How to save money on World Book Day costumes, as parents spend shocking amount

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
Updated ·6-min read
Children dressing up for World Book Day.
On average parents are spending almost £20 per child on World Book Day costumes. (Getty Images)

World Book Day is almost here and parents are feeling pressure to cobble together creative and increasingly expensive costumes, with research revealing 11% of parents are forking out upwards of £50 per child.

The event, which this year falls on Thursday March 6, aims to instil a lifelong love of reading in children by celebrating their favourite books, authors and illustrators. The sentiment of the day is wholly necessary with figures from the charity BookTrust revealing that despite 95% of parents with children under seven knowing how crucial reading is one in five children aged up to four have a book read to them less than once a month.

It seems, therefore, that the true meaning of the day is being lost amongst the scramble to kit out kids in costly costumes.

Research commissioned by cashback service Rakuten reveals that parents estimate they will spend an average of £19 per child this World Book Day – a £2 increase from last year's average spend of £17 per child.

Not only are parents feeling the pressure financially, the event also appears to be unlocking something of a competitive element, with just over a fifth (22%) feeling the need to impress, according to the Opinium survey of 2,000 people across the UK in February.

Kids dressed up in costumes.
Experts suggest recycling old costumes for World Book Day to save money. (Getty Images)

And it isn't just World Book Day parents have to fork out for, from Comic Relief to Christmas Jumper Day, Children in Need to World of Work dress-up day, there are a whole heap of occasions children may need costumes for.

But given the ongoing cost of living crisis and a growing time/to-do-list gap, parents are increasingly feeling the dress-up day pinch, so much so that some schools are choosing to opt out of the costume element entirely, while others are asking pupils to wear just one colour or take part in T-shirt decorating sessions.

Some experts say dress-up days also highlight financial disparities among families. "While World Book Day and other dress-up events at school can be fun, they can also unintentionally highlight economic disparities among children," explains Sebrina McCullough, director of external relations at Money Wellness.

"Pupils from lower-income families can often feel left out or stressed if they can't afford costumes - and this could lead to bullying for some too."

Thankfully, there are some ways to help parents keep the cost of World Book Day and other dress-up days down.

Two young brothers dressed up as dragons.
Parents are feeling the dress-up day pressure. (Getty Images)

Chances are, your child already owns something that can be turned into a costume with minimal effort. "A white shirt and black trousers can instantly be turned into Alex Rider or a Harry Potter character. A stripy top is your ‘Where’s Wally?’ outfit sorted," suggests Fiona Peake, money saving expert at Ocean Finance

If you’re part of a school WhatsApp group, ask around. "Other parents will have costumes from past years gathering dust, and a simple swap means no one needs to spend a penny," Peake suggests.

You can often pick up barely used costumes for a couple of pounds in charity shops or on sites like Vinted and Facebook Marketplace.

If you do buy a costume, think about how it could be used for multiple occasions. "A wizard robe can be Harry Potter one year, a magician the next, and a vampire at Halloween," Peake advises.

Then once you've pulled together an outfit you could start a dress up box, so the next time you need a costume you'll have a number of other items to choose from.

Many dress-up characters, particularly those in books, have a prop or item that epitomises their character so instead of trying to pull together an whole outfit parents can focus on that particular prop.

“Instead of an entire outfit dedicated to a theme, add accessories such as character wellies, soft toys or hats to make the prop the main part of the costume," advises Catherine Reed, children's fashion buyer at JoJo Maman Bébé. "For example, a plush dinosaur prop creates a zookeeper character.”

Some of the best costumes come from things you already have at home. "A cereal box can become a ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ book cover, or an old bedsheet can be repurposed into a Greek mythology character," suggests Peake.

Reed says old loo rolls can be used as goggles or binoculars or a cardboard box can help create a robot costume. Think outside the costume box and flex your creative skills.

Mum getting her daughter ready for World Book Day.
Experts suggest re-using old costumes or getting creative with cardboard. (Getty Images)

For a last minute costume idea, Reed suggests scouring through old decorations to make use of. "Christmas baubles are perfect for this as you can attach them to a green dress to make a Christmas tree," she adds.

Non-fiction can be an interesting way to get a book theme on a budget or for free. "A section of books that are often overlooked are non-fiction books," advises Reed. "These are easy wins as you can use existing clothing to dress your child as historical figures, inventors or celebrities."

Some families may also find it useful to set a spending limit, to avoid going over budget. Louise Hill, CEO and co-Founder of GoHenry advises turning this into a fun activity to do with kids. "You could set a budget and challenge each other to find the best item for your agreed spending limit," she says. "It’s a great way to save money but also teaches kids the importance of shopping sustainably."

If kids are determined to buy something new for World Book Day, Hill suggests parents encourage children to save up for it - or part of the costume - themselves. "Teaching simple skills, through giving regular pocket money, will help kids grasp the concept of saving and budgeting, adopting healthy financial habits far beyond World Book Day," she adds.

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