My son, a wheelchair user, wanted to be PacMan, so the idea evolved into a family costume theme since PacMan needs ghosts! I (mom) made the costumes 100% from scratch. It was a challenge to get PacMan to sit above the wheels of the chair and just right enough for my son to see in front of him. My husband (red ghost) had an opening cut out that he could reach through to help push the wheelchair.
The back of PacMan had a small opening for the wheelchair handlebar to fit through. It was so much fun for all of us to do this as a family! We had the game music and sound effects playing while we handed out candy in our driveway and danced around. Then we went Trick-or-Treating together for a while, bringing the sound effects with us. The yellow eyes and mouths on the blue side of the ghosts glowed in the dark!
I used the pink accordion-folded foam material for the main pieces. It cuts easily and takes paint really well. The sides of the ghosts are out of a roll of more flexible foam. All pieces are held together with duct tape. I used foam brushes to paint the pieces once they were assembled, using satin latex paint, and then sealed with a clear sealer. I used a glow in the dark paint to coat the yellow features on the blue sides of the ghosts.
PacMan had to be attached to the wheelchair in just the right way in order to give my son a view, and to keep it from rubbing on the wheels. He was able to wheel himself, but needed some help, so dad’s costume included an opening in front to reach through to help push when needed.
The ghost costumes simply rested on our heads. The right side of each ghost was cut a little higher to allow one hand free. We wore coordinating tops that matched our ghosts, and black pants to give the illusion that we were floating.
We were a hit in the neighborhood! The best was the reaction from kids, which is what it’s all about! Lots of people wanted our picture and had their children pose with us. We enjoyed wearing our costumes, but the looks on people’s faces and the reaction from the kids are the best!
So many people tell me I’m super creative and that they’d never be able to do something like this. But I say anyone can do it – you just have to have the patience and the desire. I find I get lost in the process, enjoying every second of figuring it out. I am not an engineer, or a professional painter. My design shows obvious amateur skills, but I think that’s what adds to its charm. Happy Halloween!
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