AIBU that world book day doesn’t support reading, but instead supports the buying of crappy costumes on amazon?

[Midlifeargh]

I really am starting to hate world book day.

Sure, it comes from a great place.

But sick of making costumes because I’m too cheap to buy them (also don’t like throw away fashion).

Also sick of it always being MY problem because I’m the freaking woman.

Am I being unreasonable that world book day does more to support amazon.com’s costume department than actual reading?

(I sort of want to be unreasonable in thinking that, to be honest!)

So glad I’m not alone though

Have just finished a costume that I huffed and puffed through making, while DH is out for the evening having fun

Oooh I'm remembering the mr men one thats so easy even i could do it. I hate hate hate wbd already and ds is only at preschool just spent £20 on a gruffalo costume. Characters from Julie donaldson books is the theme i dont so much as own a needle but i said to my husband im going to put him in grey joggers and plain white t shirt and draw on the paperdoll chain my dh laughed said just buy something we'll never get round to doing that. Tbf ds can now recognise Julie donaldsons name on all of the books we have of hers (lots) and the preschool have been reading her books all year

YABU

It's not the schools fault if parents are doing it backwards. It should be about children choosing a book, then creating some costume, or draw on a shirt or something.
Instead, it's parents buying random costumes and trying to find a book to match.

Stop buying costumes that match the cartoons the kids are watching on tv, do something about books and let the kids chose.

Have seen a lot of children dressing up as "an activity journal". Googled it, and it's a cleaning journal for adults? How is that promoting reading for children, it isn't even a reading book let alone one for children!

I think it's run it's course and should stop now the supermarkets are involved. Currently making a lion mask.

Our school doesn’t do costumes. It has a mixed catchment and is mindful of things that cause inequality.
We do a book swap, kids get the free book and there’s a pop up book shop (all classes visit the local library every 3 weeks so no pressure to use the shop).

Maybe it is how your school represents world book day.

Our school supports swap a book, parents hearing the children read, and stop, drop and read (when the bell sounds) to enjoy the simple act of reading anytime... and of course dress up.

Some people buy off the shelf for theme /common books.majority don't. Time is the critical issue, to be creative.. and having a selection of books or just a favourite book and a character your child can relate with to emulate.

“It should be about children choosing a book, then creating some costume, or draw on a shirt or something.”

where are all these primary age DC can’t independently get the materials and whip up their own costumes?

Fabric pens / paints are expensive and require many, many stages. PITA.

There is absolutely no need for world book day to be about costumes. I find that v irritating. There are other things that can be done such as simply sharing stories with children.

I think its run its course too. Wasnt it a charity to rsise money to give everyone a book to spread the love of reading.

DD also has to dress as an adjective.

In previous years it’s been take a book in to share with your class. Her school have never done the full on dressing up thing.

Completely agree. My kids have done a book swap and an author visit. Far far far better

I refuse to buy a costume hes never going to wear again and I just dont have the artistic streak to put something together.

I dont really get it , all the days I've had non school uniform 1.00 donation or tombola prizes or bingo prizes but world book day they're not asking for anything when it could be put towards books that they are always saying they need more of. I'd rather donate a 1.00 or even 5.00 let them wear what they want and then the school can buy the books they need.

Our school is take your favourite book and wear pjs

where are all these primary age DC can’t independently get the materials and whip up their own costumes?

yes, that's exactly what I said, that kids should buy their own supplies. That they should get a job to pay for the supplies themselves too

If you want to buy some supermarket costume and tell your children that they should pretend to have read the book, go for it. It's not what WBD is about though, so don't moan because of the way you chose to do it 🤷

Our school has given everyone the option to either go in mufti, wear PJs or dress up as a character from a book. But they've asked us not to buy a costume but instead if we would like to we can buy a book for the school library. They've created an amazon wish list for each year group. Entirely our choice. I love this as it's giving lots of choice and instead of wasting money on costumes, it's benefiting the kids.

My DC quite liked coming up with their own costumes - hardly any input needed from me, they are quite imaginative when given free rein, but they like dressing up games and are quite often playing pretending to be characters anyway.

I can imagine it's a nightmare for children who hate dressing up

We just have a pyjamas theme this year, Dd will wear joggers and a pyjama top, no imagination needed.

It’s nuts! While I won’t buy an actual costume, I have probably spent about £8 on fabric pens, card, and so on.

I could have donated that to buy books to support kids reading! I would have SO MUCH rather.

(Not to mention I’ve now kind of “ruined” one of DS’s t-shirts that he’s slightly outgrown... that was a perfectly good T-shirt and would ordinarily have gone to the charity shop!)

Agree, hugo! And have a book-themed fun day with visits from authors or book illustrators or book editors etc.

I love World Book Day. They use the costumes after for dressing up and then we donate to the school when too small for their dressing up boxes.

It’s good for their imagination to play a character.

I have said for years I'd love to see figures on how WBD encourages kids to read books. It doesn't. It encourages smug glittery shit loving mothers to do the one-upmanship thing and make other mothers feel inadequate. It seems to have nothing to do with either books, or children most of the time.
And I'm not in the UK so have never had to partake in it. But reading the threads on here is enough.

Yes!!! Tomorrow DD3 is going dressed are Biff (Orange top and jeans). I refuse to buy more stuff for no good reason. They have loads of costumes, it’s just another way for shops to seek is more shit we don’t need, and will only use once. It’s madness, and I refuse to be a part of it any more. I fucking hate costumes, and I’m sick of the school saying that they need one.

My two year old has a dress up day tomorrow in nursery - last year I 'forgot' and sent him in normal clothes this year I've felt the pressure a bit more because I don't want him to feel like the odd one out if he isn't dressed up - luckily he was bought a tiger onsie for Xmas so is going in that - it's ridiculous and I do not see how dressing up is encouraging children to read!!

It is what you make of it. My eldest loves reading but couldn't give a flying crap about dressing up, unless it's cosplay. She would throw on a blue dress and a red head band for matilda or a black dress and scarf for hermionie year after year. She is happy she is in high school so she doesn't have to partake now.
My youngest hates reading but loves dressing up. She wants gangsta granny. She pulled out a flowery dress, asked if I had a pink cardi, decorated an old bag with the word 'swag' then cut up an old black t shirt to make a eye mask. I found some hair chalk left over from Halloween to turn her hair grey. It has entertained her for over an hour to make her own costume. And cost me nothing. I drew the line at a walking stick due to the little shits in her class safety implications.
The purpose of wbd is to inspire imagination and get kids talking about their favourite books. Don't buy into the hype. Themes take the piss though, especially when your child isn't in to the whole Harry potter thing etc. And probably going to get roasted her but sending your kid in as spiderman/batman/iron-man etc is just a cop out.