Lobster Costume

Materials:

2" wide clear packing tape
15 red plastic plates, dinner size
24 red 12 oz. plastic disposable cups
4-6 pieces 12" x 12" red cardboard felt
red tape
1/2" wide red ribbon
scissors
craft knife
ruling compass
wire cutter
hole punch
ruler

1. For the breastplate, arrange four or five plates on a table by partially overlapping one on the next in a row, with the back of the plates up (figure A). Use red tape to attach the bottom of the first plate to the top back of the next plate. Repeat this with the rest of the plates. The breastplate should cover the child from the collar to the thighs.

2. Make a second row of plates for the backplate in the same way.

3. Cut across the first (top) plate of the breastplate about 3 inches down to make a flat top. Tape the cut edge with clear tape to keep it smooth. With a hole punch, punch two holes on the taped edge, about 1 inch in from the edge and 3 inches apart (figure B). These holes are for the straps that will go over the child's shoulders.

4. Cut and tape the first plate of the backplate in the same way, and punch two holes in the top of the first plate of the backplate also.

5. For the tail, cut a jagged sawtooth edge across each of the three plates, about a third of the way up. Tape the three sawtooth plates to the lowest plate in the backplate stack you made (figure C).

6. There will be six legs, three on each side (or, if you prefer, make four on each side). To make a leg, make a sticky side out circle of tape. Stick the tape on the inside bottom of the first cup. Press next cup to the sticky tape (figure D). This will help your lobster legs to have a shape. Attach three cups in total for each leg (figure E).

7. With 2-inch clear packing tape, tape each leg to the breastplate of the lobster. Tape three legs on each side (figure F).

8. Make a circle the size of the 12" x 12" red cardboard felt. Cut out two 2-inch pie shapes at either end (figure G). Inside the pie shape, punch a hole on each side. This is where your ribbon will feed through to hold the claw around the child's wrist. Push each side of the red cardboard felt together (figure H). Tape with red tape on the inside and out (figure I). Optional: Get crazy with a bigger size of the red cardboard felt and make a wavy edge for drama.

9. On a headband, wire wrap two side-by-side 12-inch antennas. Wrap it all in red tape.