Kid's Book Club Tips for the Chronicles of Narnia Series
Whether you have been doing a kid’s book club for a few years or are just getting started, Chronicles of Narnia is a wonderful series to read with your kids and it’s perfect for a wide age range. The stories are magical and thought-provoking, leading to fun activities, creative crafts, exciting movie days, and fabulous discussions.
Ready to host your Chronicles of Narnia Book Club? Here are tips for each book to get you started.
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Even though this is listed as the second book in the series, it is often recommended as a great introduction to the world of Narnia.
Book Club
Before you get started, figure out how you are going to break up the book and how many book club meetings you will host. Here are a few recommendations:
- Read chapters 1-8 (book club meeting 1), read chapters 9-17 (book club meeting 2)
- Read chapters 1-5 (Book club meeting 1), read chapters 6-10 (book club meeting 2), read chapters 11-17 (book club meeting 3.)
Some tips for book club days include:
- Eat Turkish Delight
- Make Crowns: Swords, Shields, etc.
- Make: a Lion Craft
You can also use the Narnia Book Club Packet which includes more ideas for crafts, games, snacks, and discussion questions.
Movie Day
This book is also great to start with because there is a movie adaptation! Movie days are a wonderful way to end your time with a book. Here is a post with tons of fun movie day party ideas including invitations, posters, decorations, food, etc.
The Magician's Nephew
Book Club
The Magician's Nephew has 15 chapters and no movie so you can split this into two or three meetings fairly easily, like so:
- Read chapters 1-5, (meeting 1), Read chapters 6-10, (meeting 2), Read chapters 11-15, (meeting 3)
- Read chapters 1-7, (meeting 1), Read chapters 8-15, (meeting 2)
Some fun ideas for this book include:
- Make Narnia snack mix: animal crackers to represent all the different animals, circle pretzels to represent the rings, M&M's to represent the fruit.
- Make a Map: Make your own map of Narnia
The Horse and His Boy
Book Club
The Horse and His Boy has 15 chapters so, you could divy up your time/chapters by half or into thirds just like The Magician's Nephew.
Some book club ideas for the Horse and His Boy include:
- Horse Care 101: Invite a local horse expert or show a video about how to care for horses. This can provide real-world context to Bree and Hwin's characters.
- Horse Masks: Create horse masks using paper plates, construction paper, and markers. Kids can decorate their masks to resemble Bree and other horses from the story.
- Miniature Horses: Use clay or playdough to sculpt miniature horses. This can be a fun way for kids to create their own versions of Bree and Hwin.
Live Show
You can also see the show 'The Horse and His Boy' live at the Ark Exibit in Williamstown, KY. It is truly amazing - with a cast of 45 actors, lifelike puppetry, stunning sets, and mesmerizing costumes, The Horse and His Boy brings the unforgettable world of Narnia to life onstage! This fantastic production will inspire all ages.
My kids and I went last year when it was being hosted at the bible museum in Washington DC and it was truly a remarkable experience.
Prince Caspian
Book Club
Prince Caspian has 15 chapters so, you could divy up your time/chapters by half or into thirds just like the last two books.
Some book club ideas for Prince Caspian include:
- Build Cair Paravel: Use building blocks, LEGO, or craft materials to construct a model of Cair Paravel. Discuss its significance in the story.
- Sword Fighting Lessons: Teach the basics of safe, choreographed sword fighting using foam or cardboard swords. Relate this to Caspian’s training and battles.
- Nature Walk and Treasure Hunt: Go on a nature walk and search for items that might be found in Narnia, like specific leaves, rocks, or flowers. Create a list or map for the hunt.
Movie Day
This movie adaptation doesn't follow the book quite as well as the first movie, but it is still a fun way to celebrate reaching the end of the book. Some fun ideas for this movie day include:
- Make oatcakes
- Decorate to make the front room look like a train station - plastic tablecloths with bricks, etc.
- Red lion flags
- Pomegranit seeds
The Voyage of The Dawn Treader
Book Club
The Voyage of The Dawn Treader has 16 chapters so it can be broken up into two or three meetings.
Some ideas for your book club meetups:
- Make blue ocean Jello cups with orange slice boats.
- Treasure Chests: Small wooden or cardboard boxes can be decorated as treasure chests, filled with “treasures” like fake jewels and gold coins.
- Treasure Hunt: Create a treasure map with clues that lead to hidden treasures around the area.
- Dragon Scales: Use green tortilla chips or decorate cookies with green frosting to look like dragon scales.
Movie Day
This is the final book with a movie attached to it, and it is another fun one! Anything to do with boats, the ocean, and dragons can be added to this movie day.
The Silver Chair
Book Club
The Silver Chair has 16 chapters so you can break this book up into 2, 3 or 4 meetings depending on how quickly you want to go through it. Here are some fun ideas for your meet-ups:
- Silver Chair Models: Create small models of the Silver Chair using cardboard, tin foil, and other craft supplies.
- Puddleglum Puppets: Make puppets of Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle using socks, yarn, and fabric.
- Lanterns: Inspired by the underground kingdom, create paper lanterns decorated with gemstones and glitter.
- Jelly Frogs: Gummy or jelly candies in the shape of frogs, inspired by the marshlands.
The Last Battle
Book Club
The Last Battle has 16 chapters, so again, this could be split into 2, 3, or 4 book club meetings. Here are some activity ideas for this book:
I hope you have as much fun as we did during our Narnian book club adventures!