How to Start an After-School Book Club That Kids Will Love
The following sections feature several affiliate links or ads, meaning we’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. Please see our privacy policy for more details.
Starting an after-school book club is a great way to combine reading, friendship, and fun in one easy activity. It works just as well during the school year as it does in winter, spring, or summer, and it can be adapted to fit different schedules and group sizes.
You might be planning something small with a few close friends, or organizing a larger neighborhood group. Either way, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create a book club kids will love.
Decide How Often the After-School Book Club Should Meet
Putting book club meetings on a schedule makes it easier for other parents to figure out their own schedules each month. The frequency of the book club meetings will depend on the ages of the kids attending and the other after-school activities everyone might be enrolled in.
A once-monthly meeting is probably a good starting point for younger kids who will be reading a whole book each time, while weekly meetings are great for tweens who will be discussing chapters of longer books.
Rotate the Book Club Meeting Space
Having the same parent host each time can be overwhelming, so consider rotating the meeting space each month. A shared Google calendar with the dates and places will make it easy for everyone to keep track of when and where to meet.
If some parents aren’t able to host, consider booking a room at your local library or park district instead. Not everyone will be comfortable or have the space for a large group of kids, so be sensitive to this when creating the plan. No one should be made to feel bad for not hosting a meeting.
It’s also a good idea to have a book bin that travels from parent to parent. This makes it easier to keep the books separate and ready for each meeting, plus a cute book bin can add extra fun to each meeting. Have the kids practice cleaning up after reading time is over by putting their books back in the bin before they head home.
Ask Teachers for Book Suggestions
Teachers are a great resource for book suggestions to use in your book club, and you can even partner together to find books that supplement classroom learning throughout the year. Your children’s teachers or the school library can even help with lending books you can use for the book club meetings.
Remember that younger children will need several books throughout the school year to keep the book club going, so coming up with a game plan now means you won’t have to search for book ideas later in the year.
If you do end up buying multiple copies of books, consider donating the whole lot to your children’s teachers. They can then use the books in their own classrooms or lend them out to parents who might want to start their own after-school book club in the years to come.
Create a Cozy Reading Space
Make your home as cozy as possible for the after-school book club. Consider pooling money with the other parents to buy bean bag chairs or other comfy seating that can be used at each meeting.
Kids can take their bean bag chairs to and from each book club meeting so no one parent has to transport them ahead of time. If you can afford it and have the space, you can even invest in a reading rug just like teachers have in their classrooms.
As a budget-friendly alternative, consider placing blankets and throw pillows on the floor to create a cozy space.
Provide a Themed Snack when Possible
Snacks are a must for any book club, and a kids’ version is no different. Whenever there’s a possibility to do so, consider providing a themed snack. For example, if the kids will be reading “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” have some cookies and milk available.
“Dragons Love Tacos” is a perfect opportunity for nacho chips and cheese or even mini tacos. There are lots of great options available, but you can also just have fruit, crackers, and fruit snacks available instead. Don’t forget to have some snacks for the parents too!
Limit the Reading Time
Younger kids will likely be reading their books during the meeting, and they can lose interest pretty quickly. Limiting the actual meeting time for reading/discussing the book to 20-30 minutes can help ensure everyone stays engaged.
Add in a few short breaks for stretches to prevent restlessness. This doesn’t mean that kids have to go home right after the books are read; give them some extra play time to just hang out together after you’re done reading or discussing the book.
Encourage Kids to Read Out Loud
As younger kids begin to get better at reading, you can encourage them to read out loud at book club meetings. This should be done only if they’re comfortable doing so. You don’t want to make anyone who might be behind in their reading skills feel sad or singled out.
A good way to avoid this is to talk to the other parents ahead of time to see which kids might be interested in reading. Have them read a page or two out loud instead of a whole book so they don’t become overwhelmed.
Add Some Activities that Go with the Book
If you want to add in structured play for each after-school book club meeting, planned activities are the way to go. Crafts related to each book are great options, like this Very Hungry Caterpillar pom pom craft. You can also have everyone make book marks or simply work on coloring pages.
If you’re reading a book about ballerinas or dancing, break out a Bluetooth speaker and have a mini dance party to tie into the theme. For superhero books, have everyone dress up as their favorite superhero and do a mini photo booth with some comic-themed props.
Other After-School Book Club Ideas
There are lots of other ideas you can incorporate into your book club to keep things new and fresh for each meeting. Invite an older sibling or a grandparent to each meeting to be a mystery reader! Make holiday book club meetings special by making a kids’ holiday cook book the choice of the month.
You can then pick one recipe for them to make together as part of the fun. Take things outside to a park in the Spring when the weather gets warm (pick a gardening or Spring-themed book for this outdoor adventure). Get spooky at Halloween with costumes and an age-appropriate Halloween book. There’s no end to the different ways you can make your after-school book club an activity the kids look forward to.
Why Should You Start an After-School Book Club?
An after-school book club gives kids a chance to connect with friends while building stronger reading habits in a relaxed, low-pressure way. Instead of reading feeling like another assignment, it becomes something they get to share, talk about, and look forward to.
Book clubs also help kids explore new stories, perspectives, and interests they might not discover on their own. At the same time, parents often find that these gatherings naturally create community, making it easier to connect with other families.
And on a practical level, a book club is an easy, meaningful way to fill that after-school window with something creative and screen-free, especially on days when kids seem bored but “too tired” for anything big.
If you’re dreaming up simple, meaningful ways to bring families together, an after-school book club pairs beautifully with other easy activities you can rotate through the season.
For story time that leads into play, check out how to host a Cookies and Milk Play Date for a relaxed twist on kid hangouts. And when kids need a chance to act out the stories they’ve read, a Budget-Friendly Dramatic Play Wardrobe gives them space to dress up, imagine, and bring characters to life.
