20 ideas for World Book Day

Discover 20 engaging World Book Day ideas for schools, including pop-up book festivals, extreme reading challenges, and creative displays, perfect for inspiring KS3-5 students to develop a lifelong love of reading.
What's included
This comprehensive World Book Day resource includes:
- 20 engaging whole-school activities to celebrate reading
- Flexible ideas suitable for different educational settings
- Activities perfect for Key Stage 3-5 students
Available as a free PDF download, or subscribe to access the editable version.
World Book Day ideas for schools
Transform your school into a celebration of reading with these creative activities:
Create immersive experiences with pop-up book festivals and 'Big Draw' events where students chalk their favourite book characters in communal spaces. Set up dramatic displays using graffiti walls and creative book review trees.
Encourage active participation through:
- 'Extreme Reading' photo displays featuring quirky reading locations
- A 'Little Free Library' initiative promoting book sharing within the school community
- Book-themed competitions and quizzes with book prizes
Download our free PDF resource to discover more creative ways to celebrate World Book Day at your school!
Looking for more World Book Day ideas and resources?
Explore our World Book Day resources:
- Browse our World Book Day activities
- Download classroom posters celebrating books and reading
- Try our brilliant book quiz
- Get creative with our reading postcards
Find complete resource collections for:
- Secondary schools: World Book Day secondary resources
- Primary schools: World Book Day primary resources
Example ideas from the resource:
Big displays. Celebrate books and reading of all kinds with dramatic, large-scale displays on WBD. Create temporary graffiti walls using large rolls of paper and marker pens to encourage students to share their favourite books or characters. Bring in real tree branches and get students to add book reviews as ‘leaves’, or create a fantasy island map with students adding ‘Desert Island’ recommendations.
Extreme reading. Display pictures of students or staff reading in interesting or quirky places. Google ‘extreme reading’ for inspiration.
Little free library. Set up a little free library for a day by getting students and staff to donate unwanted books that anyone can freely take home, or curate book boxes which can be easily moved between tutor/form rooms and classrooms to encourage more reading every day in school.
Bring out the bunting. Decorate your classroom or hallways with bunting flags featuring book covers on one side and students’ comments on the reverse.
Great British Book Off. Hold book-themed quizzes and competitions (cakes optional). Give books as prizes if you can!
Vegimal book characters. Encourage younger students to create their own versions of famous book characters using playdoh, plasticine, sweets or even vegetables (with costumes and drawn-on faces).
All reviews
Have you used this resource?
Review this resource28/02/2021
23/02/2017