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Original poster

does anybody else get a bit p***d off over "Book Day"?

67 replies

cutekids · 05/03/2008 12:27

I know it's a bit of fun for the kids to dress up as "their favourite characters" but absolutely no kids do...do they? they're all either little "Gerrards" or "Barbie" etc. which is great because they're the outfits many kids have got in their wardrobes but I just find it all a bit fake and surely the teachers get fed up with all the kids dressing the same? Call me old and cynical....

OP posts:
choccypig · 05/03/2008 13:27

I think the dressing up is a distraction. The way it works for most of us, is you see what costume / accessories you've got that DS will actually wear (and don't get ruined at playtime}, then you find a book to fit.

It would be much better IMHO for them to do something that actually involves books.
For example, nominate fave books, then have a vote to see which is the top favourite for each year.
Get some parents to come in and read aloud.
Ask you parents grandparents what their favourite books were...
Copy the pictures from your fave books.

etc.Horrified at thought of prizes for best costume..I'd be going for two bits of cardboard (again) and sending him as a blardy book!

choccypig · 05/03/2008 13:31

Or might copy the BGF idea. DSs ears are big enough anyway, and is trousers are too short, so we can recycle the jacket thing I made for Bl*dy Spanifh day.

Nappyzone · 05/03/2008 13:40

Oh well being tomorrow im thinking if we are notified today to use those big cardboard packages i have and as per choccy go as a book ! Either that or i need her to go as one of the Kings from the xmas story passed of as something else loL!

Blueblob · 05/03/2008 14:16

I always have this image of parents trying to persuade their little darlings that they don't want them to dress as Dirty Birty but something more cultured or clever Our school are getting all the children to come in their PJ's and bring their fav bed time story. I think that's much easier and nicer.

Madsometimes · 05/03/2008 14:55

Best dressed child at our school went as Oliver Twist, complete with a bowl to ask for more. Not my dc I'm afraid but he did look fab.

lizziemun · 05/03/2008 15:23

Yes, dd1 is in nursery and they have to dress up in their favorite characters. Now do i have the only 4yrs old who loves all books so doesn't have a favorite.

clarinsgirl · 05/03/2008 15:25

DS is going as the 'Tiger who came to Tea' complete with a tin of Tiger Food and some buns!

williamsmummy · 05/03/2008 22:35

one year I had to a make four costumes for world book day.

am so glad I have got it down to one this year.

ChasingSquirrels · 05/03/2008 22:42

ours have been asked to wrap up and take in a book they have finished with (suitable for their class level) and then they all get a book to take home.
nice touch I think.
Unless I have totally missed something and he IS meant to be dressing up..........

Califrau · 05/03/2008 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

robd · 05/03/2008 22:48

Hey - should try being a teacher on these days. We have just read the Iron Man so in the process of attaching tin foil to trousers!

Survey of costumes for tomorrow include - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack Sparrow, someone from High School Musical, Mr Bump amongst others. Having a hard time convincing my 5 and 6 year olds that they are not all characters from books.

Rest assured - we will be having a book day. Discussing books, sharing books and reading them.

Do feel sorry for parents on these days - but don't forget to get your socks for Sports Relief day!!

NorthernLurker · 05/03/2008 22:50

I'm just dealing with a whale for dd1 and dd2's hair is in many, mnay plaits so it can be crimped and crazy tomorrow for her to be Lola.

I hate blithering World Book Day!!!

PeachesMcLean · 05/03/2008 22:53

OMG I'm so glad DS doesn't have to do any of this. Sounds like the kind of thing which fills me with bah humbugness at competitive parenting pressure, and stresses him out when it comes to actually wearing whatever it is for school. We had enough problems getting him into a welsh rugby shirt for St David's Day. The idea of going in anything more elaborate...

laundrylover · 05/03/2008 23:13

DD1 (4) wants to go as Angelina Ballerina and am rather proud of the mouse tail that I made by rolling up a white towel and wrapping pink wool round it - looks quite real!!

Lack of white clothing means that she will be a pink mouse and also she made her own mask which is not exactly mouse-like but hey ho.

makealist · 05/03/2008 23:57

Last time our school did it a couple of years ago, ds2 went as Dennis the menace and won first prize, it only cost us the price of a black curly wig.

OrmIrian · 06/03/2008 09:25

Oh god! I am a failure as a mother. DD and DS#2 dressed up and went off happy as anything. DS#1 found various bits from our dressing up box last night and had put together a passable Gandalf costume. This morning however we had tears and he didn't want to go to school, neither did he want to put his school uniform on. Went to school in a big cloak with his staff but refused to wear his hat. Face like thunder - I felt so bad (as well as irritated with him) - i know he felt really miserable and self-conscious. All his mates had really made an effort.

OrmIrian · 06/03/2008 09:30

Actually I always seem to screw up costumes for DS#1. I think it's because he's not interested in it and shows no enthusiasm at all until the last minute - and then it's more panic than enthusiasm

Fillyjonk · 06/03/2008 09:33

oh fgs this "lets make books interesting and fun cos they aren't anyway" crap

seeker · 06/03/2008 09:36

Can't understand why people have a problem with it - it's FUN!

Costumes don"t have to cost much or be hard to make. Just William is easy. Violet Beaudelaire i easy. Horrid Henry (yuck yuck yuck) is easy.
My ds has gone in wearing his big sister's furry body warmer, black jeans and t shirt, a toy dragon we had already and a viking helmet that cost 1.99. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock 111. Total outlay in money 1.99. In time, 10 minutes.

Last year he utterly refused to dress up at all, so he wore school unirorm, carried a wand and was Harry Potter.

The children love it - I think some people think that school should be all wroka nd no play!

TsarChasm · 06/03/2008 09:39

Agree agree agree!

The minute I'm under pressure to do something because it 'will be fun', it isn't.

Dd spent last year welded into her costume and couldn't go to the toilet all day.

TheFallenMadonna · 06/03/2008 09:40

We have to do hats, not dressing up. I can't work out whether this is more or less faff...

OrmIrian · 06/03/2008 09:53

Ooh I think that is much better fallen!

I agree fillyjonk - all my DCs love books and don't need to be chivvied into finding them fun. But I must admit my youngest 2 do enjoy it. I'm sitting here feeling so bad about DS#1. I can just feel how unhappy he will be.

TsarChasm · 06/03/2008 09:56

But then again it has to be a book character that wears a hat. More angst... Sympathies.

NorthernLurker · 06/03/2008 09:56

Ok - one whale at school - one Lola at home as she was sick twice in the night. Cannot tell you how relieved I am that it's that way round. I would have been gutted if my brilliant whale costume had to stay at home. Dd2 can go to school tomorrow with crimped hair - but dd1 would have struggled to carry off a whale and hair done up to look like a waterspout!

OrmIrian - hope your ds1 cheers up when he sees his mates

TheFallenMadonna · 06/03/2008 09:57

Well no. We made a 'Giant Peach' hat, with various invertebrates stuck on it. We quite enjoyed making it actually .

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