Bookworm Book Club: Back to School Activities for Kids

Before school starts, invite your children's friends over to celebrate back-to-school and reading. After a summer spent removed from books, it's important to get back into the learning groove and books are an essential piece of that process.

Have the kids bring their favorite book, or best summer read and have a formal "Book Talk." Think of this as a book club for the kids and have some good questions ready to help start the conversations and make them interesting. Here are some ideas:

If you could be any character from your book, who would you be, and why?
If you could invite a character over to your house, who would it be?
If you could talk to the author, what would you ask him?
Does this book remind you of any other books you've read?

Set up a table for the children to have some fun with a couple of bookworm crafts that they can take home for added fun.

Bookworm Bookmarks

While e-readers are becoming the norm, picking up an ol' fashioned book should be encouraged. We love the idea of creating these simple bookworm bookmarks.

Supplies

turquoise cardstock cut 6 1/2  X  3 inches
orange cardstock cut  2 3/8  X  5 5/8 inches
white cardstock cut 2 1/4  X  5 3/8 inches
stamp pad in 2 colors
thin permanent black marker
adhesive
paper punch
ribbon
alphabet stickers

Directions

On the white paper, have the children make a fingerprint worm by pressing their pinky finger on an ink pad of one color and spacing the dots apart to allow for the 2nd color.

Now have them make their pinky prints with the second color of ink to form the worm.

Using the permanent marker, add eyes and antennae to your bookworm. Use stickers or colored markers to add a message to your bookmark.

Round the corners of each piece of turquoise, orange and white paper. Here's a tip: Place a dime at the very corner of each side and trade around it. Cut the corner off.

Layer the turquoise, orange and white papers together with adhesive. Press the layers firmly together. Punch a hole at the end of the book mark and attach a ribbon.

Yummy Gummy Bookworm Favors

Give the kids a sweet take-away from the book club gathering. These gummy worm snacks are always a hit with kids and they can munch on them as they read their next book!

Supplies

4 inch wide clear cellophane bags
4 1/4 X 4 1/2 inch turquoise cardstock
4 X 1 3/4 inch white cardstock
ink pads in 2 colors
fine permanent black marker
alphabet stickers
stapler
adhesive
gummy worms

Directions

On the white piece of cardstock, create the fingerprint bookworm following the same directions as the bookmark craft above.

Place the gummy worms in a cellophane bag and staple the top shut. Cut one edge of the 4 1/4 inch side turquoise paper with decorative scissors. Fold the turquoise paper in half and place over the top of the cellophane bag. Staple securely in place.

Now, adhere the white bookworm label to the turquoise paper, and you have a bag of bookworms!