Quote from Penny McCarthy on March 3, 2025, 3:41 pm

World Book Day is a magical time for children across the UK to celebrate their love of books by dressing up as their favourite literary characters. But buying a costume can be expensive, and sometimes, the best outfits are the ones you make yourself! Here are some simple, budget-friendly DIY costume ideas for World Book Day.

The Tiger from 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea

An orange outfit with black stripes or a black outfit with orange stripes, crafted using fabric paint or tape, and transform your child into a charming tiger. Face paint can enhance the look.

Little Miss Sunshine

Transform your child into the cheerful Little Miss Sunshine with minimal effort. You'll need: A yellow t-shirt or jumper; Cardboard; Yellow paint and a black pen; Yellow wool for hair, plus some red ribbon for the ties

Craft a simple headpiece using the cardboard and paint to represent Little Miss Sunshine's face, and attach the yellow wool to mimic her hair. This straightforward costume captures the essence of the beloved character.

Alice from 'Alice in Wonderland'

Bring the classic character of Alice to life with items you might already have at home: a blue dress; a white apron or pinafore; a hair bow

Harry Potter or Hermione Granger

Embrace the magic of Hogwarts with these iconic characters.

A black cape (often found in Halloween costumes) A white shirt School trousers or a skirt; A stick to serve as a wand A striped tie or scarf

For Harry: glasses (which can be made using a template) and a red face paint or lip pencil to draw his forehead scar

The Snail and the Whale

A black t-shirt; White fabric paint to draw the snail'to attach to the shoulder; A stuffed whale toys trail message; A toy snail (from £1.29 at Amazon)

 

Mr. Strong

Celebrate the Mr. Men series with a costume that's both bold and easy to create: A red top and trousers; A green hat; A cardboard box covered in red paper with black eyes and mouth drawn on one side, with holes cut out for the head, arms, and legs

The Gruffalo

Brown clothing (jumper and leggings or trousers); Cardboard and felt to make ears and facial features; Face paint for the Gruffalo’s distinctive orange eyes and black nose; A small, handmade tail attached to the trousers

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A green top and leggings; ifferent coloured fabric or paper circles stuck onto the top to resemble segments A red hat or headband with green antennae made from pipe cleaners

Paddington Bear

A blue coat or jumper; A red hat (a floppy sunhat); A small suitcase as a prop; A handmade ‘Please look after this bear’ tag

Where’s Wally?

A red and white striped top; Blue jeans; Round glasses (real or made from cardboard); A red and white bobble hat

Tips for Making DIY Costumes

• Use what you have – Check your child’s wardrobe for clothes that match the character.
• Get crafty – Cardboard, felt, and fabric scraps can be turned into amazing accessories.
• Face paint adds magic – A little face paint can transform a simple outfit into a great costume.
• Props make a difference – A book, toy, or handmade accessory helps bring the character to life.

DIY costumes are a fun way to get children involved in the creative process while celebrating their favourite books. Enjoy making and dressing up this World Book Day!