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World Book Day fancy dress - good or bad?
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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So tomorrow (March 1st) is World Book Day and over the last few years kids have been encouraged to go to school dressed as their favourite literary characters.
Now I think that we can all agree any initiative to get kids to read more books is a good thing.
But is there also a negative side to the dressing up thing? Do some children (or, possibly more to the point!, their parents!) get competitive with the costumes that they wear?
Is it an unnecessary cost for something that probably won’t ever be worn again?
Or is it just harmless fun and a great way to engage kids in an enjoyable way to the pleasures of reading?
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By *s_macWoman
over a year ago
Traffic land |
I find it a total pain in the arse and would happily give it a miss. But I can be miserable about this kind of stuff.
We make do with whatever we have, the only think I’ve ever bought is face paint (Bottomly Potts from Hairy Maclary!). We are woefully unprepared for tomorrow and waiting for inspiration to strike!
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Last few years?! It's been going on since I was at primary school and I left that 17 years ago. 
Anyway, I can't remember my mum being in competition with any other parent about my costume at school. We used to get a one pound book voucher to get one of a selection of specially produced books or to get a pound discount on a book. If it encourages kids to get into reading then I'm all for it. |
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By *s_macWoman
over a year ago
Traffic land |
"I find it a total pain in the arse and would happily give it a miss. But I can be miserable about this kind of stuff.
We make do with whatever we have, the only think I’ve ever bought is face paint (Bottomly Potts from Hairy Maclary!). We are woefully unprepared for tomorrow and waiting for inspiration to strike!
"
*thing |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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A local school decided to give each child a potato to dress up instead. Parents then complained that it was a waste of food.
I used to make my children's costumes from old curtains or off cuts of material. You can also use crepe paper or old clothing they already have. If they can be bothered. |
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By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago
Shrewsbury |
It's good that children can dress as their favourite character unfortunately pupils with less off well parents tend not to dress up.
I always made my childrens costumes. With a little imagination and little money you can create marvelous things. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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World book day is fine, Asia do outfits at quite a good price, but when you have a headmaster that throws you a curve ball every year, and puts a theme within a theme it pisses you off.
One of these times I'm going to send him in a suit, with one of my floggers and send him as Christian Grey, just to see the look of disgust on his face 
*joke * |
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I've known world book day to be happening for years, I dressed up while at school too. Yes some parents do take it as a competition, but if that's what they want to do then they can, I haven't got time for it. I have made costumes in the past, but cheaply and when shops don't sell them.
I think it's all good fun and helps children share what they know about the book (if the character is actually from a book!). Nothing wrong with it, they do comic relief, children in need etc, children probably understand more about world book day than those. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think it's good, I was a bit disappointed that my Son didn't want to dress up as he loves reading, but having read the thread I'm now worried he'll be seen as illiterate and we'll be tarred as the poor parents
What annoys me is having to buy random outfits for the christmas play, we always donate ours to the school as they'll never wear it again, but loads must go to waste every year.
Ginger |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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We have just created a couple of costumes for obscure characters that im not even sure are from a book, but daughter wanted the clothes. I think ive been conned |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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It's a pain. I refused to buy costumes for my children; if we couldn't make something from things we already owned, they went in in their uniform.
My son's last one was a joke: they asked all the children to dress as Where's Wally - that's a book without any text!! |
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By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago
Shrewsbury |
"It's a pain. I refused to buy costumes for my children; if we couldn't make something from things we already owned, they went in in their uniform.
My son's last one was a joke: they asked all the children to dress as Where's Wally - that's a book without any text!! "
There's text just very little |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think it's an unnecessary cost. Competitive parents buying or making elaborate costumes, then some kids their parents can't afford it or don't have time and they feel bad. |
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I think its a fun thing to do along with all the other activities that gets everyone involved including the ones for charity. There have been times where it's sprung on parents a day or two before though and I find that frustrating.
I have five daughter's and they all prefer home made costumes and tell me what they would like to be each year. I always find that it would be so much cheaper to buy store bought ones Ha! One once wanted half Alice and half Cheshire cat! That was the toughest I ever Did. She did look awesome though.
Thankfully I only have one left in primary school and this year she wants to go as the mad hatter which was one from last year so I just have to adjust it for her size and fix the hat. Bonus 
They do have a competition for each class and I feel pressure as they have all always won and the teachers say ooh what are you being this year to them so I make sure to make it clear to the kids that they may not win this year and they understand that. For me it's about the kids loving their costumes and seeing their faces light up. Plus they think I'm awesome and what mum doesn't love that |
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By *wansfeetCouple
over a year ago
Guisborough |
We have an Alice in wonderland theme at the kids school tomorrow and I really couldn't afford to buy outfits for all 3 kids, so they've got very homemade 'deck of cards' costumes, but honestly found it a struggle to find time to make them around working and all the other things in life, however I didn't want them to go without when other kids will be dressing up too. Id rather buy them a new book each for the day than a daft costume they'll only wear once |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I am so glad I don’t have to worry about such days at school anymore, I think these things are great for kids but the amount of kids I see turn up at school that isn’t a book character! Plus if you add the other dress up days too it gets a bit much, especially when you have little Mary turn up in the most expensive outfit you can buy!
My kids secondary school banned kids turning up as muggles!!
Geeky x |
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"World book day is fine, Asia do outfits at quite a good price, but when you have a headmaster that throws you a curve ball every year, and puts a theme within a theme it pisses you off.
One of these times I'm going to send him in a suit, with one of my floggers and send him as Christian Grey, just to see the look of disgust on his face
*joke *"
Our school don't add themes to it which I appreciate as that must make it so much harder.
I actually saw a kid in a Christian grey costume on Pinterest haha. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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It's a bit of fun for the kids. Daughter enjoys making her costume out of stuff we have lying about. We see it as something to work on together and she loves seeing the results. I don't enter into parent competitiveness and she isn't bothered how her costume compares with peers. So it's a positive thing for us. Bring it on  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I am so glad I don’t have to worry about such days at school anymore, I think these things are great for kids but the amount of kids I see turn up at school that isn’t a book character! Plus if you add the other dress up days too it gets a bit much, especially when you have little Mary turn up in the most expensive outfit you can buy!
My kids secondary school banned kids turning up as muggles!!
Geeky x "
They should have turned up as the Wimpy Kid instead. Or any other book character that just wears normal clothes. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My boy is going as the pig from dirty beasts. I have tirelessly made the costume out of all sorts of stuff and it looks ace... if I do say so myself... and as a working no single dad it’s really important I get involved with this sort of thing for him.
However, what really irks me is I got a message from school cancelling the costume wearing due to the fooooooooking snow. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My boy is going as the pig from dirty beasts. I have tirelessly made the costume out of all sorts of stuff and it looks ace... if I do say so myself... and as a working no single dad it’s really important I get involved with this sort of thing for him.
However, what really irks me is I got a message from school cancelling the costume wearing due to the fooooooooking snow."
And it might well have melted by then anyway! |
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"It's a bit of fun for the kids. Daughter enjoys making her costume out of stuff we have lying about. We see it as something to work on together and she loves seeing the results. I don't enter into parent competitiveness and she isn't bothered how her costume compares with peers. So it's a positive thing for us. Bring it on "
I like that your child makes their own. That's brilliant. My eldest does sfx so she does all their make-up and my middle one is great at hair so that's her department. I like that it's something we can all enjoy together. It's hard to entertain different age ranges and crafting is always a big hit. |
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"Round here they just send them all to school in a onesie. Seems to be a onesie for every book."
Sent my daughter in one year in her cow onesie. She didn't give me the letter and it was only that morning when I got the reminder text from the school did she remember the letter screwed up in the bottom of her bag. A quick dive through the wardrobe and voilà...... Animal Farm. |
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Great money making idea for Asda and Tesco.
Doubt very much if spending 20 quid on a shonky fire risk costume has encouraged many kids to take an interest in reading.
Maybe it would be better to give them a fiver to buy a book the might actual like?
Or give the money to a charity that provides books for kids who can't afford them.
Or maybe spend time actually reading with your kid rather than buying into yet another gimmicky non-day.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My boy is going as the pig from dirty beasts. I have tirelessly made the costume out of all sorts of stuff and it looks ace... if I do say so myself... and as a working no single dad it’s really important I get involved with this sort of thing for him.
However, what really irks me is I got a message from school cancelling the costume wearing due to the fooooooooking snow."
Send him in it anyway, pretend you never got the text (uniform in a bag ) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Started off as a good way to engage kids into reading with the book token, seems to have now morphed into a commercial money making pain in the arse!"
How is it money making? For whom? It doesn't cost me anything. Never has in the 10 years I've had kids of the right age. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Ours has been cancelled (and our St Davids Day non uniform day!) as Council has closed the Schools tomorrow and Friday. Both re-arranged for next week. I’ve bought in this year, but last year my artistic talents saw me make Mr Men costumes  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Started off as a good way to engage kids into reading with the book token, seems to have now morphed into a commercial money making pain in the arse!
How is it money making? For whom? It doesn't cost me anything. Never has in the 10 years I've had kids of the right age. "
So what are the rows of costumes lining the supermarket aisles then? Don’t see a Dr Suess fancy dress at any other time of the year in Sainsburys.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Started off as a good way to engage kids into reading with the book token, seems to have now morphed into a commercial money making pain in the arse!
How is it money making? For whom? It doesn't cost me anything. Never has in the 10 years I've had kids of the right age.
So what are the rows of costumes lining the supermarket aisles then? Don’t see a Dr Suess fancy dress at any other time of the year in Sainsburys.
"
I don't see anything forcing people to buy the crap on offer. Hardly a pain in the arse! |
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