Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wish World Book Day should fuck the fuck off!

302 replies

Toraleistripe · 24/02/2016 18:56

Grrrrrrrr. I'm hate it. I am all for celebrating reading and books but this yearly dress up activity at school drives me mad!

I have 2 Dc, they both want me to buy ready made costumes which will cost £30 or more! So not happening. I will still have to cobble something together though. I can't be arsed. We don't have anything. I have scoured the Internet for ideas. Kids either don't like the ideas or I don't have the stuff.

Sod off WBD!

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 24/02/2016 19:46

I usually hate it but we are not doing too badly this year. DD wants to go as Gangster Gran so we've got a cheap granny like cardigan, and a cheap wig from Ebay and a sack bag.

runlulurun · 24/02/2016 19:48

Oh no! I was planning to make DS (in reception) a costume. If I try and make it good will everyone hate me....?

JessTitchener · 24/02/2016 19:48

My go to costume is nightie, glasses and plaited hair. Hey presto, Sophie from the BFG. Only really works for girls though!

CauliflowerBalti · 24/02/2016 19:49

Mr Stink is relatively easy to throw together. Stuffed dog on a lead, for Duchess, is a nice touch.

Still hate it though.

NattyTile · 24/02/2016 19:51

Poems - look at Roger McGough, pick a school based poem, and send them in school uniform. If sibs at different schools, swap uniform. Job done!

Artandco · 24/02/2016 19:51

Dhs suggestion is don't brush the kids hair between now and book day and they can both be hairy maclary!

AdriftOnMemoryBliss · 24/02/2016 19:51

i did dd as Saucepan Man in reception a couple of years ago. I spent ages sewing the damn harness and finding lots of toy pots and pans to attach to it.

It was one of only 2 home made costumes in the class.

She loved it, sooo noisy.. the teachers hated it, but they laughed all the same ;)

She's going in her Elsa dress this year, but she's the snow queen from the original story Frozen is based on.. or thats my story and i'm sticking to it!

EweAreHere · 24/02/2016 19:52

DS2 was the pied piper for fairy tale themed book day a couple of years ago, too. :) Easy peasy to make: two different coloured pillow cases put together to make the two-toned tunic, a belt, a construction-paper hat, and a string of little rats on a rope trailing behind him.

There are loads of easy character costumes you can make from stuff you most likely have or can pick up pieces at charity shops or Tesco type shops (like cheap pillow cases). And most children love dress up days. I know parents are busy, I am, but I think it's too easy forget that children go to school and school should be fun sometimes. And we are here to help make that happen and support them.

EweAreHere · 24/02/2016 19:56

There are lots of cat poems...Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats ... have them be a cat. Ears on headband, pinned on tail, appropriate cat coloured clothing to go with. Done.

Thatrabbittrickedme · 24/02/2016 19:56

op YANBU, WBD should fuck of the the far side of fuck!

However as usual, I'm finding the annual WBD moaning thread so helpful in terms of ideas! Thanks to wonky for the Hiccup idea which will suit DS perfectly Smile

DD has already decided to go as Pippi Longstocking this year (pipe leaner plaits, crazy tights and a denim dress)

DanceJunkie · 24/02/2016 19:57

Our school have decided that all the children have to go as someone from the bible! Eldest has decided to be an angel, youngest has decided to be the newborn baby Jesus and wants to go naked!!

Gazelda · 24/02/2016 19:57

My DD (7) Y3 refused my offer to fashion her a giant brown socky-type-thing made out of crepe paper so that she could go as Superworm.

Instead, she's decided to go as Titania Queen of The Fairies from A Midsummer Nights Dream. She had a box set of child-version Shakespeare for Christmas.

I'm irrationally dreading the other mums smirking at her perceived precociousness. She's far from precious and she's no idea of the snob/swottiness that might be associated with a 7yo dressing as a Shakespeare character.

SelfRaisingFlour · 24/02/2016 19:57

My son was Horrid Henry one year. That was easy.

Thatrabbittrickedme · 24/02/2016 19:58

So many typos Blush

Pipecleaner plaits and fuck off, obvs!

LilacSpunkMonkey · 24/02/2016 19:59

I've already talked about this on another thread but my boys' school are having a Where's Wally day and they want to see 'a hall full of red and white stripes' (so they can get in the local paper like they did last time they pulled this shit) and we've been told if they don't dress as Wally or Wanda (Wendy?) they have to wear normal uniform.

DS1 is 11 and doesn't want to dress as Wally. DS2 wants me to buy him the costume in Asda. Fourteen sodding quid! To wear once.

I agree with the principle of World Book Day, to encourage children to read more, great. But schools are being stupid over it. And Where's Wally isn't even a book you read, so what a lazy cop out. My boys are both voracious readers and are above average in their reading levels. How is dressing as Wally encouraging reading?

SmileAndNod · 24/02/2016 20:01

Nursery rhymes for reception, rhyming story for ks1 and poetry for the older ones. Will check out those poems though thank you, had forgotten about revolting rhymes

MyNameIsSuz · 24/02/2016 20:01

Oh I think I've found the thread I need! I have no idea what to send ds in - he's 3, in preschool and doesn't like dressing up. Was hoping to send him as something where he won't notice he's dressed up! Anyone got any good ideas? Anything where he has to carry a prop might not work, the preschool room can be a bit manic.

Junosmum · 24/02/2016 20:02

Teachers hate it too. Teachers wives/partners also hate it. Particularly when said teacher only remembers he needs a costume the day before. Late night trip to tesco and sewing machine out at midnight! Grrr.

sleeplessinmybedroom · 24/02/2016 20:02

I bloody hate world book day. It's two days after the eisteddfod where they have to dress up in Welsh costume.

mizu · 24/02/2016 20:06

DD2 going as the granny in Gangster granny - my old tweed coat, an old Toast nightie and a wig from my sis Grin

DD1 still thinking. Sis has a black bobbed wig too so trying to think of someone in a book who has a black bob! Other than that it may have to be a witch again, last year was Mildred Hubble.

Refuse to buy anything.

SharkSkinThing · 24/02/2016 20:07

DS (5) did Aliens Love Underpants last year in Reception.

Any brightly coloured clothes + whatever face paint/lipstick you can coat them in + pants over the top = your interpretation of the an alien!

And......he only bloody won (and I am useless at this kind of thing).

He wants to do Paddington next....ffs.

Good luck!

HackerFucker22 · 24/02/2016 20:08

My DC is in preschool (attached to the main school) and he has to do it? Well it's meant to be optional but I'd feel terrible if he is the only one who doesn't have a costume.

Although he is 3, he doesn't have a favourite book? I have a gruffly puppet I guess I can fashion some kind of hat out of it?

Jitterybug · 24/02/2016 20:08

I wouldn't mind it so much, if they didn't narrow the options down by introducing a theme.

Sorry but I am one of those parents that have bought a £10 ebay costume. I don't have a creative bone in my body.

HackerFucker22 · 24/02/2016 20:09
  • Gruffalo
minipie · 24/02/2016 20:11

YANBU.

I have told DD she is going to be a lion as that's one of two costumes she already owns (and she wore the other one for the last dress up day a few weeks ago).

Luckily she's only 3 so doesn't realise she's supposed to choose who to dress as.

Now I just need to work out which of her books have lions in them...