βοΈ Templates
World Book Day activity pack
βοΈ Printable templates Β· KiddyCharts
Free PDF with a reading list, design-a-cover sheet, book reviews, a roll-and-read game and eight bookmarks.
Open on KiddyCharts βA day to celebrate stories, when children dress up as favourite book characters and get a book token.
Children can make a simple book-character mask from a paper plate or cereal box, a Cat in the Hat hat from card, a paper bag Wild Thing mask or bookmarks from favourite pages. For an easy costume, use everyday clothes plus one prop, which is exactly what World Book Day itself recommends.
When is World Book Day in the UK 2027? Thursday 4 March 2027.
World Book Day is a charity that champions the fun of reading for children and young people in the UK and Ireland, and 2027 marks its 30th anniversary. On the day, nurseries and schools celebrate books, often with children dressing up as favourite characters and taking part in book-themed activities. A big part of the day is the book token. World Book Day sends Β£1 book tokens (β¬1.50 in Ireland) to children through schools and early years settings, and tokens are also available through magazines, McDonald's and community partnerships. Children can swap a token for one of the special World Book Day Β£1 books or get Β£1 off a full-price book at participating booksellers. Dressing up is optional and does not need to cost much. World Book Day's own advice is to pick a book your child loves and build a costume from clothes you already have, plus one simple prop or label. For children aged 3 to 11, making a mask, hat or bookmark together is a fun, low-cost way to join in.
World Book Day 2027 will be celebrated on Thursday 4 March 2027, the charity's 30th anniversary year.
Date checked against worldbookday.com.
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βοΈ Printable templates Β· KiddyCharts
Free PDF with a reading list, design-a-cover sheet, book reviews, a roll-and-read game and eight bookmarks.
Open on KiddyCharts ββοΈ Printable templates Β· Red Ted Art
Turn a cereal box into a Fantastic Mr Fox mask. The printable stencil is free from Red Ted Art's shop at $0.
Open on Red Ted Art ββοΈ Printable templates Β· Red Ted Art
Free pig mask template for a Three Little Pigs costume. Grown-ups cut the eye holes and use the glue gun.
Open on Red Ted Art βπ¨ Crafts to make Β· Red Ted Art
Turn copies of favourite book pages into card bookmarks finished with a beaded ribbon.
Open on Red Ted Art βπ Costumes & masks Β· World Book Day
Official advice: pick a book your child loves and use clothes you already have, plus one simple prop or label.
Open on World Book Day βπ Costumes & masks Β· Red Ted Art
Quick, low-effort costumes: hats, masks, paper bag outfits and last-minute ideas using clothes you already have.
Open on Red Ted Art βπ Costumes & masks Β· Red Ted Art
Make a striped Cat in the Hat hat from three sheets of A4 card, white paper stripes and tape.
Open on Red Ted Art βπ Costumes & masks Β· Red Ted Art
Paper bag masks for a Wild Thing and for Max, with painted faces, paper strip hair and a gold paper crown.
Open on Red Ted Art βπ Costumes & masks Β· Mum in the Madhouse
Homemade costumes from a UK mum, from Winnie the Witch and Pippi Longstocking to a no-sew superhero cape.
Open on Mum in the Madhouse βπ Costumes & masks Β· Blue Bear Wood
A no-sew Norman the Slug costume from orange clothes, a recycled shell and a headband with big paper eyes.
Open on Blue Bear Wood βπ The story Β· National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust on World Book Day 2027, with classroom ideas such as top hats and potato characters.
Open on National Literacy Trust βπ The story Β· World Book Day
How the token works: swap it for a special Β£1 book or get Β£1 off a full-price book at participating booksellers.
Open on World Book Day βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· NurtureStore
Book nooks, story props, small-world play, simple crafts and early writing ideas for World Book Day.
Open on NurtureStore βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· World Book Day
Low-cost, inclusive dressing-up ideas for schools, including non-costume options that keep the focus on books.
Open on World Book Day βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· KiddyCharts
Eight free printable quiz cards that get children talking about their favourite books and characters.
Open on KiddyCharts βπ« EYFS, KS1 & KS2 Β· World Book Day
A two-hour class session where children make simple costume pieces inspired by a favourite book.
Open on World Book Day βπ‘οΈ Grown-up rules Β· London Fire Brigade
What to check on shop-bought costumes, why to keep them away from candles, and teaching stop, drop and roll.
Open on London Fire Brigade βTap the β on any template to save it here. Your plan stays on this device.
A simple make to start with. Grown-ups handle anything sharp or hot.
Based on redtedart.com.
Simple ways to keep World Book Day crafts safe and fun.
Children's costumes are classed as toys rather than clothing, so look for a UKCA or CE mark and a UK manufacturer or importer address on the packaging.London Fire Brigade
Be wary of costume packaging that says 'highly flammable', as compliant costumes don't carry this wording.London Fire Brigade
Keep children in costume away from candles, tea-lights and other flames, and use battery-operated candles or glow sticks instead.London Fire Brigade
Teach children to stop, drop and roll, covering their face with their hands, if their clothes ever catch fire.London Fire Brigade
Check cheap costumes and props for loose small parts, as anything smaller than a 2p coin can choke a young child.Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)
One short email before World Book Day with the best free templates and ideas. For grown-ups, no spam, unsubscribe any time.
The bits you need for these crafts, on Amazon UK. See the full World Book Day shop β
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For the youngest children, keep it simple and comfy: an animal headband, a paper bag mask, a paper plate mask or their own clothes with one prop, such as a teddy for a bear story. World Book Day's own advice is that the book matters more than a polished costume. Children aged 5 to 11 can help make masks, hats and bookmarks.
Look in the recycling first: cereal boxes, paper bags and card make great masks and hats. Add paint, coloured paper, glue, child-safe scissors, tape and elastic or string. Everyday clothes such as T-shirts, tracksuits and pyjamas make a good costume base, and World Book Day suggests one simple prop or label to finish the look.
Yes. World Book Day is built around schools: the charity sends book tokens through schools and early years settings, and its website has resources such as dressing-up ideas and a class costume workshop. In EYFS, try story props, a cosy book nook and small-world play based on favourite books. KS1 children can design book covers, write reviews and make bookmarks.
Yes. The mask templates and activity packs we link to print on standard A4. For masks, print onto thin card, or trace the template onto a cereal box for extra strength. If a template comes from a US site, choose 'Fit to page' in your print settings. Always check the eye holes line up with your child's eyes before cutting.
London Fire Brigade notes that children's costumes are classed as toys, not clothing, so check shop-bought ones for a UKCA or CE mark and keep children in costume well away from candles. Teach them to stop, drop and roll. For homemade masks, cut generous eye holes, avoid tight elastic, and leave craft knives and glue guns to grown-ups.