If you’re looking for a quick and adorable Halloween idea, this DIY garden gnome costume is one of the easiest things you’ll ever make. It’s no-sew, super customizable for any age, and ridiculously cute on toddlers and babies. You could absolutely scale it up for an adult gnome costume too, but let’s be honest… the pint-sized versions steal the show every time.
If you want a super-fast adult option to match the kids, see my blog post for a DIY Halloween Costume T-Shirt .
Table of Contents
- Materials for a Garden Gnome Costume (No Sew)
- How to Make a Garden Gnome Costume (Step-by-Step)
- Step 1: Make the Gnome Hat
- Step 2: Create the Gnome Beard
- Step 3: Attach the Beard and Elastic
- Step 4: Try It On!
- Our Family Garden Themed Halloween
- Our Family’s Halloween Tradition
- 📌 Save This Garden Gnome Costume for Later
- FAQ: Garden Gnome Costume (No Sew)
Materials for a Garden Gnome Costume (No Sew)
This easy garden gnome costume comes together with just a few simple supplies you might already have at home. There’s no sewing required and it’s totally customizable for any age.
- Craft foam sheets (for the hat)
- Faux fur fabric (for the beard)
- Elastic band
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors
- Long-sleeve shirt
- Overalls
How to Make a Garden Gnome Costume (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the Gnome Hat
Start the DIY gnome costume with a cone hat made from craft foam. Roll the craft foam into a cone shape. Adjust the size depending on your child’s head and secure it closed with hot glue.
Next, trim off the excess along the edge and the bottom to make a perfect pointy cone shape. Add hot glue anywhere that you need to seal all the seams.
Look how cute it is! Just like that, the hat for our garden gnome costume is done. Time to move on to the beard!
Step 2: Create the Gnome Beard
Cut your faux fur into a beard shape, trimming and shaping as you go until it looks just right. You can make it fuller, longer, or shorter depending on your child’s age. Babies look extra cute with tiny fluffy beards, while older kids can totally rock a bigger, longer, more dramatic one.
My best tip: when cutting the faux fur, try to slice only through the fabric layer and not the fur itself. That way, when you brush it down, the hairs hang naturally past the backing for a fuller, more realistic look.
Step 3: Attach the Beard and Elastic
To assemble, glue a strip of elastic between the back side of the beard and the inside of the hat. This helps the beard stay in place comfortably under the chin while keeping the hat on their head at the same time.
So quick and easy – this garden gnome costume is a perfect last-minute idea. These garden gnome costumes are a perfect last-minute Halloween costume idea. They can be made so fast with so few supplies.
Step 4: Try It On!
Now for the best part… seeing your little garden gnome in action! I made this costume for both my baby and toddler, and it was so easy to adjust the sizing. You can make the hat slightly smaller or longer, depending on the age, and cut the beard to fit their little faces perfectly. The finished look is beyond adorable. Sized right, the kids gnome costume looks beyond adorable.
For the outfit, I kept things simple and comfortable with long-sleeve tees and brown overalls for both boys. It pulled the whole look together effortlessly. And the best part is, they can wear these pieces as regular clothes all fall and winter long. You can always add fun details like gardening tools, kid-sized leather gloves, or a cute watering can for photos, but even without props, the look is spot-on.
Our Family Garden Themed Halloween
These garden gnome costumes were the perfect addition to our family Halloween costume. We went with a full-on garden theme this year. Our boys as gnomes, the girls as flowers, me as the gardener, and my husband as a bag of fertilizer. It was easy to pull together, 99% DIY, so fun to wear, and hands-down one of my favorite family Halloween looks yet. If you’re making a baby gnome costume, shorten the hat and trim a tiny beard.
In my totally unbiased opinion, this tiny little garden gnome may have stolen the show, though. Seriously, so cute!
Our Family’s Halloween Tradition
Every year, we go all-in on a family-themed costume. I love it, and look forward to choosing each year’s theme! From a cave-dwelling family to barnyard animals, and Harry Potter, we’ve had a lot of fun over the years. I’ve rounded up all of our past family Halloween costumes (plus tons of other fun group costume ideas) in one big post so you can get inspired for your own crew’s theme this year. > 31 Family Halloween Costumes: DIY Ideas for Every Age
📌 Save This Garden Gnome Costume for Later
Pin now and come back when you’re ready to make your own adorable garden gnome costumes!
FAQ: Garden Gnome Costume (No Sew)
All you need is a long-sleeve shirt, overalls, a cone-shaped hat made from craft foam, and a faux fur beard. Glue an elastic strap between the hat and beard to hold it in place, and your costume is ready. No sewing required!
Faux fur fabric works best because it’s soft, realistic, and easy to cut into shape. Just be sure to trim only the backing so the hairs hang naturally for a fluffy, full look.
Using a strip of elastic glued inside the hat helps keep it snug and comfortable on little heads. You can also size the foam cone to fit your child’s head before gluing the seam.
Absolutely! Just scale up the hat and beard pattern and use adult-sized clothes. It’s a fun, easy idea for family or group costumes.
