DIY Link Costume: Breath of the Wild

I’m super excited to be working with Nintendo (so are my kids!). We received product so we could share our experiences with you. All opinions are my own. If there is a gamer in your life, you’ll be as excited as we are about the Nintendo Switch and this DIY Link costume! 

My kids are eight and five-years-old. They are officially into video games (even Claire, who’s only five, has some serious skills…she can beat me at Mario Kart HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE). I grew up in the 80’s, which means I got to see video games grow from Pong (my parents totally had Pong) to my personal favorites – Super Mario Bros. and, of course, The Legend of Zelda.

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We didn’t have a Nintendo at home (until I was older, and got my own), but my grandparents had one…and so of course, along with homemade chocolate chip cookies and a smorgasboard of sugary cereals, we always got our fill of Nintendo every time we visited. It’s what grandparents live for, right?! 

What’s to love about new video games? 

What I love (love, love, LOVE) about the Current Video Game Situation of the World is that all of my favorite games are making a comeback (bless you, Nintendo, for catering to my nostalgia…it will never get old). But Nintendo has something new that I’m also seriously digging, and that is the Nintendo Switch.

Check out the Nintendo Switch on Amazon.

I’ve had a few people ask me what’s different about the Switch versus any other Nintendo system, and here’s what it is: you can play the Switch on your TV, and then you can pick it up and play it on-the-go, without any interruption in your game. The system comes with a docking station and a tablet. When the tablet is docked, you play the games on the television. When you undock it, the game transfers to the tablet. You can pick it up and continue the same game, right where youl left off, and then dock the tablet again later and pick it back up again on the TV. 

You can set up different profiles for everyone in the family, so they can all enjoy the games at their own pace. 

OH AND THIS IS THE BEST: you can set time limits and parental controls that let you know exactly how long your kids are playing for. No comment on how many hours mine have logged on Zelda this summer. 

The game that has captivated my entire family is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You guys, I literally don’t have words to describe the scope and awesomeness of this game, so I’m just going to say it’s really, really cool.

{Side note: My favorite part, of course, is the part where you get to catch and train wild horses.}

It’s a one-player game, but my kids (who each have their own profile and game going) love to sit with Charles and watch him play. They help him try to solve puzzles, look at the crazy maps with him to determine where to go next, and make suggestions for defeating the bosses inside the Divine Beasts (it’s okay if this sounds like another language…it won’t take long to catch up once you start playing).

Also, Jack has devoured the Zelda books that we received…I mean, he has read them cover to cover and they are huge. He knows more about the Zelda game I played as a kid than I do. These books are beautiful, by the way – and the Breath of the Wild book is full of tips. You can buy it here.

When they’re not playing Zelda on the Switch, they’re playing Zelda in our house. And in our car, and outside, and everywhere we go. It’s kind of taken over our world. I decided to roll with it and make a DIY Link costume for Claire – it was cheap and easy, it didn’t take long to make, and it’s SUPER cute (also, comfy – which is helpful when she’ll be wearing it a lot for play!). Link wears many outfits in Breath of the Wild – this particular shirt is called the Champions Tunic.

Don’t forget to pin it for later!

DIY Link Costume Guide: 

This is a really easy Link costume that you don’t need to save for Halloween or a party. If your kids really like to dress up and get into character on the regular, this DIY costume is a must try! 

Here’s what you need to make a DIY Link costume:

• Blue, short-sleeved shirt or tunic (I found the perfect aqua shade at Walmart, and it was only $3 – you can also find solid colored shirts and tunics at Primary.com)
• White, long-sleeved shirt
• White flannel (you’ll need two strips, about 2′ x 3″)
• Brown boots
• Brown flannel or felt (I bought a 1/4 yard at Walmart for just a couple bucks)
• Tan leggings (the ones in these pictures were also just a few dollars at Walmart!)
• Orange and green crayons (or fabric paint, but crayons worked fine for me)
• White puffy paint or fabric paint
• Brown belt, long enough to wrap twice around the waist

Here’s how to make this DIY Link costume from Breath of the Wild:

Using a pencil, sketch in the designs on Link’s tunic. I used this picture as a guide. Trace with puffy paint (don’t forget, it needs to dry overnight – I did one side before bed and the other side in the morning). You could also do this with a bleach pen if you have kids who will pick at the paint or not like the raised feel of the paint on the shirt! 

Cut your white flannel into strips. These will make the arm bands. Use the crayons to draw the print onto the fabric. 

Cut two pieces of brown fabric out for boot cuffs. To do this, just measure around the top of the boot and decide how wide you want the fold. Then cut out your pieces and simply fold over the boots (I left the front open, like Link’s boots!).

That’s really it! Claire got dressed in her Link costume, we gave her a messy ponytail (authentic to Link *and* Claire), and I wrapped my belt around her waist twice. We used a sword we already had around the house, and ta-da! 

Easiest DIY Link costume ever. 🙂

Questions about the Switch or the costume? Let me know in the comments below!

I’d love to have you join me on Facebook for more easy DIY costumes, free printables, and fun content for kids.

You can see the Nintendo Switch on Amazon here.

And be sure to check out the DIY kid costumes below!

 

 

 

 

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