Working mother’s World Book Day survival guide

[BeesAndChiscuits]

Posting in AIBU for traffic. But also because I know IABU not to want to devote hours of my time to crafting costumes for my precious dc.

What I want is costume ideas which optimise the effort to results ratio: good costumes, looking like the family has made a modicum of effort, which minimally tax my time and finances.

don't put too much pressure on yourself. I know lots of sahm who buy readymade from asda xx

Pevensie kids from Narnia?

I am the same, I have so much on my plate but people have been talking about it for weeks at the school gates.
I went for cat in the hat, black leggings and top, bought a hat and bow tie from party delights and stuck some white felt to the front of the top. Going to put some whiskers on their face. I am hoping it looks homemade...
Harry Potter seems popular and that’s easy, Tesco are doing the full outfit quite cheap!

Also it depends what they look like. Tall kid with long blonde hair and all you need is a dyed black sheet and a stick and you've got Lucius Malfoy. Ditto dark hair and you've got Snape.

I’m going as Burglar Bill. Striped t shirt, jeans, mask from amazon and a shoebox with a baby in.

I hunt the sale rack in Tesco periodically (snapped up several for both dc in bigger sizes for times like this) and get creative with where’s Wally etc. Helps that ds hasn’t a clue who he’s dressed as 😂

Mine is wearing her Halloween costume - black leggings, black jumper with cat face, maybe cat ears, black boots. She wants to be Scarface Claw but says she doesn't mind if people say she's Slinki Malinki...

Is this an actual thing then? My dc are still little but their pre school said that they just need to bring in their favoutite book and they're going to talk about it. Are they just unusual in being so reasonable!?

one of the rabbits from peter rabbit is easy if you've got facepaints, bunny ears (make or one of those headbands with ears on it), cotton tail. If you search mumsnet there are some good homemade ideas.

Katy Morag's an easy costume for example.

Just get something from the supermarket or send in with a dress up they already have. No one makes costumes at our school. If you have to make it look on Pinterest. Matilda is probably the easiest one - blue dress.

Look what clothes/costumes they already have.
Think of a book with them in.
add a couple of accessories.

So Matilda is just a fairly normal girl carrying a bag of books.

I just noticed all the costumes in the supermarket today. More money for parents to find. I can't see how wearing a tacky supermarket outfit is doing anything to promote reading which is surely the point? I think taking their favourite book in would be better.

DD is going to wear her Halloween witches costume, she is going as Room on The Broom.

Pippi Longstocking is very easy. Shortish skirt (just to get the full effect of the stocking), striped top, one long sock and one short. Go in carrying a soft toy monkey on shoulder.
Remember a couple of girls at my DD's school going in wearing jeans and identical tops. Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson.

Well what are your children's favourite books?

Ds hasn't done WBD for years, but one of my inspired ones when he was little was Harry of Harry and the Dinosaurs. Required nothing but his usual clothes plus a bucket of dinosaurs.

Charlie bucket! Normal scruffy clothes, wonka bar, print a golden ticket!

I set a £5 limit for each child and they can have some cheap accessories ordered off amazon to go with whatever character they have. Generally wig, hat, one thing to carry for this and then they have to wear something from our wardrobes for the rest of it. Eg Harry Potter - buy glasses, apply makeup scar and dress in normal clothes otherwise.

Every year they were witches at Halloween, every year they were the witch from room on the broom on world book day. Same costume

The school prospectus is also a book. 😉

To spare parents from making costumes the DC have been asked to dress a potato for WBD. Yes a potato. Hilarious!! I will have to do one too!

I've always just bought them from the supermarket or Amazon, then passed them on to others for other years.

Minimal time and effort and not expensive.

Amazon.

Or let the kids make it themselves.

Or Amazon and let them make so "finishing touches"

Dd is going as coraline, yellow wellies, yellow rain jacket, jeans, blue wig and a box with buttons and needles.
She wanted to be Georgie from It (just about he same outfit) but I’ve vetoed that.