Easy costume: Hermione Granger costume

Dress up games, Book Week ideas and Halloween costumes don't have to break the bank. A few simple accessories can turn ordinary wardrobe items into a Harry Potter dress up costume. Try creating this Hermione costume for your little girl by tweaking our Harry Potter version.

What you need:

• 1 x white school shirt
• 1 x black A-line school skirt
• 1 x red and gold tie (try Vinnies)
• 1 x grey or black v-necked button up cardigan
• 1 x black cape, cloak or coat
• 1 x Gryffindor badge
• 1 x red and yellow striped scarf
• 1 x chopstick (wand)
• 1 x old book (Hogwarts textbook)

Number of players:
1

Activity:

The black school skirt, white shirt and V-necked cardigan are your basic items. When you add the accessories, you'll be amazed by how Hermoine materialises before your very eyes.

Accessory 1: Gryffindor cloak

A lot of people are selling official looking (i.e. expensive) Gryffindor coats. But Hermoine's cloak is more like a cape or gown with holes for arms. So you can fashion one by getting a black cape or just a big piece of black cloth, drape it over your child's shoulders, fasten it mid-way down the front with a safety pin and then cut slits in the sides for arm holes.

Now print out a Gryffindor badge, cut it out and glue it to the cloak. Ta daa! 

Accessory 2: Burgundy and gold tie

Have a look in Dad's wardrobe or failing that, go to Vinnies. They're bound to have one that looks vaguely like Hermoine's.

Accessory 3: Red and yellow striped scarf

You may find one if you're lucky. We fashioned one out of a red polar fleece scarf by adding pieces of yellow felt as stripes.

Accessory 4: Chopstick wand

I don't mean any disrespect to Harry Potter afficianados, but to me, Hermoine's wand looks like a chopstick. A painted one. So that's what I did. I painted a chopstick brown then glossed it up with a brown nail varnish. Hey presto. Or as Hermoine would say: " Arapecium!"

Accessory 5: Hogwarts text book

Hermoine's main accessory is her brain. So she's always carting text books around. Find an old book in your local second hand book shop or Vinnies (like the one in our picture) and stick on your own new cover with a Hogwarts title. You'll find a list of Hogwarts textbook titles here.

Accessory 6: "I'm too smart and busy to do my hair" hair-do.

Make sure your little girl has a wild head of science geek hair.  Back-comb it, rough it up. But make sure she looks wildly smart just like Hermoine from Harry Potter.

• Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.