The team here at NatWest Rooster Money are looking forward to getting the kids dressed up as their favourite book characters. Here are some clever ways to crack those costumes.
Budget Friendly Book Costumes
♻️ Reuse, recycle!
You probably have some old halloween costumes lying in the bottom of the dressing up box or a cupboard somewhere, and you might be surprised how much you can reuse to help them become an iconic book character.
Played pirate before? They could be Long John Silver from Treasure Island.
Old Harry Potter-esque glasses? They could be Arthur Read (aka Arthur the aardvark – perhaps better known from the TV series!) from the Marc Brown books.
Dressed up as a princess previously? They could be Cinderella!
🔎 Search for secondhand
You can find loads of cheap, used costumes on websites like Ebay and Vinted. Even local charity and pound shops are worth a try!
When you’re finished with your kid’s old costumes, why not try reselling them to pocket a bit of cash, or donate them to a local charity shop for other families to enjoy? You could even get the kids to help you out – check out our guide to online reselling here.
Read on for some of our suggestions for easy and cheap classic book characters. We’ve left suggested ages, but your kids can dress up as whomever they want at any age!
For the Older Ones (5 – 11)
🪄 Harry Potter
Some cheap circular frames from the pound shop, an old school jumper and shirt, and a hand drawn scar on their forehead will make any kid look like the wizarding hero!
📚 Hermione Granger
Become Harry’s clever and loyal friend with an old school shirt and skirt, and some old-looking books. Get that frizzy hair look by backcombing their hair – or put their hair in plaits the night before so it’s frizzy for the morning.
🧙♂️ Gandalf
Slightly older than others on this list, Gandalf is still a recognisable classic. Old halloween costumes could work for the hat and beard, or visit a local joke store or pound shop. Then just add an old grey or white coat or dressing gown to complete the regal wizard look.
☂️ Mary Poppins
A go-to – Mary Poppins can be done with a button coat, a white shirt, an umbrella, and one of mum or gran’s hats!
🪛 Dr Who
The great thing about dressing up as Dr Who, is that your kids have so many iterations to choose from! A simple shirt and bowtie, a colourful scarf and hat, or plain old dungarees will have them looking like a version of the Time Lord in no time. Just don’t forget their sonic screwdriver!
For the Little Ones (3 – 5)
🐷 Peppa Pig
A simple red or pink dress or t-shirt, accompanied by some cheap store bought pig ears (or hairband with some paper pig ears attached) would be enough to make your younger child look like Peppa. Some snorts or oinks are a nice bonus!
🐰 Peter Rabbit
Another simple costume, all you need is some store bought bunny ears, a white top or shirt, and a blue jacket. And, if you’ve got one handy in the fridge, a carrot of course!
🐰 Lily Bobtail
Like Peter, your little one can look like Lily with some bunny ears, a red top or shirt, and a pink jacket.
🔎 Where’s Wally?
Glasses from an old Harry Potter costume could come in handy here, or head to the pound shop to buy some cheap fake frames. Find a striped red and white top and a cheap red beanie to finish it off.
Have your kids dressed up as their favourite book character? Let us know on social by tagging @roostermoneyhq 📸
If your kids are looking forward to their next costumed outing in October, why not check out what halloween can teach kids about money? Or, if you’d like to see more suggestions about books, check out children’s books that encourage kindness.