World Book Day’s mission is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. They want to see more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a life-long habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them. Designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries around the globe.

From a Parent-Toddler group through to the Class years, children in a Steiner Waldorf School are immersed in stories. Starting with simple nature stories, children will hear many stories through the years: fairy tales, folk tales, fables, myths, legends, stories from history, biographies of scientists – spoken aloud by the teacher and transmitted heart-to-heart.

In this way stories can spark the imagination, introduce new learning and immerse children in a topic. Teachers also use stories as a powerful way to relate with and support individual children and the social life of a class. A  carefully chosen or crafted story can help children process grief, support self confidence and deal with unexpected circumstances.