To think World Book Day needs a rethink.

Jalima1108 I was a "working mum" as well you know. Costumes for 2 kids and me usually. They do get a book token but they are sometimes just handed out at home time with little fuss or explanation.
Daddima Loved the picture!

I will add that the kids might love it in the younger classes but the 9 10 11 year olds didn’t seemed very keen maybe it should be kept in the dressing up age group 5 to 8 say

Totally agree, it would better if the money was actually spent on books, rather than who has the best Frozen outfit.

Consumerism has taken the fun out of any celebration these days.. doesn't bode well when we are purchasing trashy fancy dress outfits and not using our imagination with the tools we have to hand. Sad so very sad.

trisher I think the children are each given a book token so that they can go and choose a book, so it's not all about dressing up, at least I hope not.

I did used to love the day when we just cobbled costumes together. I think some working mums dreaded it though - especially when you have more than one DC and there were no ready made costumes in those days!

Schools that don't participate in such events are called killjoy. And the pupils in the main love it, especially when the teachers join in.

My grandson went in his school uniform one time, and we told him he was an undercover cop!

Maggie Maybe a dustbin could be done with a large tall cardboard box, holes for his arms, cover the box with bin liner or other plastic. Or make it a green bin, green bin liner, and write a notice to sstick on saying re-cycleables only

Glasgow comedian Joe Heenan posted this last year!

It shouldn’t be about costumes but it is, thankfully my two grandkids are now at high school/ college but it was a nightmare at primary The mothers all bought very expensive stuff off eBay / amazon etc no home made bits and bobs, no tea towels and although my daughter did her best with cut up sheets etc etc her kids always seemed at a disadvantaged as their mates showed up in sophisticated costumes no one likes to be different especially at school and a simple ‘ oh did your mum make that, can do damage to an already not too confident kid
Like you Siverlining ours was in a fairly affluent school
I think that it’s outlived it’s usefullness and should be changed to something else
Maybe a poll for the most popular book then the teacher can dress up for the day !!!

There seem to be so many dressing up days.
Lovely if life is swimming along like a dream, but having to find a pink outfit, a spotty one, an outfit with a '1' on it whilst life is throwing all sorts of other problems at you is no joke. They're all things my grandson (who isn't interested in any of it really) has had to wear to school in the last few months.

I had never heard of this until my gc started school and this year has chosen a charcter from harry potter. My dd has two children to find costumes for and asked if i could make them. Well i am not a sewer but checked online and its much too complicated for me to even attempt it.
If shop bought will probably never be worn again, what a waste, particularly as they dont have the money to spare. Surely schools can enter into the spirit of book day without Imposing such costs. Doesn't help that the s chool is in a fairly wealthy catchment where everyone will certainly have the full monty.

That's a great idea suttonJ and wouldn't it be great if all schools spent the week making sure every day finished with a "Storytime" even for the older children. A chance to introduce them to something they wouldn't usually read. My first introduction to Dickens was when I was about 10 and our Junior school headteacher read us a Christmas Carol. I'm not sure I understood it all but some of the imagery and the language has always stayed with me.

The charecters represented now seem rather limited to what the supermarkets have on offer...........limiting the imagination is just not what books are about. Time to get rid of the dressing up.

I like the idea at my DG's school. They all get to take in their favourite bedtime story, and their PJs and dressing gowns to wear at Storytime.
So no silly costume purchases necessary.

Our school is not having a dressing up day this year, but a puppet show of a children's book.

It shouldn't be about dressing up but in many schools that seems to be the main, if not the whole, focus. I think it's pointless and silly, and puts pressure on parents.

Maggiemaybe I like the sound of the activities that took place in your school - especially including staff other than teachers to read a book to the children.

Well if your DGC are anything like mine, what goes on in school is a big state secret.

I'll have to get back to you on that one. I shall find out, as so far as I've seen its just dressing up here.

It’s not just about dressing up though, is it? My school used to have an author in for the day, doing various workshops with the children. And each class had stories read by staff who weren’t teachers - the caretaker, dinner ladies, office staff, who donated the book they read to the class. Our local bookshop would set up a stall with the free books the children could “buy” with their tokens. According to reports in the local paper, other schools did similar things. Those in the wealthier areas raised money for Book Aid. Surely there aren’t any schools where everyone just dresses up....and that’s it?

It certainly shouldn’t be about who has the best costume
So, perhaps it should simply be about books.
How long has it been going? I do remember giving our children money to buy a book, but they never dressed up.
Our DGC do though, and find it very exciting, but then they are bought lovely outfits.?

Maggiemaybe Perhaps Nobody has to buy a costume, but the fact is most schools will have a dressing up day and most children will wear a bought costume. I just think it is time for a re-think. There are so many other things that schools could do. It's supposed to be about reading and celebrating books and authors, not dressing up. You could have a readathon, or a book swap or something else that focussed on books.
Marydoll I like the face masks idea.

World book day isn't just for schools!!

Nothing is more important than daffodils, leaks, rugby and tall black hats plus shawls on 1st March Jalima , nothing ?

We will have a problem in Wales
Eisteddfod already booked on the school calendar.
No doubt there will be many Welsh ladies, daffodils and rugby players attending school that day, perhaps they can link it to books.