If World Book Day has crept up on you and left you frantically trying to figure out a last minute costume for your child, we can help.
Having been around in the UK and Ireland since 1997, World Book Day looks to encourage young people to discover a love of reading. As part of the event, many schools host costume days for children which can help add to their excitement about reading.
However, for many parents this can mean a mad dash the night before to assemble an appropriate costume.
In recent years, organisers have offered alternatives such as wearing pyjamas to help alleviate pressure on parents but if you’re looking for advice on pulling together something using what you already have at home, here are 20 easy, last minute World Book Day costume ideas.
17. Charlotte's Web
Again, there are several ways you could pull together a last-minute Charlotte’s Web costume. Jeans or overalls with a checked shirt will work as a base, and you can pair it with a toy pig to make their costume recognisable as well as a cobweb, which you could print out or draw. | Harper Collins
18. A Series of Unfortunate Events
If you’re looking to help create a World Book Day costume from A Series of Unfortunate Events, you can easily pull inspiration from the series’ film or Netflix adaptations. That being said, creating a last minute Violet Baudelaire outfit could be simple – as long as you have an appropriate hair ribbon. Long skirts and dresses can work, as can taking a school skirt and blouse with a cardigan. | Harper Collins
19. Rainbow Magic
Or if your young one is a big fan of the Rainbow Magic books, you can pick one of the series’ many, many characters to recreate for an easy, last minute World Book Day costume. If you have a pair of toy fairy wings sitting at home then there are options from the Jewel Fairies to the Sport Fairies and beyond. | Orchard Books
20. No costume at all
Again, World Book Day was founded to help children love reading. Forcing them to dress up could even take away from that. But if you have a young one scrambling for a last minute costume and you don’t mind sparing a plain t-shirt, why not send them into school with some felt tip pens or post it notes so that they can instead have their peers write down their own recommendations. | Canva