World Book Day: 28 Amazing Costumes You Can Create from Your Wardrobe!
You don’t need to spend a fortune on costumes for your little ones when you can create stunning outfits using items you already have in your wardrobe.
In this article, we will share with you 28 World Book Day costume ideas that are easy to put together and won’t cost you a penny!
You’ll be amazed at how many fun and imaginative characters you can create with just a little bit of creativity and resourcefulness.
So, let’s dive in and get ready to have some fun with your kids this World Book Day! And, as a bonus, these costumes will not only save you money but are also environmentally friendly. Let’s get started!
If you have pyjamas why not dress up as…
A member of the Midnight Gang
- Pyjamas
- Extra prop: A bandage – available in the medical section of most supermarkets
Wendy from Peter Pan
- Pyjamas
- Blue ribbon (as a belt and as a hair bow) – if you don’t have one available, cut a strip of fabric from an old shirt
- Extra prop: A small jar with glitter in, as pixie dust
John from Peter Pan
- Pyjamas
- A black top hat
- Glasses (you can adapt this design for Minion goggles)
- Extra prop: A small jar with glitter in, as pixie dust
Sophie from the BFG
- A nightie
- Glasses
- Cardigan
- Extra prop: A dream jar labelled with your child’s name
If you have a stripy top why not dress up as…
Where’s Wally
- Red and white striped top
- Blue trousers or jeans
- Glasses
- A bobble hat
Burglar Bill
- Black and white striped top
- Black paper mask
- A sack of ‘swag’ (e.g. a bin liner or hessian sack)
Dennis the Menace
- Red and black striped top
- Black shorts
- Toy dog
- Extra prop: a black curly wig
If you have a white shirt why not dress up as…
Mary Poppins
- Smart white shirt
- Black skirt
- Black hat with flowers (you can add some paper flowers to this hat design)
- A scarf
- An umbrella
- Extra prop: A big handbag
Billionaire Boy
- White shirt
- Black trousers
- Lots of paper play money (or make your own)
If you have a cardigan and slippers why not dress up as…
The wolf from Little Red Riding Hood
- Cardigan and slippers
- Nighty
- Wolf mask
- Glasses (you can adapt this design for Minion goggles)
- Vampire fangs
Gangsta Granny
- Cardigan and slippers
- Glasses (you can adapt this design for Minion goggles)
- Eye mask (you can adapt this design for foam superhero masks)
- Used tissue tucked up sleeve
- A packet of Murray Mints
- Swag bag (e.g. a gym bag or canvas shopping bag)
- Fake treasure to go inside the swag bag (e.g. a mix of sequins, toy jewellery, play money)
If you have a dress why not dress up as…
Tinkerbell
- Green dress
- Shoes with a white pom pom on top of each one
- Fairy wings (you can adapt this design for paper butterfly wings)
- Fairy wand
Matilda
- Blue dress
- Red hair bow – if you don’t have one available, cut a strip of fabric from an old shirt
- Stack of books
- Extra prop: A jug or glass with a plastic newt inside
Alice in Wonderland
- Blue dress
- Black hair bow – if you don’t have one available, cut a strip of fabric from an old shirt
- White apron (or make one from a large white t-shirt)
- Extra prop: A white rabbit soft toy
Little Miss Sunshine
- Yellow dress
- Two red hair bows – if you don’t have ribbon available, cut a strip of fabric from an old shirt
Annie
- Red dress
- Draw on freckles
- A dog soft toy (add a paper collar with the name ‘Sandy’)
Little Red Riding Hood
- Red dress
- White apron (or make one from a large white t-shirt)
- Red cape (a red hooded coat, or make your own with an old bed sheet)
- A picnic basket with play food
If you have a cape why not dress up as…
Harry Potter
- A cape (or make your own with an old bed sheet)
- Glasses
- Red tie
- Wand (11” long, made of holly, and possessing a phoenix feather core, of course)
- Extra prop: White owl soft toy
Will Treaty (Ranger’s Apprentice)
- A cape (or make your own with an old bed sheet)
- Boots
- Belt
- Bow and arrow
- Oakleaf pendant
Legolas (Lord of the Rings)
- A cape (or make your own with an old bed sheet)
- Boots
- Belt
- Bow and arrow
- Elf ears
Mildred Hubble (The Worst Witch)
- A black cape (or make your own with an old bed sheet)
- School uniform and school shoes
- Black pointy hat
- Coloured sash (or cut a strip of fabric from an old t-shirt)
- A Cackle’s Academy badge (downloadable from BBC website)
BONUS: If you want to get a bit more creative and have some old clothes you don’t mind cutting up/drawing on, why not try DIY’ing your own costumes for…
Mr Stink
- Cut up a shirt and trousers to look old and ragged
- Fingerless gloves (cut the fingers off an old pair of gloves, or socks)
- Red bow tie (make one from an old shirt and clip it on with a safety pin)
- Glasses (you can adapt this design for Minion goggles)
- Rope belt (or plait some string together)
- Beard (drawn on, or paint)
- Extra prop: Black dog soft toy
Charlie Bucket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
- Cut up a shirt and trousers to look old and ragged
- Wrap a chocolate bar in a Wonka wrapper
- Golden ticket (print this template or make your own from gold card)
Dalmation (101 Dalmations)
- Draw black spots on an old white t-shirt and trousers/tights
- Attach some paper or felt ears to a hairband (print this puppy ears template or make your own)
- Make a dog collar out of paper or card
Costumes that can be repurposed from Halloween
Pirate – Pirate from the Indoor Pirates, The Pirates Next Door or Treasure Island
Spider – Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web
Pumpkin – The peach from James and the Giant Peach
Skeleton – Little Skeleton from Funnybones