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Original poster

How do you feel about dressing up for World Book Day?

105 replies

Ricekrispie22 · 06/02/2020 19:48

Do you enjoy dressing your child up as a book character? Or would you rather their school didn’t do it?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ricekrispie22 · 07/02/2020 05:50

Thanks for your opinions. I’m on the PTA at my DC’s school, and I’m thinking about suggesting we don’t do it!

OP posts:
TidaQuel · 07/02/2020 06:01

I like the concept but our school dictates what the children can dress up as. So, we are given a theme - Mr Men, David Walliams characters.... it’s not about celebrating your favourite book or character. And whilst it’s discussed in school for several weeks beforehand, we’re usually only given a few days notice of the final theme decision.

puds11 · 07/02/2020 06:05

Oh god. When is it? Please don’t say today Shock

I hate it. Money to buy or make costume because unsurprisingly I don’t just have a Harry Potter costume hanging about the house. Stress of remembering when it is as the school sometimes don’t do it on the official world book day just to be extra cunty.

Also think it does nothing to promote better reading habits in children and is just a distraction.

As a general rule I fucking hate fancy dress.

Landlubber2019 · 07/02/2020 06:17

I think it's fine for kids that enjoy dress up, however for those that don't, those with limited budgets, are concerned how and where the outfits are made (sweatshop/slavery) and those who care about the potential waste, it's not fine and although dressing up as gone with the wind is impressive, I wonder if the child had was familiar with the book Hmm

sashh · 07/02/2020 06:19

I'm thinking of writing a series of children's books.

The day Poppy was a cardboard box.
The day Alex wore pyjamas to school.
The day Isa wore a cardboard crown.
The day Rita wore her mums hat.
The day John was a bunch of grapes. For a costume green balloons pinned onto a T shirt.

bellinisurge · 07/02/2020 06:22

I'd much rather "own clothes day" and dedicate the day to reading and reinacting scenes from a favourite book and drawing favourite characters and making Top Trumps of different characters.

Italiandreams · 07/02/2020 06:28

It’s one the school can’t win! Parents will complain either way! Trust me as a teacher it’s a complete pain but the year we decided not to dress up we had loads of complaints!

Original poster
Ricekrispie22 · 07/02/2020 06:29

@sashh please do!

OP posts:
Lardlizard · 07/02/2020 06:36

I find it a hassle but get that the kids, most of them enjoy it m, but it makes me worry about families that perhaps go without eatting to afford it what worh uniforms etc

Jocasta2018 · 07/02/2020 06:36

From what I see on Facebook from my parent friends, there seems to be a general consensus of 'oh crap!'
Can't see any difference between the views of SAHMs and working mothers either - it's a PITA to all of them!

Uhtredswoman · 07/02/2020 06:43

@Mossyfern my DD went as Marie Curie last year, with a white coat (dad's white shirt) and a couple of rocks she'd painted to be radioactive - went down well with her friends! Maybe something like that would work?

Barbararara · 07/02/2020 06:43

I hate WBD with a passion.

crosser62 · 07/02/2020 06:45

When there is period poverty and news reporting on campaign for better pricing on school uniforms, kids who’s only hot meal is the free school dinner, kids with no school coat, dirty uniforms, shoes that don’t fit it just seems a bloody ridiculous pressure and way to yet again socially exclude poorer kids and cause more shame and upset for great swathes of kids.

It should be banned in my opinion.

I hate it, absolutely hate it and my heart sinks when the jaunty letter comes out from school. Last year it was a local author who came in and read in assembly to the children instead of trying to find a bloody costume or scrap around at bloody midnight chucking stuff together.
Ban it.

Berrymuch · 07/02/2020 06:53

I really don't see the point, there are so many other ways to try and promote reading. Why not spend art he week before making a costume? Or arrange fundraising events to buy books for disadvantaged communities, even better if children picked their favourite and also sent an accompanying letter/poem as to why they like that book? Or something intellectually creative like spending the days lessons in character, rather than just wearing a shop bought costume that those who can't afford it are obliged to buy. Producing adverts for the local library, get them thinking about why they enjoy it, and if they don't, ways that they might.

MimiLaRue · 07/02/2020 06:56

I hate it! I'm not buying a costume my child will only wear for one day, fancy dress is expensive and its a complete waste if they never get to use it again.
They should be allowed to wear home clothes, you dont have to dress up in a costume to enjoy reading FGS!

Flurgle · 07/02/2020 06:57

Teacher. I hate it. Ends up having nothing to do with reading at all. I always feel desperately sorry for the one or two kids whose parents didn’t sort anything out.
We had several Harley Quinns last year too. Not what I would let a 9 year old wear -Daddy’s little monster...
Parents really kick off if we don’t do it though.

MimiLaRue · 07/02/2020 06:58

it just seems a bloody ridiculous pressure and way to yet again socially exclude poorer kids and cause more shame and upset for great swathes of kids

Couldn't agree more! Considering schools consider social inclusion very important, its odd they are doing something like this which EXCLUDES kids from poorer families.

Aragog · 07/02/2020 07:00

I don't mind it so long as there isn't a whole load of restrictions on what they can and can't wear, and so long as the school doesn't do tons of dress up days. I also prefer to have plenty of notice, and for it to not be compulsory.

I now teach so have to dress up myself. Same rules as above apply when I have to do it too.

spicedapples · 07/02/2020 07:01

I hated it as did my son. Luckily his school only did it in the infants.

BikeRunSki · 07/02/2020 07:18

Both DC love it! Their school only dies it every other year, and alternates with Sports Relief. They have 2 rules - the character must be in a book (so you can come as a Minion/other character from a film if you have a book about them) and home made costumes/mash up of ordinary clothes with the odd accessory are encouraged in favour of shop bought costumes. To this end, the DC have been as Danny Champion of the World, Horrid Henry and The Worst Witch.

FamilyOfAliens · 07/02/2020 07:19

When DS was in yr2 he dressed up as Asterix the Gaul (his favourite bedtime reading at the time) and no-one knew who he was. I did think at the time that he probably should have gone as Spider-Man.

fantasmasgoria1 · 07/02/2020 07:25

I did it once. My daughter asked if she could. I made her an awesome costume and she won first prize which was a choice of a book. Most of the time when they were young they asked not to so they didn't. They are 24 and 25 now. I'll soon be 45 and I don't remember anything like dressing up for a thing like world book day. Did have to dress up as a victorian child when our school was a 100 years old though.

BullshitVivienne · 07/02/2020 07:31

I saw a tweet the other day where a school had scrapped it and instead decorated potatoes to look like book characters.

twitter.com/MrBoothY6/status/1224032803127484416?s=19

PontiacBandit · 07/02/2020 07:39

I've hated it since DD1 started, they allowed PJs a few years so went with that. Now DD2 is going through it, most costumes are being recycled but this year our school has decided to impose themes for each class FFS, eg space or under the sea. I'm so annoyed but I think I'll be reusing the where's Wally costume as it will fit all themes.

deplorabelle · 07/02/2020 07:42

I'm pretty Grinch-like about fancy dress most of the time, and there are many aspects of WBD dress-up that annoy me (especially the "dress up like the film version of a book" aspect, and the whole throwaway tat culture)

However, I can't think of a better way of transforming a child's world into a fantasy literary landscape full of wonderful characters.

Our school have sometimes done PJ day instead. Personally I don't like this at all. PJs to me are flimsy and embarrassing. A lot of people buy new ones for the day so it doesn't get over the fast-fashion aspect entirely. AND it sends the message that reading is only for bedtime which I'm also not wild about.

Last year our school restricted people to Roald Dahl characters only. The teachers loved it because they knew who everyone was and it stopped people "cheating" with Elsa dresses and football kit. But it lost a lot of the magic too (and meant we all spent the time venerating RD with his jolly old colonialist outlook)