Start an After-School Kids' Book Club

 

            Today's Snack: Let's make a "book" you can eat!

Cut a piece of whole-wheat bread in half. You should end up with two rectangles. These will be the front and back "covers" of your book.

Now stack up a few slices of cheese, some trimmed bologna or ham, and a lettuce leaf cut into a rectangle shape. You might even trim a zucchini length to go in there.

Now "stack" the pages of your book.

With a squeeze bottle of mustard, mayonnaise, or both, write "BOOK" on the front "cover" piece of bread.

Then eat your book!

 

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Today's Supplies:

Help from a parent or teacher

A list of books you'd like to read

 

 

            It's pretty well known that kids who like to read, and read a lot, do the best in school. It's kind of like practicing for soccer or the piano: the kids who put the most time into developing the skill, and always try their best, usually turn out to be the best.

 

It's the same way with reading. To be a really good reader, you need to practice. So a smart kid will look for several different ways to spend time reading. And if you can do that with your friends, and have a good time, so much the better!

 

            A great way to make sure you devote enough time to reading is to start a book club. It's fun, too!

 

 

To start a book club, you can do it on your own with a little parental help or with one or two friends. You can hold meetings at your home or someplace safe where there's adult supervision.

 

Or you can ask a teacher, the school librarian or after-school program director to help you. But then it becomes a formal, school-sponsored activity, and you might want it to be a little more relaxed than that. But maybe meeting at school is A-OK.

 

            Start small: commit to one book club meeting per month for three months, reading three books altogether. Then in the third month, decide if you want to continue for another three months. Nobody can protest that that's a "black hole" of a commitment. It's sensible, limited and do-able.

 

            It's a good idea to invite the parents to at least the first meeting so that they'll know what's going on and can support (and pay for!) the club's activities.

 

            You might even consider a mother-daughter or father-son book club, or some combination, to help your parents get to know each other and your friends a little better.

 

How many students should you invite? Not too many, but not too few. Think about how many you can seat in the room or place you're going to have your club, so that everybody can see everybody else's face but you're not too squashed. Maybe six or eight, or a few more? Remember how busy some kids are with sports and scouts, and try to set a time that won't interfere with dinner or bedtime.

 

If you'd like more members, you might find a free place to meet at the library, YMCA, a church, a fitness center, or even a coffee shop, though it would be important to have adult supervision in the room or at least nearby at all times.

 

            Next in this series: your first meeting.