From Readers To Leaders

-Ms. Ranjana Bhandare

On 17th October 2026, Don Bosco Primary School, Matunga, came alive with the magic of books as students of Standards I to IV celebrated Readathon Day with great enthusiasm. The day was designed to help children discover that reading is not just a school activity—it is an adventure that opens doors to new worlds, new ideas, and endless possibilities.

The celebration began with a lively introductory song, followed by engaging PowerPoint presentations and storytelling sessions. Through familiar characters, exciting plots, and colourful visuals, students were encouraged to look beyond the pages of a book and imagine themselves as explorers, heroes, problem-solvers, and dreamers. The sessions highlighted how reading builds comprehension, strengthens imagination, and helps children understand people and situations better.

What made Readathon Day truly special was the way every standard participated in creative, hands-on activities that connected reading with art, imagination, and self-expression.

The students of Standard I crafted little books using ice cream sticks and cheerful smiley-face cut-outs. As they assembled their tiny books, they experienced the joy of holding something they had made themselves—an early and meaningful step towards developing a love for books.

Standard II students designed attractive collage bookmarks using cardboard, coloured paper, glue, and ribbons. Each bookmark became a personal reading companion, reminding children that every reading journey deserves a special place to pause and return to.

Students of Standard III created colourful bookmarks decorated with stickers, crayons, and ribbons. While expressing their artistic side, they also learned how small tools like bookmarks can make reading more organised, enjoyable, and personal.

Standard IV students took their creativity a step further through division-wise activities. Std IV A made colourful paper-circle bookworms titled “Reading Makes Me Grow!” Each circle captured an important part of their reading experience—their favourite book, character, scene, learning, and reason for enjoying the story. This activity encouraged children to reflect on what they read rather than simply finish a book.

Std IV B prepared accordion storybooks, carefully illustrating the beginning, problem, events, and ending of a story. This helped students understand story structure and sequencing in a fun, visual way. Std IV C designed pop-up books featuring characters and objects from their favourite stories, turning imagination into something children could see, touch, and share. Meanwhile, Std IV D created paper masks of beloved story characters—lions, princesses, superheroes, and detectives—and wrote the corresponding book titles on them, bringing stories to life in a playful and memorable manner.

These activities offered students valuable opportunities to strengthen comprehension, storytelling, sequencing, fine motor skills, concentration, patience, and confidence. More importantly, they encouraged children to think independently and express their ideas creatively.

Readathon Day also reminded students that reading should become a part of everyday life. They were encouraged to set aside time for reading at home, maintain reading planners, use bookmarks to track their progress, and share interesting stories with family and friends. Students were also motivated to practise the values they discover in stories—kindness, honesty, empathy, and helpfulness—in their daily interactions.

The celebration taught children to handle books with care and to see reading as a source of knowledge, inspiration, and joy. It showed them that every book has the power to teach something new, comfort them, make them laugh, or inspire them to dream bigger.

Readathon Day was a delightful and enriching experience that brought together literacy, creativity, and experiential learning. It helped students engage with books beyond the classroom and realise that reading is not merely an academic skill—it is a lifelong habit that broadens horizons and nurtures imagination.

The day successfully reinforced the importance of building a strong reading culture among young learners and inspired them to begin a lifelong journey of learning through books.