World Book Day is a charity event held annually in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the first Thursday in March. On World Book Day, children in full-time education in the UK get the opportunity to dress up as their favourite literary character as a fun way to encourage children to engage with reading.
For many children World Book Day is a day filled with fun, but for children with autism, the day can be very stressful and can fill them with anxiety. Often autistic children thrive on routine and the thought of being out of uniform can be a very scary thought. Other children may have sensory challenges and may struggle with new fabrics. Children and their parents should be under no pressure to get their children to get dressed up for World Book Day, and some children may feel more comfortable wearing their own comfy reading clothes or the school uniform. While it may be fun for some children to dress up, it is perfectly normal for other children to choose not to.
Celebration activities like dressing up are a special part of World Book Day, but the most important activity is to help children to feel included, encouraged and supported to read for pleasure.
Peter Pan’s Shadow and boy dressing up as Prince Harry steal the show for World Book Day 2023!
Here are some of our favourite costumes from World Book Day 2023.
A last-minute scramble for #WorldBookDay re-using a Halloween morphsuit – Peter Pan’s Shadow 😂 #WorldBookDay2023 pic.twitter.com/YJn0Bz6V7B
— Angela Hough (@angeladunn6) March 2, 2023
Today is World Book day and this cute little boy dressed up has Prince Harry. He must be a fan, he also has great taste. Have a great day little Ellis. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/sF4JQUFOsL
— The Duchess (@h_desires) March 2, 2023
@thismorning proof #WorldBookDay can cost very little, all recycled boxes and £1 for the ribbon. Harry aged 10 from Manchester as a Trojan horse and warrior thanks to his amazing dad pic.twitter.com/6IgYjU7m5f
— Helen Walford (@fairylander) March 2, 2023
Happy World Book Day from Katy and her Wizzybug with one of her favourite books – Dear Zoo!
Her mum added: "I asked what she wanted to dress up as – we went through loads of princess dresses and other costumes but she wanted monkey and a very cheeky monkey too!"#WorldBookDay pic.twitter.com/B39u5Srfc7
— Designability (@DesignabilityUK) March 2, 2023
I think we pulled off the last minute homemade Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid costume @wimpykid Happy World Book Day! pic.twitter.com/Fco8PmZ9aP
— Charlotte (@readalotte) March 2, 2023
@WorldBookDayUK “In a world full of grinches be a Cindy Lou Who” Happy Birthday @DrSeuss Thank You for so many amazing children’s books! #WorldBookDay #DrSeuss #CindyLouWho #Whoville
Daisy, Age 11, Manchester Road Primary Academy pic.twitter.com/88D0uTpPEe— Stacey 🌻 (@What_Stace_Said) March 2, 2023
My world book day costume – You will never runout of options In reading and picking a costume . Please save the animals and make sure earth looks beautiful ! @Natures_Voice @RSPBEngland @_BTO @NHM_London @katemacrae @DrAmirKhanGP @WoodlandTrust @nationaltrust @RareBirdAlertUK pic.twitter.com/WzfpWq5Xvl
— Aneeshwar Kunchala BCyA (@Aneeshwar_K) March 2, 2023
World Book Day! Archie Wright as Prince Harry The Spare!😂 pic.twitter.com/oCv8Zy09p0
— Georgina Wright (@GeorgieMercW) March 2, 2023
@jamiesmart Thanks for all the Flember! Frank made his own Boja costume for World Book Day ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4ggnPC0TTH
— Eve Hart 💙 (@EveHart) March 2, 2023
Two heros! Jude couldn't decide between hulk, batman or fireman Sam, so, Hulk hat, Fireman Sam PJ's underneath his batman costume for world book day 😂📚 pic.twitter.com/RCl7A9NGtD
— Gee (@Geemc90) March 2, 2023
We love a creative costume here at the Wirral Globe.
Well done to Minnie Chandler who wanted to go as Amelia Earhart for World Book Day. Great costume! 👏
See more of your World Book Day pictures here: https://t.co/GMiDLWr23r pic.twitter.com/t0nLsy2Ysd— Wirral Globe (@WIRRALGLOBENEWS) March 2, 2023
A homemade costume – wow!
Ten-year-old Lacey Cooper went to school for World Book Day as Incy Wincy Spider.
What a brilliant idea. Well done Lacey! 👏
Your World Book Day 2023 pictures: https://t.co/6DRmICqnXo
It's not too late to share your photos: https://t.co/9JYcRjdWHR pic.twitter.com/2PPfrBbJs5— Warrington Guardian (@warringtonnews) March 2, 2023
Love seeing all the World Book Day costumes! Here’s a throwback to the time I went all in with the effort! 🤣🤣 #theboyinthestripedpajamas pic.twitter.com/blQ0OPyonh
— Susanne Driffield (@s_driffield) March 2, 2023
Paddy the Baddy World Book Day costume. Harry Gregory, aged 8, from Huyton. @PaddyTheBaddy pic.twitter.com/BZWZSeSJNm
— Liverpool Echo (@LivEchonews) March 2, 2023
We have some great costumes today for World Book Day. Layla has come as Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch #WorldBookDay2023 pic.twitter.com/wwmKnd9X8w
— Oasis Aspinal (@OasisAspinal) March 2, 2023
Happy world book day! #WorldBookDay #PrinceHarry #SouthPark #cartman #ginger #PrinceWilliam pic.twitter.com/kB2nfHrZNH
— Ash (@Wellreamcom) March 2, 2023
@thelaurengraham World book day today , this is Bertie wearing his Where’s Wally costume . Hope you like . Xx pic.twitter.com/C4a8Mdjavl
— Nelly (@JulieDalt) March 2, 2023
Our Newest pups getting to grips with their future roles.
Happy world book day everyone 🐾🐾 pic.twitter.com/sSlbiXNgJ2
— GMP Tactical Dog Unit (@GMPDogs) March 2, 2023
Happy World Book Day! Chase as Prince Harry this year, with his book "Spare" #WorldBookDay #WBD23 pic.twitter.com/rGRwAtSnj0
— 🍒 🎮 Nikki 🎮 🍒 (@GlamandGeeky) March 2, 2023
To find out about how I AM can offer support contact us at admin@i-am autism.org.uk or give us a call on 0161 866 8483
