Beyond the costume: here’s how you can truly celebrate World Book Day

With World Book Day on the horizon, Purva Grover offers some simple tips to make reading part of your kids' everyday routine...

Mum-Dad, you’re the plot twist when it comes to raising readers

Between all the Roald Dahl's, Harry Potter's and Matilda's, it's a good opportunity to pause and ask: did we really celebrate the day – with a book, a story, a few pages, some words?

Just like it’s never too late to pick up a book, it’s never too late to celebrate the day right.

Here’s how you can start.

Spend just 15 minutes on the day (and soon, gradually bring that to every alternate day, with a bonus on weekends), where you and your children sit down with your own books to read. Make a little reading corner or announce 7:30 pm each evening as reading time for the family, before you tuck them into bed. If they are too young to read independently, read aloud to them.

Add books as a gifting option – be it a birthday, Halloween, Christmas, or even a reward for finishing a full meal. We’re done with candies, Labubu dolls, and more; it’s time to wrap up a pretty hardback. Let the kids decide what they wish to gift their friends — this sense of decision-making will draw them in. If they’re into sports, get them books in that genre. If it’s ballerinas or astronomy, choose those. We don’t all like the same pizza toppings (pineapple, no; broccoli, no-no; mushrooms… maybe), so remember – we’ll all like different books too.

Always carry a book with you – when waiting for a meal to arrive, a cab, or even a coffee. When your children watch you reach for a book during an “I’m bored” waiting period instead of scrolling on the phone, they too will ask for a book instead of an iPad. Let them imitate you.

Every now and then, plan a bookish activity. How about a movie night to watch a book-adapted film? Or a “let’s make bookmarks” get-together? Or even a “let’s read to our pets” evening? Introduce them to books through fun, indirect, interactive ways — and your job as a parent is done.

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Purva Grover is an author, poet, playwright, stage director, TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur. She reads 52 books a year and is committed to building spaces that nurture stories. Follow Purva on Instagram to find out more.