It’s World Book Day! 📖

So, here’s a short (but surprisingly interesting!) history of World Book Day…

Love it or loathe it – every March, schools across the UK explode into a joyful riot of tiny Gruffalos, superheroes, wizards, and the occasional cardboard box robot. Yes – it’s World Book Day, the annual celebration that turns children into characters and classrooms into imaginary worlds. 

World Book Day started life not as the dress up day we know it as today, but as a global celebration of reading. It was created by UNESCO in 1995 as a way to promote books, publishing and literacy around the world, but in 1998, the UK put its own spin on the celebration as part of a national push to support children’s literacy. Schools across the country were encouraged to take part, and the now famous £1 book tokens were introduced so that every child could own a book – something still at the heart of World Book Day today. 

Since then, World Book Day in the UK has grown – schools dress up, invite authors and illustrators, and fill classrooms with literacy activities, all to help children discover the joy of reading.  

Why we love it at Eureka! 

At Eureka!, we know that stories are often where curiosity begins…

Books help children explore new ideas, build empathy, and imagine worlds far bigger than their own – the very same skills our exhibits are designed to spark. Whether it’s through play, storytelling, dressing up, or hands on discovery, World Book Day taps into the heart of what we believe: children learn best when they’re having fun. 

Right now, our Little Explorers theme is “All About Me”, a wonderfully playful programme designed to help early years children learn more about themselves, their bodies, and what makes each of them unique. Just as books open windows into imaginary worlds, All About Me helps little ones look inward, discovering their own story. It’s the perfect companion to World Book Day: a celebration of who we are, who we can imagine ourselves to be, and how stories – on the page or in play – help children make sense of their world. 

So this World Book Day, why not let your little reader don their favourite costume and step into a space where they can explore their own story from head to toe?
Visit Eureka! and see how we bring imagination, identity and play together in one joyful, curiosity fuelled adventure.