Launch World Book Day 2026 in your primary school with this specially designed assembly from Jigsaw PSHE. It explores how reading and sharing books can support children’s mental and emotional health, using the NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing to introduce simple, age-appropriate ideas. The assembly sets a shared starting point for your celebration and helps children think about how reading makes them feel.
Why it works
This assembly creates a clear, inclusive beginning for your whole-school celebration. It introduces how books can act as mirrors that reflect our own experiences and windows that offer new perspectives. Because the themes link directly to the five wellbeing ideas (connecting with others, being active, noticing the world, learning new things, and giving to others), children start to see reading as a tool for happiness and wellbeing rather than something only connected to schoolwork. As a result, it helps all children approach World Book Day with curiosity and confidence.
Who is it for
- Primary school teachers and senior leaders
- Assembly coordinators
- PSHE leads
- Whole primary school communities (ages 3–11)
- Schools celebrating World Book Day 2026
How to use it
You can deliver the assembly to the whole school or adapt selected sections for different age groups. Use it to introduce the wellbeing stations before children visit them, or as a standalone celebration of reading. The content encourages children to notice what they enjoy reading and prepares them to share recommendations with their peers during the week. Additionally, the themes provide a simple framework for follow-up discussion in class.
Get started
Download the assembly presentation and familiarise yourself with the five wellbeing themes. Decide whether you will use the full assembly or tailor it for your setting. Consider inviting children to bring a favourite book in any format to share afterwards. You might also choose a few example books that fit each wellbeing theme to help demonstrate how the ideas work in practice.
Further Jigsaw resources
Part of the World Book Day + Jigsaw PSHE 2026 collection
This assembly supports all the resources in your World Book Day pack. You can use it before children complete their Book collector cards or visit the Book swap stations. The Reading suggestions list provides examples linked to each wellbeing theme, and the Teacher guidance sheet helps you plan your whole celebration. Visit the Jigsaw partner page for the full pack and downloads:
- Book swap stations
- Teacher guidance sheet
- Infographic guide
- Book Collector Cards
Use of World Book Day resources
These resources are free to use for schools, early years settings, libraries, charities, and community groups celebrating World Book Day. Commercial organisations must have a partnership or licence agreement in place before using World Book Day assets. If you are interested in working with us, please contact partnerships@worldbookday.com.
