Let’s face it, we’re not all the sporty type, and the same goes for our kids. Some of us are coordinated, while the rest of us have talents that lie elsewhere. What’s important is that you exercise what you are good at and keep your mind and body stimulated, in which ever way suits you best.

As a kid, I LOVED to read! My passion kicked in at the age of 11, when I read my first Nancy Drew mystery. The rest of my friends however had other interests, they were the sporty types and spent their hours after school on the hockey and netball fields, while my nose was found buried in a book, not a very social activity at all. But, it could have been! If only my parents had thought of starting a book club so that me and other like-minded kids could not only be encouraged to read, but also to socialize and discuss our findings.

Anyway, I’m older now and while I have no regrets with the way I was raised,  when my son learns to read, I have every intention of starting a book club for kids. I have even started my research and have a plan of action.

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Here’s How You Can Start A Book Club For Kids

 
1. First and foremost, if your child does not have any interest in joining a book club, do not force him or her to do so! This, however, does not mean that you can’t start the club for other kids. 
2. Determine the age group of the member. You do not want the age group to vary too much, ideally, the kids need to be close in age, so that they can all appreciate the set books and chat about them on the same level of maturity.
3. Decide on how many members you want in the group, and then stick to your decision. To few members might not make for a very lively discussion, but having too many participants tends to not give everyone to voice their opinions. I would say that the age group of the kids will determine the number of members you should plan for.
4. Recruit your members. This might require a bit of advertising, but a poster at your nearest school should do the trick, or ask the school to include your search for members in their next newsletter.
5. Once you have gathered some dedicated members, your first meeting should be held to discuss the ground rules, the meeting schedule and the very first book to be read.

Further to the above, you might also want to discuss with the parents which venue would be more suitable, will there be snacks, what times would suit everyone best and so on. You’ll probably find that during the first 2-3 meetings will be more about finding the feet of the newly established book club, but you will soon have the ball rolling. 

Who says book clubs are only for adults! Kids can have so much fun, and learn a ton too, by being an active book club member. What I like best about this extramural activity or hobby, is that you don’t have to do it alone, books are meant to be shared and appreciated by all – a book club allows you to do just that!