Book Week! The idea can bring chills to your spine or have you jumping for joy at the thought of creating a costume. This year, the Children’s Book Council of Australia has chosen the theme of
Escape to Everywhere
conjuring up images of travel, adventure, and exploration.
Junior school ideas
When thinking back to the favourite adventure books for younger school goers, the following classics came to mind:
- We’re Going on A Bear Hunt
- The Gruffalo
- Where the Wild Things Are
So we scoured the internet to help you with some (hopefully) simple costume ideas for your younger Book Week fans.
DIY We’re Going on A Bear Hunt Costume
Probably the simplest of all, the family wears fairly normal clothes and adventures around the countryside. Dress your little one in their favourite and most comfortable clothes, maybe even choose colours similar to the characters, send them with the book and perhaps a set of binoculars.
Don’t have binoculars? Use this tutorial on making a simple pair from things found around the home.
DIY The Gruffalo Costumes
While the mouse is the one on the adventure, do you sometimes wonder if the Gruffalo isn’t having a lot of fun along the way too?!
So, if your little one decides to be a Little Brown Mouse or the Gruffalo, we have you covered.
DIY Gruffalo Costume
Mums Grapevine took a simple onesie and transformed it into a great (and warm) Gruffalo with the addition of some purple prickles, eyes, and horns.
Pressed for time? This mask tutorial from Party Delights should have your little Gruffalo parading in 5 minutes!
DIY Where the Wild Things Are Costume
While not much of an instruction, these images over on Babble are inspirational and will give the crafty parent some great ideas on how to have your own Wild Thing for Book Week.
Top prize for funniest instructions goes to Instructables with their first supply required for their Carol costume, A giant jar of patience! That should go with most costumes, don’t you think?
Upper Primary Book Week Costumes
There is a point where Adventure books take a turn and become Action & Adventure. For those children who are into a little more daring and adventurous have a look at the following options…
DIY Star Wars Costume
With the Star Wars series being turned into a number of books, it was only fair to include a few Star Wars options in the list.
DIY Princess Leia Costume
Growing up most girls wanted to be Leia and it’s no different nowadays. This Bug & Buddy tutorial was probably the simplest using a white A-line dress. Now it wouldn’t be a Leia costume without those signature buns. Don’t despair we found this answer over at As the Bunny Hops for those with short hair. Or girls with long hair can go with traditional buns, sock buns, or try out these pipecleaner buns from Sewing Rabbit.
DIY Jedi Costume
If your craftiness extends to a pair of scissors, then there is always this great tutorial on Jedi robes from Smart Girls DIY. Don’t forget that any self-respecting Jedi needs a lightsabre and we found this fantastic (and safer) option over at Here Comes the Sun.
If your child is into more magical adventures such as Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, or perhaps they want to fight snakes like Indiana Jones, or maybe they prefer the cunning of Tintin, then head on over to our DIY Costume Board on Pinterest for these and other suggestions (along with those listed above).
