To HATE World Book Day (or rather kids dressing up for it)?

[Silverbook]

That's it really-
As a parent and a teacher I absolutely hate the yearly "dress up as your favourite character".

As a teacher it is such a visible divide of the haves/have nots.
As a parent I feel under pressure and it adds to the mental load.

I'm absolutely on board with promoting literacy and reading for enjoyment but think WBD has become very commercialised.

In over a decade of teaching, with a specific research interest in literacy and a remit for raising attainment and enjoyment in reading I disagree that this is “an in road for reluctant readers”.

Surprised you didn’t put that little nugget of info in your OP

My kids school don't do dress up for wbd. The school is in a socially disadvantaged area and the principal makes sure he doesn't cost families any more money than is necessary. Just extra money and pressure on parents so they can bring in their favourite book to show their friends and that's it.

I have no issue with dressing up for wbd but I hate the way my kids school does it. Junior school are given an author and have to dress up as one of their characters dd9 got David walliams, she read one of his books and hated it. She would have loved to go as someone from The Land of Stories series. Currently she is refusing totally.
Infants get a book per class and have to go as a character from that book.
in this book there is one human character so ds7 doesn’t want to go as that as “everyone else will do that” so I get to make a Rhino costume on my day off!

Our school is doing a book swap (everyone to bring in a book to swap with someone else). They initially said they weren't going to do dressing up, but relented as some parents said their DC were really disappointed.

So now, they're giving three options: to either dress up, decorate a t.shirt in a book theme, or wear own clothes, with a nod to a book if possible. Which I think is a good compromise.

Personally, DC1 wants to go as a character which is just a dress and hairband - have just bought cheap normal clothes as they are in need of dresses for summer anyway so can wear it again afterwards!

DC2 wants to go as a particular animal character which just involved buying a beanie hat and lots of felt (and then t.shirt and leggings of a particular colour which they already have). I am not particularly artistic (can't really sew), but I do have a glue gun and and the finished piece is actually pretty good if I do say so myself.

So, admittedly a bit of time, money and creativity required, but nothing like last year's book in a box, which took much more effort!!

That is shit. What happens if the child doesn’t like any of the David Williams book. Talk about forcing the issue

It wasn’t so much a money problem for me it was being a single mum and main breadwinner with a big job and no bloody time to stick felt pieces onto costumes. Hated it.

Hated it. No time and not being a creative person found it very difficult. Why don't all the parents who have outfits over the years donate them to school then on dress up day the kids all pick an outfit. Job done. Sorted every year

To be fair to the OP, she does mention in the first sentence that’s she’s a teacher as well as a parent. The detail about having a research interest in literacy and raising engagement/enjoyment of reading is only pertinent when someone else brought up that WBD is a gateway tool to engaging reluctant readers.

specific research interest in literacy and a remit for raising attainment and enjoyment in reading I

I too would say kind of relevant info! 😂

Our school has made a real effort to ensure it's as inclusive as it can be. No costumes - pyjamas instead.

And authors are coming in everyday.

Pyjama days are worse, ds9 sleeps in boxers and I have to buy new PJs that will never get worn again, his friends parents have all said similar. There is an awful divide on these days, it makes me so sad.
I'd rather plenty of options , dress up if you want to, if not wear your favourite comfies/PJs/ bring a book to share or tell us about a book you'd really like to read / a favourite you don't own. Attendance at our school hugely drops on these sorts of days, parents that genuinely can't afford it opt to not send their children in and avoid the shame

Anything like this is so divisive. I remember when the travelling book shop would visit my primary school and I never had any mk ey to get a book and it always made me feel left out as it seemed most kids got one. I was always a book lover though, and I always had plenty to read so it shows it is a bit pointless really! Would be nicer to pool the money and pay for an actor to come dressed as a book character and read a couple of chapters or something like that. Seems like something a bit more memorable too.

My children’s primary school have asked for kids to come dressed in their pyjamas, they’re reading stories and having hot chocolate. I'm grateful they’re empathetic and aware enough to change the protocol this year.

Someone gave a great idea of wearing pyjamas and taking your favourite book. The school didn't take it on board though.

My children's school are quite OTT about things like this and it does become a bit of a pissing contest with some parents. The school seems to have a dress up theme a couple of times a term.

By contrast, my stepchild's school do a book swap and where pyjamas to school day, take an old book or two in (if you can) and pick a new one. The school add some in too so nobody goes without a new book regardless of whether or not they've brought one in.

Wear*

What does bother me is when schools are being weirdly prescriptive (mostly driven by snobbery). Like when one school decided kids should dress as Roald Dhal characters. Or the word thing but came up with a list of adjectives and no basic blues ,greys etc .

Even more annoying is when they do dress to express day , but then they have a page long list of what is not allowed.