Looking for a tip to help your family stay connected in this fast-paced world? Start a parent-child book club to simply and economically make connections with your children through a community of books. Busy moms will appreciate how this activity will easily blend into their already full lives.
To get started, find a few like-minded friends and their children who are interested in joining you on this adventure. Agree on the goals and ground rules for your family book club. Choose a first book that will be challenging and engaging to read. The host adult for each meeting can draft open-ended discussion questions that will ideally stimulate a rewarding and meaningful book discussion. You can share your values and thoughts about situations that arise in the books, and your children can share their feelings and ideas through discussing situations that the book’s characters faced. Also, the host can create enrichment activities such as book-inspired art or science projects, snacks, field trips, movement or sports activities, and games or puzzles. These types of experiences truly enhance the book discussion and provide a hands-on experience that everyone will remember. Enjoy reading the books that your group has selected, and bonding with your family through discussions and related activities. It works for me!
Melissa Stoller
Co-author, The Parent-Child Book Club: Connecting With Your Kids Through Reading (Melissa Stoller & Marcy Winkler, HorizonLine Publishing, 2009, www.parentchildbookclub.com). This is a comprehensive resource book with step-by-step instructions for organizing and conducting your family book club. The 20 Book Club Model Guides provide everything families need to get started!
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