DIY Ice Cream Cone Costume: 20-Min Paper Build

DIY ice cream cone costume built from tan paper party hat or cone, white t-shirt, and colored dot stickers or pom-poms for sprinkles

AI-generated concept photo

Time20 minEffortEasy

⏱️ We timed it, but results may vary.

Plan this costume →No signup · 2 minutes.

A tan paper cone hat and a sprinkle-dotted scoop shirt. The sprinkles are the whole joke. Twenty minutes, easy: a tan paper party hat or cone, a white t-shirt, and colored dot stickers or pom-poms. Cluster the sprinkles unevenly; uniform dots look like polka dots.

3 of 5 things covered, counting basics we assume you have.

Tap a supply to tick what you own.

Still need:

Tan paper party hatStickers

Update my pantry

Tip: glue a red pom-pom cherry to the tip of the hat.

Materials

Tan paper party hat or cone, 1 (buy: dollar store)
White t-shirt, 1 (buy: craft store, or use one you own)
Colored dot stickers or pom-poms for sprinkles, 1 pack (buy: craft store; cut paper dots work too)
Brown paint or marker for the cone crosshatch, 1 (buy: craft store)
Tape, 1 roll (own)

Steps

Draw a waffle-cone crosshatch on the tan party hat with the brown marker.
Set the hat on the head.
Tape the elastic so it sits snugly.
Safety: Keep small pom-poms away from kids under three, since they are a choking hazard. (CPSC Halloween safety tips)
Cover the white t-shirt with dot stickers or pom-poms, like sprinkles.
Keep the stickers off the skin.
Optional pro finish: glue a red pom-pom cherry to the tip of the hat.

Start this costume in the planner

Common questions

How do you keep the cone hat on all night?

Tape the hat's elastic strap so it fits snug under the chin, and add a second piece of tape inside the hat brim. Paper hats are light; they fall off because the elastic is loose, not because of wind.

Pom-poms or stickers for the sprinkles?

Stickers for under-5s (no choking risk, nothing falls off). Pom-poms photograph better but shed all night and are a choking hazard for toddlers.