World Book Day is on 6th March 2025 - the time of year that can send all parents into a last-minute panic!
If you’re in a no-costume nightmare and you don’t want to spend a fortune, here are some budget-friendly costume ideas for World Book Day that you can easily create for the kids with items you might already have at home:
Where’s Wally (or Waldo)
What you need: A red-and-white striped top, blue jeans and a beanie or red hat.
How to make it: Draw a pair of round glasses on paper, or find some old glasses at home. For an extra touch, create a homemade “Where’s Wally?” sign and pin it to the back.
Harry Potter
What you need: A black robe—or a black jumper or old T-shirt—a house-coloured scarf and a wand made from a stick or chopstick.
How to make it: Use face paint or eyeliner to create the lightning-bolt scar. You can make glasses from wire or cut them out of cardboard.
The Cat in the Hat
What you need: A red-and-white striped hat, black clothes and a red bow tie.
How to make it: Use face paint or black eyeliner to draw whiskers and a nose. You could make the hat from an old cereal box and red-and-white paper.
Little Red Riding Hood
What you need: A red hoodie or scarf, black leggings and a basket.
How to make it: Create a simple cape from red fabric or an old sheet. Add a small stuffed toy to the basket to represent Grandma.
The Gruffalo
What you need: Brown clothes, a headband and some cardboard for the Gruffalo’s horns and ears.
How to make it: Cut out two ears and attach them to the headband. Make horns from cardboard or paper tubes, then use face paint to add the signature yellow eyes and whiskers.
Winnie-the-Pooh
What you need: A yellow T-shirt, red top and black trousers or shorts.
How to make it: Create simple bear ears using a headband and brown paper or fabric. You can also wrap a jar in brown paper and label it “Hunny”.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
What you need: Green and red clothing.
How to make it: Cut circles from coloured paper or fabric and attach them to a T-shirt or dress to create the caterpillar’s segments. Make antennae using a headband and pipe cleaners or straws.
Peter Rabbit
What you need: A blue jacket or waistcoat, brown trousers or leggings and bunny ears.
How to make it: Create a small tail from cotton wool or a pom-pom. If you don’t have bunny ears, make some from cardboard or fabric.
Goldilocks
What you need: A yellow or blonde wig—or braided hair—a blue dress and brown shoes.
How to make it: Create a small “bowl of porridge” using a paper cup or small plate with pretend food.
The Wind in the Willows – Mole
What you need: Brown clothes, a brown cap and some face paint.
How to make it: Use face paint to create a mole nose and whiskers. Brown gloves or mittens can become Mole’s paws.
Mary Poppins
What you need: A white shirt, black skirt, black hat and umbrella.
How to make it: Attach flowers or ribbon to the hat. Add a red bow tie or a large button to the shirt to complete the look.
The Twits – Mr Twit or Mrs Twit
What you need: Scruffy clothes and a fake beard—or face paint to draw one.
How to make it: Create the beard from cotton wool and make your hair look as unruly as possible. For Mrs Twit, wear a dress and use a scarf, headband or wig to create a wild hairstyle.
These ideas can easily be put together without spending too much. The key is to be thrifty, creative and use what you have around the house!
If you’re looking for books for World Book Day, Amazon have a range for just £1!
