Cheetah Halloween Costume Instructions

Cheetah Ears Part 1

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

What You’ll Need:

• wide brown headband (about ¾ inch wide)

• poster board (8 x 8 inch square)

• furry cheetah fabric (8 x 8 inch square)

• mini hot glue gun and glue sticks

• scissors

• pen

• template for ears (PDF)

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Costume Ears Part 2

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

1. Trace the ear template twice on the poster board. Cut out the poster board. Cut up the bottom slit (shown on the template) on both ears. Bend the poster board on the fold.

2. Trace the ear template onto the wrong side of the cheetah fur fabric. Do this four times. Cut out the fur pieces.

3. Sandwich a poster board piece between two fur pieces. Make sure the right sides of the fur face out. Glue along the unfolded rounded edge of the poster board. Do this again with the other ear.

4. Glue the underside of the folded edge of the poster board to one side of the headband. You can bend the two poster board flaps in a little to better fit the curve of the headband. Hold the ear firmly in place until the glue has dried. Do this again on the other side of the headband with the other ear. Add more glue in spots that pop up. The fur flap will hang over the backside of the headband.

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Tail Part 1

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

What You’ll Need:

• wire hanger

• polyester stuffing

• furry cheetah fabric (8 x 27 inch rectangle)

• stapler

• knitting needle or stick (optional)

• scissors

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Tail Part 2

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

1. Straighten out the wire hanger.

2. Fold the furry fabric so that the right sides of the fur touch and the long ends of the piece touch.

3. Staple the long ends of the piece together about ¼ inch from the sides. As you reach the short end, start stapling in a curved line toward the fold. This will be the tip of the tail. Leave the other short end open.

4. Turn the fabric inside out. The fur will face out and the staples will be hidden inside. Do this step carefully!

5. Slip the wire hanger into the tail so that it reaches the bottom. Some of the wire hanger will be hanging out from the top of the tail.

6. Fill the tail with the stuffing. Use a knitting needle or stick to help push the stuffing into the tip.

7. Staple the top of the tail closed with the wire coming out through the middle.

8. Bend the tail into a slight S-shape. Then bend the top of the wire into a hook shape. Hang the tail from the back of your child’s pants.

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Body Part 1

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

What You’ll Need:

• black felt (two 9 x 12 inch pieces)

• white felt (one 9 x 12 inch piece)

• permanent double-stick tape

• scissors

• orange shirt (it can have a picture on the front)

• tan pants

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Body Part 2

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

1. Cut rounded edges on the white rectangle of felt.

2. Cut small circles from the black felt. They don’t need to all be the same size. Cut as many circles as you want for the costume.

3. Center the white felt piece on the front of an orange shirt. If there is a picture on the shirt, try to cover it all with the felt. Stick long pieces of double-stick tape on the shirt where the felt will go. Press the white felt onto the tape on the shirt.

4. Now, stick the black felt circles on the shirt. Use small pieces of double-stick tape. Line the top half of the white felt with circles. Then stick circles on the top and bottom of the shirt, the arms, and the back. Group the circles in threes.

5. Add a few groups of circles to the front and back of the pants. Now this cheetah has its spots!

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Paws Part 1

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

What You’ll Need:

• tan vinyl fabric (1/4 yard)

• tan furry fabric with long fur hairs (1/4 yard)

• sticky back Velcro (two 3-inch sections)

• mini hot glue gun and glue sticks

• scissors

• X-Acto knife or razor blade

• pen

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Paws Part 2

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

1. Cut two rectangles of tan vinyl. Make the width 4 inches and the length to fit around your child’s wrists.

2. Lay the fur on a table so that the back of the fabric is facing you. Trace a half oval shape around your child’s hand. Draw a flat edge at the bottom of the hand shape.

3. Cut two pieces of the fur fabric. Try not to cut the fur. Cut fur from the back of the material. Use an X-Acto knife or razor blade to cut the netting that holds the fur.

4. Put a line of glue on the bottom flat edge of the furry side of the fur fabric. Press it to the middle of the wrong side of the vinyl. Hold it until the glue sets.

5. Stick one side of the Velcro piece to a short end of the vinyl.

6. Turn the vinyl over. Stick the other side of the Velcro piece to the opposite short end of the vinyl.

7. Wrap the cuff around your child’s wrist and stick the Velcro pieces together. The fur hangs over the hand like a paw!

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Face Paint

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

What You’ll Need:

• orange (or red and yellow) face paint

• black face paint

• white face paint

• yellow face paint

• cosmetic sponges

• paintbrushes

• cup of water

• paper towel

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume.

Cheetah Face Painting Part 2

Photograph by Serah Sauser, Designed by Karen Latchana Kenney

Steps:

1. Start by using a damp cosmetic sponge to add white to the lower half of the face. Then use a paintbrush to paint a circle from the nose, around the mouth, and to the bottom of the chin.

2. Next, use a different cosmetic sponge to add orange to the top of the face. Go from the top line of the white up to the hairline. Avoid the eye area, though. If you do not have orange face paint, start with a base of yellow, then blend in a layer of red over the yellow.

3. Now switch back to white. Use the paintbrush to add to white stripes along the sides of the nose. Then add white under each eye. Brush small strokes from the hairline into the face.

4. Black is next. Paint a curved line above each line. Make the tips curve up. Then add a few strokes out by the end of this line. Next, paint a long line from the upper part of the nose down around the curved white circle by the mouth. Make sure the white line is on the inner part of the nose. Try to make this long line in one continuous stroke. Paint another black line on the other side of the face. Paint the tip of the nose black. Then draw a line from under the tip of the nose to the middle of the upper lip. Outline the top upper lip and add curved lines at the corners of the mouth. Then add a line under the bottom lip.

5. Now add some spots to this cheetah face! Use the hard end of the paintbrush. Wet it and press it into the black paint. Make dots on the forehead and cheeks. Clean off the paintbrush end and use yellow paint. Add a few more dots.

Collect coins for big cats this Halloween season and join our community of big cats lovers. Trick-or-treaters can help save the big cats from extinction by collecting money for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative. You also can download a PDF with more instructions for a lion or lynx costume. Original costume designs by Karen Latchana Kenney.