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Babies, toddlers, and kids dressed up as animals is one of the cutest things ever. When we asked our one-year-old boy what he wanted to be for Halloween and he replied with a “rawwwwrrrrr” we interpreted that as a lion. And I thought, “how can I make an easy DIY lion costume?”
How to Make a DIY Lion Costume
This lion costume requires just a few materials, some that you may already have on hand. Here’s how I made this easy toddler lion costume.
Materials
- yellow fleece footed pajamas with hood
- shaggy, brown faux fur fabric
- yellow fleece fabric
- tan fleece fabric
- basic sewing supplies
For last year’s baby sea turtle costume, I used these footed pajamas as the base for his costume, so I did the same for this year’s costume. Most Minnesota Halloween’s are chilly so having a warm base for a costume is essential.
Baby Sea Turtle Costume
Make this adorable sea turtle baby Halloween costume with my free pattern and tutorial. Plus I show you how to convert the costume into a stuffed animal after Halloween.
I was lucky to find fleece fabric that was the same color as the fleece pajamas for this DIY lion costume. I only needed enough for the ears and tail plus I made some simple fleece mittens to match.
Lion Mane
Creating the lion mane was as easy as cutting enough pieces of faux fur fabric to cover the hood of the pajamas. Before sewing the fur to the hood, I cut slits for the ears, slid them through, and sewed them in place. I then loosely hand-stitched the fur pieces to the hood. The faux fur is very forgiving and hides any imperfections.
Lion Ears
For the ears, I cut two pieces of yellow fleece, then two pieces of the tan fleece slightly narrower.
I pinned and sewed the curved edges and flipped them right side out. I folded in the sides a bit to make the ears curl forward and stitched straight across to hold.
Lion Tail
To create the lion tail, I cut a strip of yellow fleece a bit longer than the desired tail length. I folded the strip in half and placed a strip of scrap fabric down the center to make turning easier. I sewed the open edge of the strip closed and pulled the fleece tube right-side out. A scrap of fur fabric was added onto the end of the tail. The tail was hand-stitched onto the butt of the costume.
DIY Lion Costume Paw Print Mittens
Since Halloween weather is chilly, I knew our son would need to wear mittens. With the extra yellow fleece fabric that was left, I made a pair of simple fleece mittens with paw prints. I also added a thin strip of fleece to the mittens to thread through the sleeves of the pajamas.
This DIY lion costume is quick to put together and an awesome option for a last-minute costume idea. It turned out great and was comfortable for him to wear.
Our little boy made such a cute lion.
We joined him in the wild animal fun in Daddy’s DIY zebra costume and Mommy’s DIY leopard costume for our second family Halloween costumes.
Animal Family Halloween Costume
An easy and comfortable family Halloween costume idea that starts with a pair of pajamas.
We’re always planning next year’s costumes. Do you make your own family Halloween costumes?
Which color and size did you buy for the fleece pajamas?
I can’t decide between the orange (creamsicle) or the yellow.
Hi! I believe the one we used was the creamsicle color. As far as the size, I would refer to their size chart for the best fit. I’m sure we used the small size.
Send pics! :)
I’m so excited to have found this! My 2 year old wants to be a lion this year and I’m really trying my best to make her costumes. I made your sea turtle costume for her when she was 4 months old and it was adorable and a big hit!
Welcome back! :) Using the PJs as a base for this costume is really where the magic is. Send pics!
Hi Cathi, quick question, did you do velcro for the the tan stomach piece?
Hi! Yes, there were small bits of velcro added to the belly piece, then again to the front of the PJs. Looks like I need to add that info into the post. So thanks for asking! :)
What are the steps for sewing/attaching the faux fur to the hood?
I covered the hood on the PJs with 3-4 pieces of faux fur by hand-sewing around the perimeter and then a few stitches in the middle. The fur will cover any stitches from showing. I hope that helps!