gardening gloves, this makes another nice touch.
- Got a kid-sized riding tractor? This is the perfect finishing accessory!
Speaking of which – if this gets you thinking ahead to Christmas, ✅these are my girls’ Farmer Wish List picks to finish the look:
Cowboy costume variation:
Cowboy costume variation:Make sure you’ve got a brimmed cowboy hat. Skip the patches, and tie the bandana loosely around your cowboy’s neck instead.
- Swap the gardening tools for an old-fashioned stick horse, so your little cowgirl or cowboy can ride off into the sunset.
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How about you? Are your little ones super “helpers” out in the yard? Do they like digging in the dirt? Or are they more the type to gallop off into the sunset? Either way, this costume idea has you covered.
And if your kiddo’s already into one of these types of pretend play, you 
If you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make a scarecrow costume, why not share it with others by pinning this image?
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This is my idea of a perfect costume – timeless, easy, inexpensive, and adorable. I love it!
Such a great idea for a Scarecrow costume. Why pay for a costume when you can make it for them – homemade ones can be so amazing!
Aww! <3 <3 <3 🙂
It is super cute and super easy to make! I love this costume!
I love these super simple ideas! We have a lot of different Halloween things to go to, so I’m sure we will do something different each time.
One day I would love to make a homemade costume. I dont think this is the year but goodness this idea is fantastic!
I love that there are so many variations to the costume! What an easy idea. I think my sister did something very similar one year when we were kids.
So cute! I love that you can make such a creative costume out of everyday clothes.
Aww, *thanks* Alaina 🙂 – it’s much better than always buying an expensive, new, flimsy costume we can’t use for much else 🙂
What a cute and great last minute idea! I need to remember this for next year, when I’m panicking for costumes for my kids!
Aww, you’re so welcome, Katy – glad you liked it! (Most of my costume ideas are about as fast and easy as this one, excepting the ghost, so do check back next fall if you need other last-minute tips like this!! 🙂 )
This is a really cute costume! Hope you had the best Halloween! xo, Suzanne
Aww, so glad you liked it, Suzanne! We DID have a good Halloween – hope you did, too! 🙂
This does look super simple. I do believe most of my pieces are in the house somewhere, so I might even save myself a trip on parts/pieces. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Ayana – given that you’re the Thrifting Diva, this seems like it would be right up your alley! I LOVE thrifting costume pieces and/or using what we already have on hand, whenever possible!
The is a great scarecrow costume for any little one. It really is easy to put together. I will have to share this with my niece for her kids. Thanks for sharing the information.
You’re more than welcome, Rebecca – so glad you liked it, and hope your niece does, too!
Awe I love this, so simple to put together and so cute!! What an awesome idea!!
*thanks* so much – so glad you like it!
Super cute tips!!!I wish we would have celebrated Halloween in India… although a great costume idea
Well, if your kids ever have any other opportunities to wear a costume (costume parties?), then you’ve got some ideas to start with!
I love all of your ideas! This would be so fun to put together. I am a huge Wizard of Oz fan so this is fitting 🙂
Ooh, I didn’t even think of that, Katie! I can just imagine a whole family of Wizard of Oz costumes now! 🙂
This looks so simple, but so adorable! I might just have to throw this together for my grandson!
*Thanks,* Kim – so glad you like it! Do give it a try! 🙂
What an adorable costume and the variations are so cute too. You could do a fun farm theme for the whole family with the scarecrow as the centerpiece.
I know, wouldn’t that just be too cute? So glad you like it, Cindy! 🙂
What a fun costume. It’s a great idea for little ones who aren’t ready to pick a costume for themselves. Plus, who doesn’t like to see a cute little scarecrow going trick or treating?
*Exactly* – SO much easier to get them into familiar clothes vs. an uncomfortable costume, and the neighbors couldn’t get enough of how cute she looked! 🙂
So cute! I just love seeing new ideas of Halloween costumes for kids! I love that it’s so easy to put together! Awesome job!
Thanks so much, Shanika – so glad you like it! 🙂
Very cute! I love the variations! I’m pinning this to my Halloween board <3
Aww, *thanks*, Erin – I appreciate it! Glad you liked it! 🙂
This costume is adorable! Thanks for sharing!
thank *you*, Angel – glad you like it! 🙂
Great instructional and quick costume tutorial!! Love how all the links are there to buy. Making it even easier for the busy moms!
*Thanks*, Christy – I hate it when I have to go hunting for something I saw mentioned online, so glad you appreciate this, too! 🙂
Super cute!! I just found some hand-me-down overalls that would be perfect! Thank you!
You’re more than welcome! – you’re well on your way, if you’ve got the overalls already 🙂
Cute and easy! This would be great if you had a sibling dressed like a crow and then parents dressed like ears of corn! I’m all about the family costumes.
Ooh, that is a fabulous idea! The others shouldn’t be too hard to throw together with a little thought!…
Gave me an idea of what to wear for the kids this Halloween. This is something new and unique and easy to prepare.
So glad you liked it – it truly IS fast and simple! 🙂
How adorable! I passed this onto a few friends who were looking for costume ideas!
Aww, thanks so much for passing it on, Jennifer! <3
Cute idea! I’m still trying to think of a costume idea for my 5 month old and we all most of these items! We might have to steal this idea.
No worries – that’s what the post is meant for! Have fun – your costume hunt is over 🙂
I love the idea of DIY costumes instead of paying $50 for an outfit you are only going to use once. Be resourceful and shop your closets!
My philosophy exactly, Lynnette! 🙂
This is such a cute costume for kids for Halloween. I love that it is so easy to make and that it is not too scary like other costumes are.
I totally agree – no sense making kids all scary when they’re so cute to begin with! 🙂
This is so cute! This actually looks like something I could do! My son hasn’t decided what he is going to be yet!
Well, then, LaShawn, you’re welcome 😉 – seriously, it is soooo easy esp. if he already has these things in his wardrobe!
This is a adorable and easy Halloween costume to put together. It is so creative too!
Aww, thanks Arlene – it truly is simple! 🙂
Now this looks like a costume that even I could do! I am so not crafty, like at all, but this is just too cute!! I think my daughter finally decided on Wonder Woman this year lol
Well, Wonder Woman’s an excellent choice too! (What goes around comes around – I seem to recall being Wonder Woman in the very late ’70s…) And yes, I know you’ve commented elsewhere on your reluctance to tackle a DIY effort, but this one truly is simple! (NOT like a ghost, I promise! 🙂 ) – Happy Wonder Woman to your daughter; she’ll be super! 🙂
Your little scarecrow is adorable! Mine are girls and insist on princesses.
Oh, well – sometimes you can’t win for trying!
I love this post and it brought back memories for me! One year, when I was probably 6 years old, my mother made scarecrow costumes for herself, my two younger brothers. and me. We had the plaid shirts, she sewed on patches, we all wore grass hats, and she used her eyeliner to draw freckles on all of our cheeks. The picture of all of us is still one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing your great tips! I’m going to see if I can talk my 7 and 8-year old into dressing up with me next year (they already have their princess and pirate costumes set for this year). Thanks, Flossie!
Aww, what a super story, Erin! Thanks for sharing it, and DO give this a try all of you together – it would be adorable, I’m sure, and even more fun in that you’re recreating the memory! (I actually did use a brown eye pencil to dot Kimmie’s nose with freckles as well! 🙂 …)
That scarecrow costume is really cute! My nephew wasn’t going to trick or treat this year because of braces, but he has changed his mind. Thanks to ‘IT’ – he is going as a clown with the rest of his buddies.
*sigh* I’m not sure which is worse – a whole pile of clowns or a whole pile of Queen Elsas…
This is such a cute and simple costume. I love that you made this a DIY. I’m going to ask my daughter if she wants to be a scarecrow just so I can try my hand at this.
Oh, do! It is really adorable, and (if your daughter doesn’t already have some good play clothes that stand up to digging in the dirt, which seems to be my girls’ favorite activity), this is a great excuse to get her a decent pair of overalls for playtime 🙂
What a little cutie! It just needs a little bit of straw coming out of her pockets!
I know!!! To this day I’m annoyed that I scrounged the straw and then ***forgot to tuck it onto her when it was trick-or-treat time***! Oh, well – she was still cute even without it! 🙂
The little scarecrow costume is so cute. I love that you used things you already have. Goes to show that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a fun costume.
My thought exactly, Erica – so glad you liked it! 🙂
What a cute costume. I love seeing kids dressed up in unique ideas that aren’t all princess fluff.
Me too! I think it was the year Essie was a spider, EVERY.SINGLE.OTHER.GIRL in her preschool class was Queen Elsa, I kid you not. She was SO proud of herself at the preschool parade to NOT be wearing the same thing as the nine girls trailing behind her!
super cute costume! and you can actually re-wear the clothing later on, unlike many costumes. love it.
My thought exactly, Dawn! I’d much rather use clothes we already have (or can make use of) as my costume base than just some flimsy store-bought something that costs a ton and will tear before the night is over!
Brilliant idea! It’s adorable and really practical too – you know it won’t fall apart like a cheap store-bought costume x
*Thanks* Em! So glad you like it – and yes, this is one huge reason I’d rather DIY for cheap with stuff we have, than pay a bundle for a piece of garbage that won’t make it through the night! 🙂
So cute? I might just the red cheeks on mine for the sake of it
Oh, the red cheeks really make the look! 🙂
Such a cute costume! Even though it’s super easy and quick to put together, it looks well thought out, and planned for.
*Thanks,* Joanna! She really was SO adorable toddling about – and the red circles on her cheeks just made the look! 🙂
Super cute çostume!
*Thanks,* Ritu! 🙂
That’s a really cute costume idea! Really easy to find items to put it together
*Thanks,* Jaclyn – glad you like it! 🙂
I keep saying this, but I adore homemade costumes that use creativity and a lot of things that you already have around the house. Love the scarecrow.
*Thanks,* Terri! I totally agree with you – I’m SO not into buying things for my kids’ costumes when we can use something around the house instead!
I love it! It doesn’t require much effort to put together and it’s affordable too. I love DIY costumes because you only get to wear them once a year and I don’t like overspending on something like that.
*Thanks,* Karen – honestly, she was just SO cute toddling up and down our street, esp. since the neighbors had already seen her “helping” me all summer in the yard! 🙂
This is a super cute and adorable Halloween costume! It is even better that this did not cost a lot.
*Thanks*, Hnia – I totally agree, I’m all about frugal costumes that are also fun (and easy!) 🙂
Great ideas! I love how simple, and low maintenance this is. It would definitely be comfortable for kids to wear too unlike some other costumes. Comfort is key on Halloween!
*Thanks,* Meg! Kimmie all but lived in her overalls when outside at this age (hey, my girls play as hard as they work!), so she was all for putting them on at Halloween! 🙂
I love this costume and would have used it for my girls when they were young. Its great to make costumes at home and not just rely on buying a new one every year. Helps get kids involved in planning and builds creativity! Great idea.
*thanks,* Debby – I totally agree!
This is such a cute idea. We live out in the country and this would be such a wonderful costume idea.
*thanks* Ashley – guess you can take me out of the country, but can’t take the country out of me lol… 🙂
This is such a cute costume idea. I like the step by step directions and specifics of what we need to get.
*Thanks,* Rachel. It was really SO easy to pull together – and SO adorable when things were all on her!
So cute! And I think I have most of the pieces already around the house. Just need to find some cute little boots. 🙂
Then you’re good to go! If you haven’t yet acquired winter boots for your kiddo, those would work too in a pinch, and are something you need to get anyway 🙂 …