Host a Summer Book Club in 5 Easy Steps!
Summer’s here and the living is easy. No more teachers, no more books…While a break from the rigors and routine of the school year is beneficial, we’ve all heard about the “summer slide” or “summer brain drain” that many students experience.
Each summer, I plan activities, field trips and lessons (it’s the teacher in me) to help both of my girls ward off the dreaded summer slide. My goal is to create fun experiences in which the girls don’t even realize they are learning. To keep my older, Tori, engaged in reading, we planned and hosted a five-week mother-daughter book club. Follow the five steps below, and you’ll find yourself spending quality time with your child and socializing with good friends while sneaking in some good, old-fashioned learning.
Step One: Survey Friends and Family
The first step is to determine whether there is an interest among friends to participate in the book club. My daughter and I came up with a list of 10 friends, and I sent an email to all moms gauging their interest/availability. After hearing back from everyone invited, we had six moms and six daughters ready, willing and able to be a part of the book club.
Step Two: Choose a Book
After gathering your group of friends, it’s time to choose a book. I got three book choices for Tori to look over. One of the books I choose, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, was recently made into a movie, so we went with that. We thought it would be for our book club to see the movie together after reading the book.
Step Three: Decide Where and When
Think about how often you’d like to meet. We found that once a week for an hour and a half was the right amount of time. The first half hour was spent discussing what was read and the last hour was time for a craft, game or other activity.
We decided to host at our home, but there are several options available. You could take turns meeting at a different person’s house each week or you could look into using a room at your local library. If the weather is nice, gather outdoors at a park or if the weather doesn’t cooperate, head to Panera or a coffee shop. The possibilities are endless!
Step Four: Read and Plan
Once you’ve chosen a title, decided on how many times you’ll meet and for how often, it’s time for the fun to begin! Read through the book, taking notes along the way for any fun ideas that inspire you while reading the book. Write down any and all ideas—you’ll have time later to narrow down that list. After reading the book, search the internet for lesson plans and fun activities for the title selected. You’ll be amazed by the wealth of information at your finger tips. In fact, much of the planning is already done for you.
Step Five: Let the Fun Begin
Now that all of your plans are made, it’s time for the book club to begin! Each week Tori and I put out a snack and made lemonade for the group. We also made sure that Dad was available to watch Ally, as siblings weren’t allowed at book club (Tori’s rule, and I understood and respected her rule).
To prepare for our discussions, Tori wrote 10 comprehension questions on our assigned reading for the week. It was a great way for me to check her comprehension and a fun way for her to take on a leadership role in our book club. Having a list of questions she prepared in advance made it easier for her to feel comfortable in leading our discussion.
After discussion time, we moved onto our craft or activity. This typically took up the entire time we had allotted.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your kiddo, find a book and put together a summer book club!
KC Parent editor Margaret Sarver can be found at her home in Lenexa reading