Want to bring your little one's favourite children's book to life? World Book Day is the perfect opportunity to get your family reading more, dressing up and all-round having fun. We have ideas for World Book Day costumes for adults to the littlest member of your family, so everyone can get involved.
Whether you or your child are a fan of classic books or picture books, we've enlisted the help of shopping experts here at Mother&Baby to bring you the best World Book Day costume ideas for babies, children and grown-ups.
When is World Book Day 2023?
It’s World Book Day 2023 on Thursday 2 March, so if you're getting ahead on your search for a World Book Day costume, then we've found something for every member of your growing family.
From a Very Hungry Caterpillar to a Fantastic Mr Fox, we’ve rounded up the best World Book Day costumes for babies, toddlers, school kids and grown-ups to dress up in and let their imaginations run wild.
World Book Day 2023 costumes ideas for the whole family:
Now that you have all the information you need about this year's World Book Day, it's time to discover all of our favourite outfits, accessories and more.
Best Spot the Dog Costume
www.smiffys.com
Description
This adorable Spot the Dog costume is the ultimate cosy costume. The yellow all-in-one comes with
Pros
- Sleepsuit design
- Poppers for easy changing
Cons
- Broad sizing
Best Avocado Baby Costume
Description
Pros
- Zipper front
Cons
- Tights are not included
Best Lion Costume
Description
How adorable is this lion costume? Not only will your baby will look incredible as the Cowardly
Pros
- Made from soft materials
Cons
- Lion head is a little big
Best Baby Elmer Costume
Description
With giant 3D ears and covered in beautiful, bright patchwork colours, this very cute Elmer
Pros
- Hooded romper
- Accurate sizing
Cons
- Material is thin
Best Hungry Caterpillar Costume
www.matalan.co.uk
Description
Who doesn't love the Hungry Caterpillar? This sweet costume is an apron-style design, so it can be
Pros
- Broad sizing selection
- Easy to layer on top of clothing
Cons
- There are no parent reviews
Description
Add some Disney magic to World Book Day with this beautiful princess Snow White dress. With
Pros
- Bodysuit design
Cons
- Dress isn't stretchy
Best Multi-Character Costume
Description
An all-in-one costume that can be worn as the Tiger from the popular book, The Tiger Who Came to
Pros
- Can be any tiger character
- Comfortable fit
Cons
- Tail is attached by velcro
Best Wizard Costume
www.matalan.co.uk
Description
You can't go wrong with a Harry Potter costume! Everyone's favourite wizard is a great choice for
Pros
- Can be worn with own clothes
- Easy to get on and off
Cons
- It's a popular costume choice
Best Mr Fox Costume
Description
Expect all kinds of mischief when they put on this Fantastic Mr Fox costume. Mr Fox is always a
Pros
- Outfit all attached for ease
- Comes with mask and neckscarf accessories
Cons
- Mask not suitable to be worn with glasses
10. The BFG Costume
Best BFG Costume
Description
As soon as you see those big ears, it’s easy to guess who this outfit is supposed to be. Change
Pros
- Trumpet and ear accessories
- Comfortable to wear
Cons
- The ears are easy to break
Best Peter Rabbit Costume
Description
This Peter Rabbit outfit comprises of the rabbit’s trademark blue jacket, but the good news is
Pros
- Jumpsuit
- Attached hood with ears
Cons
- Tail is a little loose
Best Dr Seuss Costume
Description
Let your kids delve right into the weird and wonderful world of Dr Seuss with this Cat In The Hat
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- All-in-one design
Cons
- Hat is a little big
Best Mad Hatter Costume
www.smiffys.com
Description
Ideal for the dads that want to get involved, this Mad Hatter costume from Alice in Wonderland
Pros
- Comes with hat accessory
Cons
- No reviews
Best Mary Poppins Costume
Description
Join in on the fun with this practically perfect Mary Poppins costume. The long dress also comes
Pros
- Comfortable to wear
- Good quality matieral
Cons
- Skirt is long
World Book Day FAQs
Do I need to buy a costume?
If you are quite crafty or know your child isn't a big fan of dressing up outfits, there are plenty of costumes you can create using things you already have in the home.
Where's Wally — All you need for this look is a pair of unwanted glasses, a red and white striped top, a bobble hat (ideally in white) and a pair of blue trousers or jeans.
Kids could even wear a blue or denim skirt if you have white and red stripped tights.
Chimney Sweep — Find some dull clothes from the small bag that you no longer want and start distressing them by making them look out of shape, ripped and dirty.
Brown, grey and black clothes work best for chimney sweep costumes and you could look like an extra from Oliver Twist or Mary Poppins.
Use spots of black or brown powder make-up on the face to create the soot effect and add a baker boy hat to complete the look. You could even find a prop that resembles a sweep.
Mildred Hubble — Got a witches hat somewhere that you often pull out for Halloween? Use it to recreate the look of Mildred Hubble from the popular book series, The Worst Witch. Find a grey school pinafore, black tights, white school shirt, stripy tie and pull over a DIY black cape and your little one will look fit to attend Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches in no time.
Mr Bump — We've all got bandages from the first aid box in the house! Recreate the look of the iconic Mr Bump from the Mr Men series by dressing up your child in a blue outfit before wrapping up their head and midriff with bandages.
Where accepts World Book Day tokens?
From Thursday 16 February until Sunday 26 March 2023, you will be able to redeem World Book Day vouchers at many retailers, including ASDA, The Works, WHSmith and many more.
You can find more about your closest retailer that's participating on the World Book Day site.