How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby

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(Inside: Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It’s like a tail for tiny people–which makes them think they’re mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It’s ridiculous and fun. Try it.)

This summer is going to be sooooo much fun.

I mean, I’m already planning play dates and little wading-pool-parties.

My porch is perfect for little-girl BBQ tea parties and I’m already thinking about how to get a bounce house out in the yard for my toddler’s 3rd birthday.

So, to kick things off (because the weather is starting to turn here already! yippee!), I figured-out How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail.

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

Yeah, you heard me right. An EASY Mermaid Tail.

Like I had 2 made in about 30 minutes.

And they’re removable, washable, easy-on and easy-off. Plus, the girls thought they were hysterical (who doesn’t like a costume IN THE POOL?!) and I got to take a lot of fun pictures of the first splish-splash in a pool for my littlest.

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

What You Need to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail

You’ll need about a half yard of cloth (depending on how tall your toddler is), some of that awesome sequins-on-elastic for straps, 2 velcro dots (one fuzzy and one sticky), a little foam for the tail and a sewing machine (and some thread, but you probably already figured that part out).

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail

Oh, my lovelies that love a good running-with-scissors, here’s your photo tutorial…

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

And for those of you who can’t decipher that, here’s a written tutorial (you know, for us sane folks).

  1. Measure the width and length of cloth you’re going to need (approximately) by holding the cloth up to the toddler’s back. You want enough cloth to go around their chest (snugly) and enough to go from the top of their back to their ankles, plus an additional amount of about 12-inches to make the tail’s pocket. Cut that out.
  2. Doodle on the piece of foam whatever shape you want your tail. I just used a permanent marker because no one’s going to see it. Then cut that out.
  3. Stitch the sequins-on-elastic to the general location where the cover-up will close, over the chest. Stitch one 8-inch length to each side.
  4. Stitch the other end of each length of the sequins-on-elastic to the back of the cover-up, crossing the pieces so they create an X.
  5. To make the pocket for the tail, fold the bottom of the fabric over and stitch about halfway up each side. I decided to do this inside-out so that the stitches wouldn’t show. But you can do whatever. Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup
  6. Run a basting stitch (the longest stitch allowed on your sewing machine) around the inside of the pocket you just made, far enough up the length of the pocket that the tail of your tail will be caught below this stitch line. Be sure to leave a long tail on each end of the basting stitch.
  7. Turn your pocket right side out and stuff your foam tail inside.
  8. Gently pull your basting stitch and create a ruffle. ALTERNATIVELY, you can skip the whole basting thing and just tie a little ribbon around the tail. I did this on the second one because my basting stitching broke when I was pulling it and you couldn’t even tell the ribbon was there.
  9. Stitch the velcro pieces to the closure point on the top of the tail, where your sequins-on-elastic come together at the front.
  10. Slip that puppy on a baby (or toddler–I did both) over their swimsuit and let that little baby mermaid swim freeeeee!

Basically, this is what it should look like when you’re done.

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

And THIS is what it’ll look like when it’s ON. LOL!

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

Look at that splash.

Amazing action from a kiddo who has no care in the world there.

She totally thinks she’s a mermaid.

Cool tutorial for How to Make an Easy Mermaid Tail for a Toddler or Baby. It's like a tail for tiny people--which makes them think they're mermaids and is SO FREAKING adorable. It's ridiculous and fun. Try it. #nerdymammablog #mermaid #diy #tutorial #mermaidtail #kid #kiddressup

So, what do you think?

Should I make a little mermaid crown to go with our mermaid tails?

Maybe do a whole mermaid party? Lemme know!

Just drop me a comment below or hit me up on Facebook.

I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for sharing!

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