50 Easy Book Week Costume Ideas for Kids
Looking for Easy Book Week costume ideas for your kids? Book Week is one of the highlights of the school year across Melbourne and it’s one of my favourite times of the school year. The kids all love dressing up, but for many parents it can be a bit of a scramble to find a costume that is fun, affordable, and ideally easy to put together.
The good news? You don’t need to buy an expensive outfit! Many beloved book characters can be created from clothes you already have at home, with a few props or a little face paint.
Easy Book Week Ideas
Here are 50 easy Book Week costume ideas for kids to inspire you.
Classic & Popular Characters: Easy Book Week Costumes
1. Harry Potter: Black robe or dressing gown, glasses, a wand, and a lightning scar drawn on with eyeliner.
2. Hermione Granger: School uniform, curly hair or wig, and a book tucked under the arm.
3. Greg Heffley (Diary of a Whimpy Kid): School uniform with cut out cartoon face on a stick.
4. Where’s Wally: Red and white striped top, jeans, beanie, and round glasses.
5. Matilda (Roald Dahl): Blue dress, red ribbon in her hair, and a pile of books to carry.
6. Miss Trunchbull (Madilda’s Teacher, Roald Dahl): Dark sports clothes, belt, slicked back hair, and a whistle.
7. Charlie Bucket: Old clothes with a cardboard “Golden Ticket” in hand.
8. Willy Wonka: Bright jacket, bow tie, and a top hat (DIY from cardboard).
9. The BFG: Brown vest, oversized cardboard ears, and a “dream jar.”
10. James (James and the Giant Peach): Casual clothes with a toy insect or peach prop.
Animal-Inspired Characters:Easy Book Week Costumes
11. The Cat in the Hat: Black clothes, red bow tie, white gloves, and a tall striped hat.
12. Thing 1 & Thing 2: Red outfit, DIY “Thing 1” badge, and blue wig or spray hair blue.
13. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Green clothes, red headband with antennae, and pictures of food taped on.
14. The Gruffalo: Brown clothes, cardboard horns and spikes, and whiskers painted on.
15. The Gruffalo’s Child: Similar to the Gruffalo, but smaller and cuddlier.
16. Spot the Dog: Yellow clothes with brown felt spots attached, plus dog ears.
17. Clifford the Big Red Dog: Red outfit, dog ears on a headband, and a big smile.
18. Paddington Bear: Blue duffle coat, red hat, suitcase, and a jar of “marmalade.”
19. Peter Rabbit: Blue jacket, bunny ears, and a carrot.
20. Olivia the Pig: Red dress, striped tights, and pig ears.
Fairytales & Fantasy: Easy Book Week Costumes
21. Little Red Riding Hood: Red cape (or blanket), basket, and a dress.
22. Goldilocks: Dress with blonde curls or wig, carrying a teddy bear.
23. The Big Bad Wolf (in Grandma’s clothes): Pyjamas, dressing gown, glasses, and wolf ears.
24. Alice in Wonderland: Blue dress, white apron, black headband, and a “drink me” bottle.
25. The Mad Hatter: Bright mismatched clothes, bow tie, and a large cardboard hat.
26. The Queen of Hearts: Red dress decorated with hearts and a crown.
27. The White Rabbit: White outfit, bunny ears, and a cardboard pocket watch.
28. Puss in Boots: Boots, hat, toy sword, and cat whiskers painted on.
29. Cinderella: Blue dress, tiara, and glass slipper prop.
30. Jack (Jack and the Beanstalk): Tunic-style shirt, toy axe, and a handful of “beans.”
Australian Favourites: Easy Book Week Costumes
31. Possum Magic: Possum ears, grey outfit, and a cloak decorated with Aussie foods like lamingtons or Vegemite toast.
32. Wombat Stew: Brown clothes, wombat mask, and a cooking pot prop.
33. Snugglepot and Cuddlepie: Green leafy headpieces and simple clothes.
34. The Rainbow Serpent: Colourful outfit with snake patterns.
35. Pig the Pug (Aaron Blabey): Grey outfit, pug mask, and a grumpy face!
36. Thelma the Unicorn : Pink clothes, unicorn horn, and sparkles.
37. Billie B Brown: Shorts, T-shirt, pigtails, and one of the Billie B Brown books.
38. Ella and Olivia: Bright everyday outfits, hairbands, and their books in hand.
39. Edward the Emu: Grey outfit, feather headband, and a long beak.
40. Pig the Grub: Shower cap, white top, pig nose.
Funny & Creative: Easy Book Week Costumes
41. The Day the Crayons Quit: Dress all in one colour and make a cardboard crayon hat.
42. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: White T-shirt, black shorts, and a Greg Heffley cardboard mask.
43. Dog Man (Dav Pilkey): Blue T-shirt and pants with a dog badge, cap with ears.
44. Mr Bump (Mr Men): Blue outfit wrapped in white bandages.
45. Little Miss Sunshine (Mr Men): Yellow outfit with big hair ties as “sunshine rays.”
46. Captain Underpants: Shorts or leggings, underwear over the top, and a cape.
47. A Box Troll: Cardboard box with holes cut for arms and head.
48. A Book Fairy: Tutu, fairy wings, and small book covers glued onto the outfit.
49. A Robot (sci-fi books):Spray-painted silver cardboard boxes and tubes.
50. A Garden Gnome: Red top, blue pants, pointy hat, and a drawn-on beard.
Book Week Tips for Parents
Keep it comfy: Kids wear their costume all day, so comfort is key.
Use what you have : Dressing gowns, school uniforms, and old craft supplies are your best friends.
Props make the outfit : A hat, wand, or basket can instantly transform a simple costume.
Get the kids involved: They’ll love helping to create their own outfit.
With these East DIY Book Week costume ideas, you don’t need to stress about finding something last minute. There’s something here for every Melbourne kid.
