World book day

This year we are doing horrid Henry as it’s just a t shirt and normal bottoms and where’s Wally is the same, he could always hold the hat and glasses! incase that helps

I have the same problem as my son will only wear a long sleeve too and joggers as that is his daily routine, dress up days can be so difficult as you don’t want them to be left out but also don’t want a meltdown.

The way I have handled it is by buying pyjamas that look like a costume, for example if you type in character pyjamas on Amazon they will have super hero, police man, firefighter, toy story ones that look like a costume outfit (my son is younger so it would depend on what characters he likes). I would say comic books count though! Lol

Hope that helps!

There are lots of books with characters who just wear regular clothes. Can you have a think about his favourite books, and what he likes to wear, and see if you can match them up? Eg jeans & a jumper = Harry Potter character visiting Hogsmede for the weekend. Red t-shirt = diary of a Wimpy Kid. 

My school also suggest wearing pj's "ready for a bedtime story" - might he enjoy that?

Or if he just wants to wear school uniform, pick one of the zillions of books set in a modern primary school and say he's from that! That way he can  still join in.  

I had this with my son in his very early years, I approached the teacher and she basically said 'if he wont dress up as a book character then he will have to come in his school uniform', this had a very negative affect on my son because this meant he would stand out a mile, so I decided on putting him in jeans and a t-shirt and be horrid henry, 1-0 to me over the horrid teacher I think. My son thought if he dressed up in a costume then it made him that character so scared him

Hi yes I'm going to send as the gruffalo. It's just a jumper and jeans. Thank you for your idea 

My daughter went one year as Evie from Evie and the animals. T shirt, jeans and a plastic gecko on her arm! For her that was still sensory overload, because she hates trousers - but was manageable for the time she was at school.

Is there a book or story your son likes with a regular kid in it he could go as without having to wear anything too contrived?

Could go as the author Tom Fletcher (the dinosaur that pooped, there’s a dragon in my book and the Christmasauras). He usually wears big glasses and wears a tie with a jacket. Very normal. So nothing too drastic could use a fake tie. that could come of when he has had enough. He is also known for playing a ukulele which could be fun! 

Thank you. That's a brilliant idea and he's still taking part. 

Thank you for this. So I did ask he said he didn't want to so just going to dress him up in his own clothes. I would love if he would overcome it, but if he doesn't that's how it is and not everyone loves dressing up

There are plenty of books out there that are set in the modern world and so would involve just 'normal' clothes. 

Alternatively, say he's a background character in where's wally, that always worked for those at my school that didn't want to dress up

Maybe he could just go as himself, that way he still feels like he's participating and it shouldn't distress him. When I was at school and we had things like this I asked my teacher if I could go as normal and she was fine with that. Or maybe ask who he wants to go as, create a list with him and help him decide.