So with few belongings, just like the current refugees, Paddington arrives in a new country after a long and perilous journey. Chat to your children about how he might have been feeling? Cold? Hungry? Scared? He must have been brave to make that long journey! Paddington shares a lot with the refugees. The particular year in these photos we weren’t allowed free reign to choose – we had to create a costume from a specified book. No.1 was given ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. In case you’re not sure, that’s a Minotaur. Particularly proud of that one. And not at ALL bitter that it didn’t win. The end of the bedtime story? As research suggests fewer parents read to their kids, we rediscover the joys of storytime Think about sleepwear - Pyjamas and nighties can work for all sorts of costumes, like The Darlings from Peter Pan or Sophie from The BFG.

Coming in all shapes and sizes, and delighting kids and adults of all ages, books are not only our windows to the world, but the windows to our own souls. Just as colour is a reflection of light, so our own feelings and histories colour in the meaning of a book, refracting the author’s intention through the prism of our own reality. There’s a reason ‘What’s your favourite book?’ is such a common first date question: books can reveal us just as much as they reveal to us.I have fond memories of reading this book to my daughter when she was young. It was her favourite book, and I’d read it to her every evening before she went to bed. It’s a lovely book, it’s got wonderful, colourful illustrations, but it’s also funny and appeals to children and adults alike. You won't have to go to Infinity or beyond to make your kid a great Buzz Lightyear costume this World Book Day, you just need this easy-to-follow guide! Top tips for making World Book Day costumes If you have a brightly coloured T-shirt, your child could easily pass as a Mr Men or Little Miss character of that colour. Think blue for Mr Sneezy, green for Mr Nosey and yellow for Little Miss Sunshine.

Every toddler’s favourite! Perfect for a simple but fun nursery costume. All you need is circles of card – or paper plates. Kids love to help make this one.

Ask the children to come along dressed up as their favourite book character to add to the spirit of the evening. Get the leaders involved too and create a real buzz in your Anchor Section. 5. Getting into the Bible: The Wordless Book This can be either really simple or you can get creative with it! If you choose to do Mr Strong, you can paint a cardboard box red (that can fit over your child), don’t forget to paint his face on the front-facing side! World Book Day falls on Thursday March 2 this year. The day is all about celebrating a love of reading and kids enjoy getting dressed up as their favourite book characters for school. Many book characters are pretty ordinary kids, which is one of the reasons why children love them so much. Think of characters that wear normal clothes and add accessories to make them into their bookish persona.

This is the first book that I ever bought at a book fair at my primary school. I love it because of the ridiculous nature and calamity that always happens in Roald Dahl’s books. I always find that his books are really entertaining, because it challenges people’s perceptions of different things. One year Boy’s class was given the Katie Morag books, and with confidence and relish he decided to go as Granny Island. He donned one of my floral tunics as a dress, we had a grey wig in the dressing up box… and off he went. Not for one second did his 8yr old self believe spending a day in an old lady dress might leave him open to ridicule – and such was his panache that he made it all the way through to lunchtime before realising a dress isn’t up to football on the field, and switching for his PE kit for the rest of the day. I was pretty proud, actually. Everyone knows and adores this lovable bear! And it’s quite simple to dress up like him too. All you need is a blue raincoat (or a blue dress if you can’t find a raincoat), a red hat and some bear ears! 4. A Mr Men or Little Miss Character – Giles Pruett, Principal, Arcadia School, Dubai The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson, Selma LagerlofRaid the fruit bowl for a shiny red apple for Snow White or stuff a pillow inside an oversized pink or red T-shirt for Roger Hargreaves' Mr Greedy - just secure it in place by wrapping a belt underneath it. Children can record their work on their own achievement chart and be rewarded at the end of the challenge with a certificate.

Forgotten about the World Book Day costume? Here are 10 simple outfits you can make at home to avoid the last-minute supermarket sweep. Matthew Tompkins. Principal and CEO, GEMS FirstPoint School, The Villa The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier Whilst at secondary school, I loved Chris Bonnington’s book “Annapurna Southface” about a deliberately very challenging ascent of Annapura in 1970. The spirit of determination and ingenuity displayed by Bonnington and his team further fuelled my passion for mountaineering first ignited by my mother who was a keen mountaineer in her younger years. Ten years after reading this book, I found myself heading up Annapurna which was truly terrific! Never under estimate the power of books! Kids love wearing sportswear to school so why not embrace this? If your son or daughter is in a football team, get them dressed up in their kit to go as Frankie from Frank Lampard's book Frankie's Magic Football. A World Book Day costume classic! This quirky outfit just requires a stripy hat made from strong card, and some eyeliner whiskers. The big red bow is a fun touch and could be made from a red scarf, some old fabric or some red tissue paper.Go on a reading adventure with Mr Men and Little Miss. Here are all the resources you need to run a Mr Men and Little Miss-themed competition in your school or early years setting. My favourite book as a primary school pupil was Gerald Durrell’s “My Family And Other Animals.” I loved the combination of a slightly bonkers but very lovable family and the young Durrell’s curiosity about and kindness towards the animals. Add to these the environments he encountered in a land that was very foreign to him and the book served to fuel my interest in the outdoors, adventure, and travel from a very early age! Get creative with cardboard. There's almost nothing you can't make with some cardboard, scissors, and a good idea.