World Book Day - just take in a sodding book

[Voluptuagoodshag]

I'm probably a curmudgeonly old shite but all this dressing up nonsense. Do they actually discuss why they like the book they are the character of? Some aren't even books because the kid is determined to dress as a Disney princess or a character from a game. It doesn't exactly encourage reading does it?
And then all the stress of creating a costume, not necessarily connected to a favourite book but what can be thought of or is easiest to do.
Why can't a kid take in a favourite book and write a wee story as to why or have a wee discussion about it.

It been happening every year for many years in March, can't you just get one of the bazillion second hand costumes off ebay or something in the January sales?

(Online here)

The reason for dressing up is to encourage children who perhaps wouldn't be enthusiastic about reading to be engaged, so in that regard YABU.

However, I agree with WHAT parents are dressing children as, it's world book day not world made up character say so in that regard, YANBU!

It's also bloody easy! So yab totally u and purposefully curmudgeonly. It's supposed to be fun and engaging. If you start making rules about who they can and can't portray you'll disengage the kids.

Our school said not to spend any money so I stuck my ds in his costume from last year which he moaned about but for a 10 minute zoom call with his class, that was all it was ever going to be! But it is a pain especially on those who can't afford it, busy working etc!

I couldn’t agree more. Taking their favourite books to talk about would be far more in the spirit of book loving.

It has turned into “buy more tat from Amazon” day here. Yes, I know I could whip out a sewing machine and get all creative with “things I already have at home”. Except I don’t have a sewing machine, work full time and am under enough pressure as it is, without pulling together outfits for 3 DC

it's world book day not world made up character say so in that regard, YANBU! You think kids should only dress as real people from books not fictional characters on books??

The Invisible Man by H G Wells -
just don't turn up but tell everyone that they were definitely there (you remember taking the bandages off).
or
The Naked Ape by Desmond Morris - shouldn't require a too much effort.

@justanotherkid

What's happened to covid?

School said dress up.....but don't bring a book please due to the covid risk 🤷‍♀️

We did neither.

Turned up to a yard full of kids with elaborate headbands, fluffy tails, lacy swishy dresses etc.....how that is less than a covid risk a child holding 1 book from their book case I will never know.

Utterly bonkers.

I guess school's reasoning is that the children stay dressed I. Their costume in the same way they wear clothes every day.

But the book may be swapped about between children, etc. Lots of schools currently aren't having things brought in from home.

yes maybe abraxan

What confuses me is that it’s always the same parent being judgmental about little girls coming dressed as a Disney Princess that also moan about having to buy a £15 costume from Sainsbury’s to use for one day!

My daughter LOVES Disney princesses, mermaids etc and she has lots of books about them. She also loves dressing as them so she has lots of princess dresses and chooses to wear one for WBD.

It would be a total waste of money to go out of my way to buy a costume for another character from a different book just to show off to other parents. I mean, how many 3 year olds have read Matilda, honestly?? Not many and yet half the nursery class is dressed as her. I just think we should let children dress as who they want. Yes my daughter really does love books about Elsa - she has many!!

I've had 10 years of a child in a primary school and it's such a joyful highlight of the year.

The kids in our school who don't want to dress up just wear their normal closes and say they are X from a particular book who's just a normal kid.

There's no need for it to a problem for anyone, just fun for those who like it.

Creating excitement around reading is wonderful.

CLOTHES not closes!

I love world book day now my DD is in that sweet spot of being old enough make/choose a costume themselves and yet still being young enough to find the whole thing fun. I enjoyed hearing about what all her friends had dressed up as, and seeing my DD put together a costume.
I do agree that it's weird when they all dress up for World Book Day but then they don't actually do any extra book-related stuff. Ours (when in school, in previous years) weren't even told to bring the book in and no discussions were have about why they had chosen a particular character. It should just be called 'dressing up day' or something.

Nobody who is moaning about having to buy a costume or make a costume is explaining why they can’t send their child in normal clothes as one of the hundreds of normally clothed normal children in books. Why can’t you?

@SnowyBranches - because the children themselves don’t want to go in ordinary clothes to be a character. They want “a costume”, bigger the better because that it what the others have and they want to fit in.

The school usually give a prizes for the best costume. They are never for the “put on a blue dress and a bow and be Matilda” costume either; I know this because we did that one year and DD came out crying that year as “I looked rubbish” , as we walked past hoardes of children in full costumes.

The next year I went to Sainsbury’s and bought the full “Gansta Granny”, complete with wig. She won the class prize that year. The whole thing is ridiculous. But, have to go along with it for the sake of the DC.

We read at home. They are already excited about books - actual books that they read. There is no link between that and a dress up day.

I see - I had no idea. Our school has always had a whole range, from the mum who is a makeup artist and crated an amazing Hobbit costume to the ordinary-clothes-with-a-golden-ticket Charlie, with a slew of princess dresses and superhero’s in between, and nobody really cares - certainly no prize. Ridiculous to give a prize for best bought costume.
I find the dotty clothes for Children in Need much more of a faff!

It’s a bit of fun and a chance for children to do something different.

No one has to do it. Opt it or opt out is a choice but not simply stopping things as some don’t want it.

it was a nice simple idea .. but like most of these things.. they start off well meaning and turn into a 'competition' of best dressed ... not the kids faults of course 🌺

YABU. I would be surprised if any child went to school today and didn't do it work related to world book day and reading. The dressing up is just a bonus for them. Most children love dressing up.

Finally found an advantage to hone schooling - we've been able to completely ignore effing World Book Day this year.

@BLToutanowhere

Fine, get rid of it. Then wonder why kids don't get the love of books.

TV was fairly poor as a kid of the 80's and books really did take me places.

Kids now have content on tap all the time. Eldest is a bookworm but youngest? Due to the local library going then lockdown, we haven't taken him. He gets stories but it's not quite the same as diving into the racks and picking out new books.

How does dressing up as Buzz Lightyear or Elsa cultivate the love of books???

The kids have had such a miserable time (well the parents have) so a bit of silly dressing up is a huge release

“ Just take in a sodding book” - OP this did make me laugh!

Our nursery (in a rich enclave) has done world book week so as not to exclude kids who don't come on thursdays. Our school is in an area of deprivation so doesn't do costumes. One kid is jealous of the other. We're looking forward to both being in school.