If your church members are not opposed to showcasing Bible stories that don’t always get a lot of attention (i.e., not the usual Easter and Christmas re-enactments), you can be much more creative with your costumes. For instance, the story of Samson says he had very long hair that wasn’t supposed to be cut. Children participating in this Bible play can simply wear a long sheet as a loincloth and a long wig. Or, for the story of Joseph, many of the play's participants (Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife) can dress like ancient Egyptians. If the costumes are attractive and original, your youth group may be more willing to participate.
For your church play, you should remember that the Bible includes animals in many stories. One of the most famous is Noah and the ark. You can dress up younger participants in animal costumes by using basic sweatsuits—toddlers in pink sweatsuits can be pigs; bigger children in gray suits can play elephants.
Gray suits can also be used for the group of children who play the whale in the story of Jonah. For the traditional Christmas play, sweatsuits can be used for the animals in the stable—brown suits for the camels and white sweatsuits for the sheep.
There were no tennis shoes or high heels in the Bible, so dressing like a Bible character means having footwear that is accurate. Leather sandals that aren’t too strappy are usually best, and they will be comfortable for most participants to wear. Some scenes may require your performers to be barefoot, so staging the play on a carpeted floor is a good idea.