World Book Day

It can't have escaped your notice, especially if you work in a primary school, that next Thursday (5th March) is World Book Day.  Around this time of year, those who work in schools or who have little children of their own are asking on Twitter and in the Facebook groups if anyone has any ideas for costumes for the day.  I had my time, when my daughters were at primary school, of making Hetty Feather costumes and Paddington costumes, and would have appreciated ideas for simpler, easier and cheaper alternatives.

A couple of years ago I made myself the tee shirt that you can see above.  I printed the covers of some of the books I read with the children onto the special paper that can be ironed onto fabric, and arranged them on both sides of the tee shirt and its arms.  I wore it on last year's World Book Day, and the children enjoyed recognising some of the books that we have read together.  Unfortunately the pictures didn't cope very well in the wash, so if you try something like this, a gentle handwash is the way to go.

I always enjoy seeing what the children are wearing.  One of my favourite ones was one of the Year 6 girls a couple of years ago.  She was wearing an old tee shirt and pair of leggings, onto which she and her mum had written lots of different words in black Sharpie.  She had come as a dictionary.

A couple of days ago I received from the primary school where I am a governor their weekly newsletter detailing their plans for World Book Day.  They are going to have a vocabulary parade inspired by Miss Alaineus, A Vocabulary Disaster.  I'm sure that this is something that could be adapted for other languages, not only for World Book Day but for language days or weeks, European Day of Languages and so on.

UPDATE 9.3.20:  This year's dictionary tee shirt!  A quick Sharpie job :)