World Book Day is fast approaching and for many parents, it’s a fun but frantic scramble to find the perfect costume for their little ones. That’s where grandparents come in, with their experience and creative flair, grandparents are often the unsung heroes when it comes to fancy dress or last-minute World Book Day costume ideas.
Whether it’s rummaging through old wardrobes, pulling together accessories, or offering up their own nostalgic character suggestions, grandparents are masters at making a memorable outfit with minimal fuss.
Best World Book Day costumes at a glance:
If you’re a parent or a grandparent looking to help out, we’ve rounded up the best last-minute World Book Day costume ideas that will delight both kids and teachers alike! We've also found some costumes for adults too (based on the best books) so you can join in on the fun.
When is World Book Day 2025?
This year, World Book Day is on Thursday 5th March and the theme is 'Read Your Way', which leaves you with plenty of room for interpretation.
We know that there's not long to look for outfits for World Book Day, but thankfully we've got you covered! Whether it's The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Harry Potter, there are so many options to choose from!
The best costumes for World Book Day 2025
Best caterpillar World Book Day costume
AmazonLooking for some kids' World Book Day costumes that are easy to wear? Check out this Very Hungry Caterpillar outfit which is designed like an apron, so you can layer it over their clothes. Customers like that "the Velcro closures are easy for little ones to manage", so they can take the hat off whenever they want to.
Best Gruffalo World Book Day costume
Amazon“Who is this creature with terrible claws and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws?" why, it's the Gruffalo, of course! This onesie is one of the best children's World Book Day ideas as it doubles up as pyjamas, so they can get plenty of use out of it. Reviewers say that the "quality of the Gruffalo outfit is brilliant" and that "it feels and looks better than the pictures".
Best Paddington Bear World Book Day costume
AmazonKeep it traditional with these adorable Paddington Bear accessories. Pair the duffle coat, felt hat and shoe cover with a brown top and trousers for a bearish look. Purchaser reviews say that you should "plan for time to straighten the hat out" as it may arrive creased.
5.
Rubies Official Harry Potter Pack Costume
This Harry Potter costume pack includes a cape, glasses, and wand, so your little one can step into the wonderful wizarding world. Plus, you don't need to buy any other outfits, as you can simply send them in with their school shirt and trousers on underneath and draw the iconic lightning bolt scar with makeup. Expelliarmus!
Reviewers like that the cape has "plenty of growing room," which means they'll hopefully get years of dressing up out of it!
Best adult World Book Day costumes
AmazonWhether you're a parent, grandparent or teacher, you can get in on the fun with your very own Where's Wally? Wenda Costume. You could even go the extra mile and create your own 'Where's Wally?' photos!
Reviewers say that the "quality is what you expect from a fancy dress but with more comfort".
What to be for World Book Day?
Kids will have their own ideas about what they want to dress up as for World Book Day, but we don't all have time to whip up an extravagant costume. Thankfully, there are many simple ideas that parents or grandparents can try, you just need to think outside of the box!
For example, there are plenty of books with animals in, from The Tiger Who Came to Tea to Peter Rabbit, and all you need is a few simple accessories like a blue cardigan and a headband with ears on or a nose and whiskers drawn on with makeup or face paint and they're good to go.
There are also characters such as Where's Wally, which requires minimal effort - just a red and white stripy top and some blue jeans.
Maybe there's some inspiring people from history they may want to dress up as or they may be inspired by non-fiction novels such as the David Attenborough books for example.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, cinema trips, playing board games and walking her three dogs.