World Book Day 2023 is looming and with that comes schools up and down the country preparing to celebrate our greatest children's literature with a non-uniform day where your little ones get don a new identity.
This means that your child will mostly likely be asking you to help them transform into their favourite book character by Thursday, March 2. Time is of the essence and you only have three days to make it happen.
While it may seem a tad daunting - creating an entire new look for your little one within the next three days - with a touch of imagination, a dash of parenting magic and a few staple cupboard items, you can easily pull something together using what you already have at home.
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From Matilda and Where's Wally to Harry Potter and Rapunzel, whipping up a costume isn't as hard as it sounds and won't take all evening to construct. Here are a few simple ideas of World Book Day costumes and the simple steps to take to perfect the look - and you don't even need a needle and thread to pull it off. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
When is World Book Day 2023?
World Book Day falls on the first Thursday in March - which in 2023, lands on Thursday, March 2.
1. Matilda
Roald Dahl’s sweet character is very easy to sort.
Just put your child in a blue dress, pop a red ribbon in their hair and give them a pile of [light] books to carry.
2. The Boy In The Dress
The name really gives it away.... Put your boy in a dress. That’s all.
3. Gangsta Granny
All you need is a black eye mask but if you don’t have one of those you could use face paint – or mascara, if you have an old one knocking about.
Then dress them in a ‘granny-style’ cardigan or blouse, a black skirt, old slippers and a pair of wrinkly tights.
Then grab a sack that would work as a swag bag.
If you don’t have a grey wig, put some talcum powder in their hair.
4. George from George’s Marvellous Medicine
This is great if you have a son called George. If not, don’t worry – you can put a name tag on them. Dress them in a red jumper or t-shirt, blue trousers and then give them a big saucepan (labelled ‘marvellous medicine’ and a wooden spoon.) Simple.
5. Tintin
All you need is a blue jumper, some hair gel for his famous quiff and if you’ve got a white stuffed dog to be Snowey, even better.
6. Angelina Ballerina
If your little princess enjoys ballet, chances are she already has a pink leotard, a tutu and some ballet slippers.
Add a pink hair bow and some ears - if you have them. If not, have a go at DIY ears by simply cutting out some ear shapes from a piece of card and taping them to a hairband – the perfect little dancing mouse.
7. Where’s Wally?
If you have a red and white striped jumper in your wardrobe, this is the perfect time to get it out.
Match it with a bobble hat and some black round-rimmed glasses and you have Wally.
If you don’t have a stripy jumper, you could use tape some red stripes across a white T-shirt.
8. Harry & His Bucketful of Dinosaurs
Harry wears a red top and blue trousers and walks around with a bucketful of dinos. If you have a bucket and some toys dinosaurs, you’re laughing.
9. Harry Potter
The only props you will need are glasses for Harry, some face paint for his scar and a black cape, which often comes on a Halloween outfit.
Then you’ll need a white shirt with normal school trousers and perhaps a drumstick for a magic wand.
10. Paddington Bear
Who doesn’t love the cute bear from Peru?
If you child is a fan, you will need a duffel coat, a black soft hat, red welly boots, an old suitcase and a marmalade sandwich.
11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
This is very easy. Just put them in a white T-shirt, black shorts and team it with a black rucksack.
12. Captain Underpants
You need a big pair of white Y-fronts, a red cape and a very brave boy to carry this one off. Or he could, of course, pop the pants over his trousers!
13. Hetty Feather
All you need is a brown or black dress or top and skirt and a candlestick as a prop.
Finish the outfit off with one of Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather books.
14. Room on the Broom
Got a witches hat in the attic? Yes, then all you’ll need to finish the look is a red top and purple skift. You could use a sweeping brush as the broom and a bucket as the cauldron.
And if you are feeling really creative, attach a frog and a cat to the brush for extra effect.
15. Clarice Bean
The popular Lauren Child character is a good one for last-minute panics.
Just put your daughter in a flowery dress or a navy pinafore dress, with a white shirt underneath and you have one of her looks.
15. Super Soccer Boy
This is great for football fans who don’t really like dressing up. They just need white shirts, a red or navy football shirt and a black cape.
Then, on paper, draw the SSB logo and stick on the back.
16. Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
If you haven’t got the props to dress them as Willy Wonka, Charlie is an easy option. All they need is scruffy clothes and a handmade golden ticket.
17. Mr Bump
If you’re happy to part with some of the house supply of loo roll or kitchen roll, dress them in blue and then get creative. Use bandages or plaster if you’d prefer but loo roll is a good last-minute choice.
18. Rapunzel
Got some yellow wool that granny gave you and you’ve never learnt to knit with? Then, make a long plait out of the wool and attach to a ponytail for a quick transformation.
19. Mr Greedy
Another of the Mr Men classics, they will need an oversized pink jumper. Fill it with a cushion and then belt it underneath to keep it in.
20. One of the 101 Dalmatians
Get a white T-shirt and draw spots on it with a black felt tip. If you have black face paint, paint a nose on them too.
21. Burglar Bill
If naughty Bill is your child’s favourite, just dress them in ordinary trousers, a striped top and a flat cap.
Maybe you have an old eyemask from an aeroplane they can use – if so, cut holes into it so they can see and give them a swag bag for a number one thief.
22. One of the Three Little Pigs
For the pig’s snout, just use a takeaway cup, paint it pink with two circles at the front for the nostrils. Put two holes in either side, add some elastic and make sure it fits around your child’s head.
Make pink ears with some pink card and dress them in pink, with some dungarees and black shoes.
23. Mary Poppins
Have your child wear a black skirt with a white blouse tucked in. They’ll also need a little white maid-type apron and an umbrella for extra effect.
24. The Cat in the Hat
Use black tracksuit bottoms and white T-shirt, with a black cardigan (and white gloves if you have them). Make a red bow out of ribbon and construct a mini top hat if you can. Paint your child’s face white and add whiskers.
25. Mr Twit
Make a ‘revolting’ beard with brown wool of various lengths knotted onto elastic that can fasten around your child’s head.
Get your child to draw different food stuffs onto paper, cut them out and stick them onto the beard.
They need to look dirty and dishevelled, so have them wear old clothes with splodges of brown paint that looks like dirt.
26. Queen of Hearts
If you don’t mind using a pack of cards from home, this is a fab costume idea. All your child needs to wear is a white top with black skirt.
Cut out some red paper hearts and stick them all over the outfit, then fan out the heart cards from the pack and stick them together with tape.
Then, stick some ribbon or string to the corners, tie your child’s hair into a bun and clip the card crown in piece, tying the ribbon around the bun.
27. Pinochio
Dress them in a yellow collared T-shirt with red top. Get a straw hat and make a red paper feather to stick in the side.
Then add a blue ribbon around the collar and make a long nose by rolling a piece of paper into a cone shape and securing with elastic bands.
28. Horrid Henry
If you have a blue and yellow stripy jumper, you’re sorted. If not, try and add some stripes yourself and match them with blue trousers and trainers.
29. James Bond
If your son is older and is a 007 fan after reading the novels, and you are lucky enough to have been to a wedding or posh event recently, then dress him in his smartest togs as the super spy.
30. The BFG
We wouldn’t recommend stilts for this one but you can still get them to look like the lovable Roald Dahl character with some baggy trousers, a brown waistcoat and a big baggy shirt
Make some big ears by cutting out an ear shape using pink paper, then stick them onto a headband. For the final touch, find a little doll to be Sophie which they can put in their hand or shirt pocket, just like the BFG.
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