World Book Day Ideas for Schools

From gripping storytelling sessions, to creative writing workshops and reading for pleasure.

Get ready to dive into a world of imagination, adventure, and endless possibilities with World Book Day workshop ideas for your class!

World Book Day is an annual event that takes place on the first Thursday of March each year. In 2026, World Book Day takes place on 5th March. A celebration of all things literary, this is the perfect time to ignite a lifelong love of reading in children of all ages.

National Storytelling Week

Alongside World Book Day is National Storytelling Week, which takes place at the beginning of February. This week long event is designed to share with children the joy of reading and story telling.

From dressing up as favorite book characters to exploring new stories and genres, World Book Day is a whimsical, wondrous occasion that brings the magic of books to life. Looking for ideas on how to let your creativity run wild? Alongside filling your school with colorful costumes, lively discussions, or interactive storytelling sessions that transport young readers to faraway lands, how about a fun and engaging workshop to tie-in with your literacy learning objectives.

World Book Day is an excellent way to promote literacy and given children an appreciation for the written word. By encouraging children to pick up a book and lose themselves in its pages, we are helping to develop critical thinking skills and expand vocabularies. World Book Day is a creative way to engage with a topic through fun and enjoyment - we wish we had come up with it!

Our World Book Day workshop ideas take many different forms - dance along with your favourite characters and stories with a drama and dance workshop. Listen to the stories of fabled children's writes like Roald Dahl, or have a go at writing your own creative stories with tips and tricks from the experts. If you are looking to boost your school's enjoyment of World Book Day and teach your class the joy of reading for pleasure, take a look at the various school workshop ideas below. There are many literary adventures perfect for your class!

World Book Day workshops..

If you would like ideas on how to bring a workshop into your school for World Book Day.

English & Literacy

Browse a range of English themed day trips and English literacy workshops as a perfect tie-in with your world book day plans.

English Literacy Workshops

Pirates

Fun tales of swashbuckling pirates in a series of workshops aimed at bringing stories of buccaneering adventures to your primary class.

Pirates stories & adventures

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World Book Day experiences

World Book Day

During this Drama Hut workshop, enthusiastic writer, 'Sally' shares her love of storytelling, using the 'Phizz-Whizzing' stories of Roald Dahl. Create the characters, bring them to life and explore what makes a 'Giganticus' story for world book day!
World Book Day details..

World Book Day Dance Workshops

Book The Best "Dance Days" - Our World Book Day dance workshops bring books to life through dance and give your pupils the chance to get creative. With over 1000 5⭐ reviews from verified teachers! Booking FAST, confirm your date now.
World Book Day Dance Workshops details..

Inspire Reading for Pleasure

Even before the Institute of Education reported that reading for pleasure has "powerful influence on children’s cognitive development," schools were thanking us for inspiring their learners to read. Bring this empowering engagement to your school.
Inspire Reading for Pleasure details..

Pep the Poet - Mental Health & Well-being

Pep the Poet is a tremendous advocate of raising awareness and promoting positive mental health through creative means. He does this through his writing, poems and keynote speeches.
Pep the Poet - Mental Health & Well-being details..

Roald Dahl- 12 days of Christmas

This Drama Hut Workshop is aimed at inspiring young writers over the festive season. Let our professional actor, take the children on an adventure to explore the stories and characters created by one of the world’s favourite children’s authors!
Roald Dahl- 12 days of Christmas details..

The Suitcase Storyteller Workshop

Join our 'Suitcase Storyteller' for a fully engaging and interactive dive into a storybook, using props, music, drama and more. This isn't your standard story reading. Children will step inside the story and become a part of the tale as it unfolds.
The Suitcase Storyteller Workshop details..

Themed Storytelling

In the year that the IoE found reading for pleasure to have "a powerful influence on children’s cognitive development," our European Lifelong Learning study saw learners score 26% better in a standardised test. Bring these results to your school!
Themed Storytelling details..

Creative Writing-Engage and Inspire Roald Dahl

During this Drama Hut workshop, our enthusiastic writer, 'Sally' shares her love of storytelling, using the 'Phizz-Whizzing' stories of Roald Dahl. Create the characters, bring them to life and explore what makes a 'Giganticus' story as inspiration!
Creative Writing-Engage and Inspire Roald Dahl details..

Pep the Poet

Hello! I’m Pep the Poet. My mission is to ‘scatter sunshine one poem at a time.’ I deliver whole school poetry workshops &well-being days which are fun, exciting and interactive. I’ve written and published five poetry collections for
Pep the Poet details..

Fairy Tales Workshop & Wow Day

Dan Tastic Education brings stories & fantasy to life with incredible Fairy Tale Wow Days! Your pupils will be inspired & engaged by an array of props, videos & student interaction with one of our fun & entertaining Dan Tastic Workshop Facilitator
Fairy Tales Workshop & Wow Day details..

Storytelling Into Writing

Whether its deciding what to write or how to write, the motivation begins with the WHY – which should be purposeful, understandable, relevant, and ideally enjoyable. Storytelling provides these elements in abundance.
Storytelling Into Writing details..

Creative Writing-Engage and Inspire' - Fairy tales

During this Drama Hut Workshop, enthusiastic writer 'Sally Spade', is keen to help you discover what makes a great story! Create characters, explore how a story is structured and with the help of a well-known fairy tale, let your imaginations ignite!
Creative Writing-Engage and Inspire' - Fairy tales details..

Storytelling

Storytelling provides a truly enthralling, immersive, empowering experience, making it perfect for celebrations with hidden benefits for your learners. Our unique style guarantees every learner has a say in the stories told, ensuring engagement.
Storytelling details..

Immersive Storytelling

Covid-safe in-person performances designed to stimulate children's creativity and love of literacy, as well as for all other areas of life.
Immersive Storytelling details..

Custom VR Adventures: Tailored Virtual Reality Experiences

Teachers will have the unique opportunity to dictate the themes and videos, tailoring the VR experiences to their students' interests and curriculum needs.
Custom VR Adventures: Tailored Virtual Reality Experiences details..

Playbox Theatre Workshops

Experience performing arts workshops with Playbox Theatre, one of the UK's leading theatre companies for young people. We can host your students for a wide range of engaging theatre or dance workshops, or our facilitators can travel to you!
Playbox Theatre Workshops details..

Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood meets a cunning wolf on her way to Grandma’s house in this classic tale of bravery and trust. With suspense, clever disguises, and important lessons, it’s a story to remember - just don’t stray from the path!
Red Riding Hood details..

Theatre Workout Education

Theatre Workout is one of the UK's leading drama and theatre workshop providers. We deliver bespoke West End Workshops, Outreach Workshops in schools across the UK, and offering weekly classes and clubs in London schools.
Theatre Workout Education details..

VR Time Travel: Journey through the World Wars

Travelling back in time to World War I or II in VR gives students a different perspective on the horrors of war and allows them to empathise with the topic more than ever before.
VR Time Travel: Journey through the World Wars details..

Whole School Drama Literacy Project

Join The Drama Geezers for an interactive storytelling extravaganza, where children take the reins in crafting a brand-new tale through imaginative play. The school story is then published and printed for all to enjoy.
Whole School Drama Literacy Project details..

Discover Ancient Greece in the Open-Air!

Would you like your students to explore Ancient Greece in a completely new way? Then let's take it outside and learn about Ancient Greece through one of their most important and influential cultures... theatre!
Discover Ancient Greece in the Open-Air! details..

Tudors & Elizabethans Workshop

We bring interactive history right to your school via a full range of resources including our mini-museum, replica weapons and games; all hosted by our experienced actors who bring history to life in the classroom.
Tudors & Elizabethans Workshop details..

Portals To The Past

Portals to the Past provide high quality history workshops in schools for KS2, led by experienced historical re-enactors and historians. Available across most of England. From the Stone Age through to WW2 our workshops come to your school.
Portals To The Past details..

Kings, Queens & Castles Workshop

Characters, Stories, Artefacts, Games,Costumes and Coin Making. An engaging workshop discovering the lives of Kings and Queens and where they lived! What castle would you choose?
Kings, Queens & Castles Workshop details..

The Ancient Greeks

Humph’s Histories is led by Steve Humpherson who has a passion for history and passing on this passion. Steve combines fun and learning through his exciting and engaging activity based workshops. Just click to see the full list of workshops offer
The Ancient Greeks details..

Mission Possible: Where young detectives turn teamwork into triumph!

WiseUp’s Mission Possible is the ultimate KS1 & KS2 team building adventure! Packed with physical and mental challenges, students must become detectives, work together to crack clues and solve the crime. Are they up for taking on Mission Possible?
Mission Possible: Where young detectives turn teamwork into triumph! details..

Themed planetarium experiences

Immersive Experiences have been creating memorable events for over a decade, by combining the magic of immersive digital technologies, science and amazing people.
Themed planetarium experiences details..

Virtual Reality - A Trip Through Time

A not to be missed opportunity to visit and experience key moments in time. This experience will allow you to either scale through key moments in time or select a key focus for your workshop to theme around.
Virtual Reality - A Trip Through Time details..

AI Adventures: Artificial Intelligence with Minecraft Education

Using Minecraft Education, participants will explore the fundamentals of AI, engage in creative problem-solving, and develop their own AI-powered projects
AI Adventures: Artificial Intelligence with Minecraft Education details..

A Victorian Christmas

During this Drama Hut Workshop, we meet 'Flora', a Victorian carol singer! She is eager to share her tales and experiences of the infamous 'Ebenezer Scrooge'! Using improvisation, song games and role play, explore what a Victorian Christmas was like!
A Victorian Christmas details..

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