Whether preparing for a holiday or upcoming event, family-themed costumes are a great way to get every member of the group in on the fun. These don't have to involve expensive materials, and many may be constructed using items and costumes that you already have available.

Some great family costume ideas that get everyone in on the fun are:

Create your own circus.

Your family's hectic lifestyle might feel like a circus sometimes; why not create your own big-top of characters? This also allows you to re-purpose and use costumes, accessories, and apparel that you may already own, to manifest a family of wild animals, oddities, and, of course, the ringleader.

Some ideas for a circus-inspired family costume are:

• Let the little ones wear their favorite animal costume to create your 'wild beasts.' This might include warm infant sleepers with ears and tails attached.
• Make your master of ceremonies with a mustache and a top-hat. It might be a young child, or perhaps you will give your family pet that honor!
• Don't forget the freaks! Muscle men, bearded ladies, and multi-armed aliens all fit nicely, and are simple to recreate for a costume.

Become a bunch of building blocks.

Got a bunch of cardboard boxes laying around? Make things simple by recycling these into an eco-friendly costume that will work for most family members. Gather your boxes, plastic cups, and some bold, non-toxic paint in primary colors to get started.

Construct a building-block costume with these tips:

• Remove any flaps or top lids on your box. You will only be using the bottom and sides.
• Use boxes that fit over the member of the family that is wearing them; cut a hole in the bottom and sides, which your head and arms will go through.
• Glue the cups on the sides of the boxes to replicate the bumps on plastic building blocks. Depending on the size of the person wearing it, you might use anything from tiny two-ounce paper cups to plastic twelve-ounce tumblers.
• Spray paint the entire box- cups and all- with one good coat of a primary-colored paint, such as blue, red, or yellow.
• Have those wearing the costume also pair it with the same colored leggings and long-sleeve shirt to really take-on the overall look of a plastic building block!

Make your own band.

Make music and transform your family into a cool rock-and-roll band. Again, this is a very versatile costume that you may be able to pull-together quickly and inexpensively. Let everyone express their inner-rock star and create their own look, and give little ones a hand with this idea:

Dress pets and infants in white tees or onesies. Simply hot-glue a single black musical note to the front of the white shirt. This is a comfy, convenient costume that perfectly fits your band and the theme of making music that you are going for.

Try these three costume ideas to get each and every member of the family in on the fun. Remember to always supervision young children and pets when they are dressed in costumes to be safe. Use these ideas to create a family-themed costume event that is both practical and memorable. For more information, contact companies like Easley's Fun Shop.