A Super Why costume is the superhero side of Whyatt Beanstalk, the leader of the Super Readers on PBS Kids' Super Why!. It is easier to build than it looks: a green top and leggings, a navy cape, a green eye mask and a gold belt cover almost all of it, and the whole set works for a kid, a teen or an adult.
Many people picture Super Why in red and blue, but on screen his suit is green with a navy cape. The red and blue is Whyatt's other outfit (the striped polo), so check the colours before you shop.
How to Make Super Why Costume
Green Long-Sleeve ShirtGreen LeggingsNavy Blue CapeGreen Eye MaskGold BeltNavy Arm SleevesNavy Athletic ShortsNavy SneakersJumbo PencilAdult Green Long-Sleeve ShirtAdult Green LeggingsAdult Navy CapeAdult Green Eye MaskSaveTap any item in the photo to shop itClick any item in the photo to shop it
| # | Item | Description | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Long-Sleeve Shirt | A plain, bright green long-sleeve tee for the bodysuit top. Choose a bright kelly green, not a forest or army green. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 2 | Green Leggings | Solid green full-length leggings that match the shirt, so the two read as one suit. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 3 | Navy Blue Cape | A kid-length navy satin cape. Super Why's cape is a dark navy, not royal blue, and it is plain with no logo. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 4 | Green Eye Mask | A green felt eye mask with elastic. Super Why's mask is a solid green band across the eyes, which this matches closely. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 5 | Gold Belt | An adjustable elastic belt with a round gold buckle, close to Super Why's gold belt with its oval buckle. Choose the yellow band for a gold look. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 6 | Navy Arm Sleeves | Navy compression sleeves pulled over the green shirt for Super Why's navy forearm bands. Sold in kid sizes. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 7 | Navy Athletic Shorts | Worn over the green leggings, these stand in for his blue briefs-style shorts. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 8 | Navy Sneakers | Plain navy kids' sneakers with a white sole, a simple match for his navy turbo sneakers. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 9 | Jumbo Pencil | A stand-in for the Why Writer. There is no licensed Why Writer toy, but in his first story it was a pencil, so a jumbo pencil is a fair prop. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 10 | Adult Green Long-Sleeve Shirt | The same bright green top in adult sizing. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 11 | Adult Green Leggings | Bright green leggings in adult sizes to match the shirt. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 12 | Adult Navy Cape | A full-length navy cape for teens and adults. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
| 13 | Adult Green Eye Mask | A shiny green eye mask with an elastic strap that fits older kids and adults. | 🛒 Check on Amazon |
Super Why's suit has just a few parts: a green long-sleeve bodysuit, navy cuffs from the elbow to the wrist, a gold belt over blue shorts, a navy cape, a green eye mask and navy sneakers. The gold belt in item 5 is adjustable and works for adults as well.
Getting the details right
- Green, not red. The suit is bright green and the cape is navy. A red cape reads as a different hero, and the red and blue striped polo is Whyatt's everyday outfit.
- Add the book emblem. Super Why has a purple book-shaped emblem on his chest. Cut one from purple felt and fix it with fabric glue or an iron-on adhesive sheet so it holds up under the cape.
- Keep the mask flat. His mask is a plain green band across the eyes with no ears or points. A simple felt mask like item 4 is the best fit.
- The hair is part of the look. Whyatt has short brown hair with the bangs combed to the sides. Most kids need nothing extra.
- The Why Writer. His tool is a small light-blue pen with a red question mark on top. A jumbo pencil with a question mark cut from red paper taped to the top gets close.
Kid vs. adult version
The kids' set (items 1 to 9) is made for little ones aged about 3 to 8, the age that watches the show. For teens and adults, items 10 to 13 and the belt cover the same colours, and a navy cape in adult length helps it look like a costume rather than a toy. If you only want a quick version, a green shirt, the cape and the mask do most of the work.
Whyatt's everyday look
If your child would rather be Whyatt than Super Why, start with a navy polo with white stripes and green sleeves, then add khaki pants and brown sneakers. He also wears a baseball uniform and a beach outfit in some episodes, but the striped polo is the standard look.
Super Why group costumes
The Super Readers are made for a group costume: Wonder Red wears a red hood and dress, much like Little Red Riding Hood, Princess Presto wears a purple gown and Alpha Pig is a pink pig. Each has their own superhero look, so a family or friend group can cover the whole team. If your child likes other PBS Kids characters, try Daniel Tiger too.
About Super Why
Super Why! is an animated preschool series created by Angela Santomero for PBS Kids, developed with Samantha Freeman Alpert and produced by Out of the Blue Enterprises with DHX Media. Each episode has the Super Readers, Whyatt, Red, Pea and Pig, who turn into superheroes to jump into a storybook and change the story so a real-life problem is solved. Whyatt's power is the Power to Read, and he uses his Why Writer to fix the words in the story. The show has run through three seasons and has had more shows made from it since, including the 2023 Comic Book Adventures.
