World Book Day is 7th March 2024

This blog post has been written by experienced primary school teacher Heather.

If you’re anything like me, you leave your World Book Day costume to the last minute, and then you need something quick, easy and cheap to make – but what?

Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with our 15 easy World Book Day costumes for teachers

We’ve gathered top DIY World Book Day costumes for teachers, and anyone can make them!

How to make easy World Book Day costumes for teachers

Making a teacher World Book Day costume is not only fun but can be budget-friendly too!

There’s no need to buy a costume online or at the supermarket. You can create something totally original from odds and ends around the house; you could ask friends or scour the local buying and selling sites to see what other people no longer need.  You help save the planet by being resourceful too.

Here are some of our favourite World Book Day costume ideas from around the web:

Mr Bump costume

If you’re expecting, then this is the costume for you!

Emma made this Mr Bump costume when she was 8 and a ½ months pregnant with a black t-shirt and bandages. It really couldn’t be easier!

You need:

• black t-shirt
• black leggings
• wide bandages
• (optional) Mr Bump book on a string

Just wear the black t-shirt and leggings combination, then add some bandages around your middle.

We suggest keeping a copy of “Mr Bump” around your neck to make it SUPER clear that you haven’t just been in an accident!

Golden Ticket costume

We love this idea from teacher Kat – she dressed as a golden ticket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

For this golden ticket costume, you need:

• yellow pillowcase
• sharpies or fabric pens (black)
• black t-shirt
• safety pins

Cut an old yellow pillowcase in half, and using fabric pens or Sharpies, draw on the wording and designs you see in the picture. Then using safety pins, pin it to a black t-shirt, then you’re done!

Oompa Loompa costume

A firm favourite in schools all over the world. Become an Oompa Loompa for the day from family favourite Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

To be an Oompa Loompa, you need:

• brown polo neck jumper
• white trousers
• (optional) white braces
• green wig, or green hair spray paint
• orange face stage make-up (Halloween face paints would be perfect)

Put everything on, paint your face orange, and then spray your hair green. The white braces really do complete the look.

Where’s Wally? costume

I love this photo. The reluctance of one and the exuberance of the other! Not everyone likes dressing up though, do they?

For a Where’s Wally costume, you need:

• red and white stripy t-shirt
• red and white stripy bobble hat
• blue bottoms
• comedy glasses

For this costume, it couldn’t be easier, simply use a red and white stripy t-shirt, add blue jogging bottoms and a red bobble hat. Add hilarious glasses to complete the look!

Matilda costume

This Matilda costume is a nice and easy idea from Mummy Mummy Mum. Although this photo shows a child, the costume idea also works wonderfully for adults.

To dress as Matilda, you need:

• blue dress with a collar
• white cardigan
• headband

You could also dress as Miss Honey – a nice teacher idea.

Don’t forget to carry around a pile of books…

The Night Pirates costume

See how to make this easy DIY costume from Blue Bear Wood. Maybe it wouldn’t be that practical to wear a cardboard house and teach all day…

You need:

• large sheet of cardboard from a flattened cardboard box
• large blue hat

Either make or wear a blue hat, then using a flattened brown cardboard box, cut out and draw on the outline of a house.

Add cardboard loops to the back to help carry it around. Done!

Winnie The Witch costume

Luckily there are lots of books with witches in, so if you want to go to World Book Day as any sort of witch, there’s loads of scope here. The good news is you may already have these items left over from Halloween, so it’s low preparation!

For this costume you need:-

• witches hat
• stripy tights
• broom stick

For full instructions on how to make this costume, head over to Blue Bear Wood, but a witch’s hat, dark dress, stripy tights and broom stick should complete the look!

Mary Poppins and Bert costumes

For a chimney sweep costume (Bert) you need:

• white shirt
• waist-coat
• neck-tie
• flat cap

Simply add some “smudging” to the cheeks and you’re there! Thanks, @clarkeymebo for the inspiration.

For Mary Poppins, you need:

• white shirt
• black skirt
• red bow tie
• black umbrella
• black hat
• enormous bag

Don’t forget to have your hair in a bun to complete the look.

Rebel Stories for Girls costume

Jen from My Mummy’s Pennies said, “My daughter dressed as Cora Coralina from her Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls book last year. She even wrote a poem and took in a fake cake as part of her costume!”

For this costume, you can basically wear anything you like – you just need to carry the book around.

Works for teachers, too – a really popular book and a bit “different”.

BFG costume

Another great idea from Mummy Mummy Mum.

For this BFG costume idea, you need:

• plain white t-shirt with a patch sewn/stuck on
• pair of pirate trousers (or cut/rip a pair of old trousers),
• create a headband using old elf ears – or make your own from felt.

Again, it might help to carry the book around with you – just in case…

Harry Potter – Slytherin costume

There are lots of options for buying a ready-made Harry Potter costume – and there are plenty around.

But if you want to stand out from the crowd (and save money), you can easily make your own easy Slytherin costume like @worldaccordingtobraxton; you need:

• black cape
• wand
• white shirt
• green tie
• grey jumper!

A matching scarf would, of course, be a welcome addition. Works for adults and children!

Cruella De Vil costume

Teacher Kerri took World Book Day in her stride with this super cool Cruella De Vil costume – from the children’s favourite “101 Dalmations”.

To make this Cruella De Vil costume, you need:

• a toy dog
• black dress
• fake fur coat
• a string of pearls or beads
• red lipstick
• two wigs – one black, one blonde, sewn together.

Amazing!

Rainbow Fish costume

A costume with a bit of glam from teacher Kat that also works well for everyone.

For this Rainbow Fish costume, you need:

• felt circles of various colours.
• green t-shirt
• fabric glue
• tutu
• green tights

Cut out felt circles or semi-circles in various colours and stick to a green t-shirt – covering the front of the t-shirt is sufficient.

Add a multi-coloured tutu and green tights, and that’s it, DONE!

Grandpa’s Great Escape costume

Jen from Just Average Jen said, “My son dressed as Grandpa from Grandpa’s great escape by David Walliams!

To make this Grandpa costume, you need:

• black trousers
• cheap braces
• flat cap
• v-neck jumper

The most important thing is to tuck the trousers into the socks!”

A great World Book Day costume for anyone!

Demon Dentist costume

Jennifer from My Mummy’s Pennies came up with this ace idea for a demon dentist costume from David Walliams’s book The Demon Dentist.

To make this Demon Dentist costume, you need:

• a science coat
• head torch
• face mask
• (optional) tomato ketchup

This would work really well for teachers in older year groups to avoid scaring the younger ones!