How do you make a DIY Captain Barnacles costume?

Start with a light blue sweatshirt and pants. Cut a wide sailor collar out of light blue felt, glue a printed or felt Octonauts badge to the front, and pair it with a white winter hat decorated with white felt polar bear ears.

What does Kwazii wear?

Kwazii wears a solid orange outfit, a light blue Octonauts collar, a dark blue pirate hat or matching orange cat ears, and a black pirate eyepatch over his right eye.

Is there an official Octonauts costume?

Yes, there are official Captain Barnacles and Kwazii jumpsuits available online, which usually include a soft one-piece jumpsuit and a fabric character headpiece.

AI-generated example

Octonauts Costume

Sound the Octo-Alert! Easy DIY and ready-to-wear Octonauts costumes.

Octonauts costumes are a massive hit for toddlers and young kids who love underwater adventures. Whether you choose the brave polar bear Captain Barnacles, the pirate cat Kwazii, or the medic penguin Peso, these outfits are instantly recognizable by their bright blue collars, octo-badges, and cute animal ears. This guide shows you how to easily assemble these nautical looks using simple base layers and felt details.

Difficulty: Easy
Time: ~45 min
Budget: $15–45

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Octonauts costume — Example look · AI-generated

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What you need for a Octonauts costume

Short on time? Buy it ready-made

Spirit Halloween sells the complete Octonauts costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.

Shop Octonauts at Spirit ↗

Blue or orange long-sleeve shirt
A solid light blue shirt for Captain Barnacles, orange for Kwazii, or black for Peso.
DIY: Use a plain sweatshirt or long-sleeve tee you already own.
Amazon
Matching solid pants
Matching light blue pants for Barnacles, orange pants for Kwazii, or black pants for Peso.
DIY: Any comfortable solid-colored leggings or sweatpants work perfectly.
Amazon
Light blue felt collar
A wide, flat sailor-style collar cut from light blue felt that sits over the shoulders.
DIY: Cut a large donut shape out of light blue felt, then cut a slit down the back to slip it over the neck.
Amazon
Octonauts logo badge
The signature blue octopus emblem worn on the collar or hat.
DIY: Draw the simple blue octopus logo on white felt with fabric markers and fabric-glue it to the collar.
Amazon
Animal ear headpiece or hat
White polar bear ears for Barnacles, orange cat ears with an eyepatch for Kwazii, or a black-and-white pilot hat for Peso.
DIY: Hot-glue felt ears onto a simple plastic headband or a solid-colored beanie.
Amazon

Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Octonauts costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗

How to put it together

1
Put on the solid-colored long-sleeve shirt and matching pants as the base layer.
2
Drape the DIY light blue felt collar over the shoulders, securing it with a small piece of velcro or a safety pin at the back.
3
Attach the Octonauts octopus badge to the center front of the collar using fabric glue or safety pins.
4
Add the character-specific headpiece, such as a white beanie with polar bear ears or an orange cat ear headband.
5
If dressing as Kwazii, slip on a soft felt eyepatch over one eye and attach a stuffed orange felt tail to the back of the pants.
6
Finish the look with comfortable solid-colored sneakers matching the pants.

Makeup & hair

No makeup is needed, but you can use water-based face paint to draw a cute black nose and whiskers for Kwazii, or a simple black nose for Captain Barnacles.

Octonauts for couples, groups, kids & more

couples: One person dresses as Captain Barnacles in blue, and the other dresses as Kwazii the pirate cat in orange.
group: A full crew featuring Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, Peso the penguin, and Dashi the dog.
kids: This is an ideal toddler costume; use soft, tagless fleece sweatpants and sweatshirts for maximum comfort.
Plus size: Adults can easily scale this up using adult-sized solid hoodies and matching sweatpants with oversized felt collars.
pet: A small orange cat can wear a tiny felt Kwazii collar and a soft felt pirate hat.

Tips

Use soft felt for all accessories like collars, eyepatches, and ears to keep the costume scratch-free and comfortable for toddlers.
If trick-or-treating in cold weather, size up the base shirt and pants so they can easily fit over a warm winter coat.
Secure headbands with bobby pins or opt for a soft fleece beanie if your child dislikes wearing plastic headbands.

Octonauts costume FAQ

How do you make a DIY Captain Barnacles costume?: Start with a light blue sweatshirt and pants. Cut a wide sailor collar out of light blue felt, glue a printed or felt Octonauts badge to the front, and pair it with a white winter hat decorated with white felt polar bear ears.
What does Kwazii wear?: Kwazii wears a solid orange outfit, a light blue Octonauts collar, a dark blue pirate hat or matching orange cat ears, and a black pirate eyepatch over his right eye.
Is there an official Octonauts costume?: Yes, there are official Captain Barnacles and Kwazii jumpsuits available online, which usually include a soft one-piece jumpsuit and a fabric character headpiece.

Did you know? The Octonauts television series is based on the popular children's books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy of Meomi Design.