Most crafty stores (Hobby Lobby and Michaels for instance) carry a line of craft foam sheets. It's great for doing all sorts of stuff, and I know cosplayers use it to make costumes - armor, headresses, etc...

https://www.michaels.com/12x18-foam-sheet-by-creatology/M10597609.html
^example

If you look up "crafting with foam sheets" on google you should find some decent tutorials on how to cut, mold, attach and even paint it....

Here is an example of one person's project for armor from it, so you can get a general idea of how it can be constructed (not a cobra hood, but general idea about cutting it out, creating a pattern, painting, gluing, etc).

 

Genius idea! That will work perfectly! Thank!

 

I hit a major snag. My plan was to use wire to bend the snake (the video I saw where they made tentacles used a clothes hanger), but the wire isn?t stiff enough to hold the head up AND balance it. I saw thicker wire, but I?m trying to keep it from being too heavy. Someone suggested papier-mâché, but I want to put it outside of my house after my party. Anyone have any ideas of what I can use, possibly through the hole in the noodles, to steady the head & part of the body? I hate when I plan something simple in my head, but it becomes difficult in real life!

 

Stiltbeast Studios has a YouTube video tutorial for making snakes. Hope this might help.