Here To Save The World! How To Create Your Own Superhero

Ever dreamt of becoming a superhero? With Kidadl you can! We believe that anyone can be a superhero - all you need is your imagination and you’re all set. Not only are superheroes great role models for children - teaching little ones to always help others and be kind to everyone - but they can also encourage kids to find their inner confidence and creativity as they adopt similar attitudes to that of a super-strong, selfless superhero! Plus, to become a superhero it’s as simple as inventing your own persona, thinking about the name, outfit and of course, the special powers your superhero possesses - it’s a great activity to do as a family (take The Incredibles for instance!) and it’s bound to get your little ones thinking outside the box! Continue reading to check out our top tips for designing your own superhero, as well as some serious inspiration for making and creating them from scratch!

The first place to start when creating your own superhero has got to be the designing. Put your thinking caps on and get brainstorming!

1) Your Superpower

Perhaps the most important feature of creating your own superhero - your superpower! Here’s your chance to get super creative. We suggest grabbing a piece of A4 paper and writing at the top ‘What Superpower Would You Have And Why’; this way all of your ideas are documented and easily accessible. Plus, sometimes hearing the ideas of others can help inspire your own ideas! Whether it be the ability to click your fingers and have a chocolate bar appear, the power to solve world hunger or something more traditional such as being able to fly or shapeshift - the possibilities really are endless!

2) Your Superhero Name

After you’re all set on your superpower, the next thing you need is a super cool superhero name. You could take the more traditional approach, utilising the (Word)-Man/Woman/Boy/Girl style of names such as Superman or Wonder Woman which is really simple and a great place to start. Or maybe you could try the (Title)-(Name/Word) formula like Captain America and Mister Incredible! Or if you’re feeling super creative, you could come up with your own name completely from scratch, just taking inspiration from your superpower itself! For example, if your superpower is an endless supply of chocolate, you could call yourself ‘The Powerful Cocoa’ or ‘Captain Cadbury’ - our advice is to just have fun with it!

3) Your Superhero Personality

There’s always a little more to superheroes than just their superpowers… Think about your superhero’s personality, hobbies and even favourite food! Not only does this help to create a fully-fledged superhero but it allows little ones to let their imagination run wild. If you’re incorporating superhero play into your lockdown routine, it can also be a great educational tool - why not get your kids to write a story about their superhero as part of English learning or create a kind of ‘fact file’ as part of History learning?

4) Your Superhero Outfit

Now, we can’t have superheroes without any outfits! Distinctive costumes are a must for concealing your true identity. Most superheroes have capes, goggles and of course a superhero mask that represents them but the sky’s the limit and anything is possible! Sketch out your ideas for your own costumes, making sure to pay attention to detail and include those finishing touches that are unique to your superhero. Then it’s time to get making - see below for our top ways to make your very own costumes and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram using the handle @kidadl - we would love to see!

5) Your Superhero Catchphrase

‘To infinity and beyond’, ‘Avengers assemble!’ and ‘Up, up and away’ are all great examples of superhero catchphrases from your favourite movies and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have one as well. Think about what your superpower is and in what environment you’re likely to use that superpower, something that resonates with your superhero personality and that can be easily recognised by other superheroes. If you’re struggling to think of one, why not get stuck into some superhero role-play? You’re bound to come up with one after a few hours of saving the world! Plus, if you’re looking for more role-playing games to keep your little ones on their toes during lockdown check out our beginner's guide to role-playing games (RPGs) here!

Whether you want to totally transform yourself or would prefer to get stuck into some serious arts and crafts and create your superhero as an action figure, keep reading to find out our top 4 ways to make your superhero come to life!

1) Get dressed up!

After all that designing, what better way to bring your superhero to life than to become the superhero? Grab an old sheet or any fabric you have lying around and get decorating to make a super cool cape! Whether you want to jazz it up with glitter, paint your logo on it or even use some felt or coloured fabric and a hot glue gun (with help from the grown-ups!) to attach some epic artwork to the back of it, it's bound to look unique! After you’ve finished decorating your cape, loosely tie the two ends around your neck and you’re ready to blast off.

2) Get reusing and recycling

With World Earth Week just last week, we hope you’ve still got your environmental hats on! How about making your superhero figure out of recycled materials? Grab any old plastic bottles, newspapers, cardboard boxes and any other recyclable materials that would have otherwise gone to waste and get crafting! How about using old toilet paper tubes as the body, bottle caps as eyes, and newspaper as the cape? And why stop at creating your superhero, why not make an entire world for your superhero including plastic bottle buildings and aluminium can trees?

3) Sketch away!

Creating your own superhero doesn’t have to involve heaps of arts and crafts (although it is super fun that way!), sometimes all you need is colouring pencils and paper to bring your superhero to life. Draw your superhero how you envisage him/her looking and be sure to colour in all the little details including the costume and mask. Don’t forget to date your drawings too - that way, it’s a nice reminder of what you got up to in lockdown. Plus, why stop at drawing one superhero, why not have a go at making your very own comic book, including cartoon strips and all! And a little tip from us - don't worry if you feel art isn't your strong point, it's your superhero and only you know what they truly look like!

4) Mould and make your superhero

Modelling clay is a great option for those who want to truly recreate their superhero and it’s a brilliant activity for older kids who have a passion for all things action figures! If you can get hold of some modelling clay, preferably white so you have the opportunity to paint on top of it, why not try and mould your superhero? Here's a great tutorial on how to sculpt a human body out of clay that is a great starting point:

If you're looking for more arts and crafts activities to do at home, check out our blog here. Get your creative caps on!

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