World Book Day 2025 – making it meaningful
World Book Day 2025 takes place on Thursday 6th March this year. It provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate books, authors, illustrators, and the love of reading with children and adults alike.
Research tells us that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of future success for a child – even above family circumstance, parents’ educational background and income. There are a myriad of benefits for children who read for pleasure, and the DfE Reading Framework summarised the evidence of these for schools in their report in July 2023.
The evidence base shows that there are six main elements to developing reading for pleasure. These are: being read to regularly; having books at home and at school; having a choice in what to read; finding time to read; having trusted help to find a book; and making reading fun. There is further research about the pedagogy of developing reading for pleasure at the Open University Reading for Pleasure website.
If the main aim of World Book Day 2025 is to promote reading for pleasure and a love of books, schools should plan for activities which are meaningful, truly linked to books and consider the six elements above. Here are some suggestions for your upcoming World Book Day activities.
Being read to regularly
- Mystery Reader: Invite different staff members, parents, or older pupils to read a surprise book to the class.
- Story Relay: Each teacher in the school reads a different chapter of the same book throughout the day.
Having books at home and at school
- Book Swap: Encourage pupils to bring in a pre-loved book and exchange it for a "new" one.
- Book Donation Drive: Collect gently used books for classroom libraries or for pupils to take home.
Having a choice in what to read
- Reading Buffet: Set up a table with a variety of books, allowing pupils to “sample” different genres before choosing one to read.
- Golden Ticket Reads: Hide “golden tickets” in books around the classroom; when a pupil finds one, they get to choose a special book to take home.
Finding time to read
- Drop Everything and Read (DEAR): At random times during the day, ring a bell to signal a short reading break.
- Cozy Reading Zones: Set up comfy areas with cushions, blankets, and fairy lights where pupils can enjoy uninterrupted reading time.
Having trusted help to find a book
- Book Matchmaking: Have pupils fill out “reading profiles” (favourite topics, genres, etc.), and then pair them with a book recommendation from a teacher or librarian.
- Peer Book Talks: Pupils present a short “book advert” to persuade peers to try their favourite book.
Making reading fun
- Dress as a Word: Instead of characters, pupils dress up as interesting words (e.g., “gigantic” with oversized clothes).
- Reading Treasure Hunt: Hide book-related clues around the school leading to a surprise book at the end.
- Extreme Reading Challenge: Encourage pupils to take photos of themselves reading in unusual but safe places (e.g., up a tree, under a table)
Hopefully, there is something here that you might like to try in school on 6th March. You can find more information, downloadable resources, a costume giveaway and details about the book tokens on the World Book Day 2025 website. Have fun building a love of books and reading in your school!
