15 book activities for kids at home

Children remember stories better when they can do something with them. These fifteen activities need little more than paper, pens and imagination. Pick the ones that suit your child’s age, and do not worry about doing them all.

Crafts and art

1. Tissue-paper caterpillar. Tear and stick coloured tissue paper to make a collage, inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle made his pictures from painted tissue paper. See Eric Carle.
2. Draw your own wild island. After Where the Wild Things Are, invent a monster and draw where it lives.
3. Design a golden ticket. Make a ticket for a place you would like to visit after reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
4. Colour and tell. Print one of our free colouring pages and make up a story about it.
5. Make a bookmark. Decorate a strip of card and keep it in your current book.

Games and play

6. A story trail. Hide pictures along a walk in the garden or park, as in The Gruffalo, and read the story as you go.
7. A tea party. Set up a table with teacups and silly rules, as in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
8. Poohsticks. Drop sticks from a bridge and see whose comes out first, after reading Winnie-the-Pooh.
9. A garden hunt. Look for vegetables and mud, then talk about The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
10. Book bingo. Make a card of squares such as “a book with an animal” or “a book with a map” and tick them off. The reading chart can help.

Writing and drawing

11. Keep a diary. After Diary of a Wimpy Kid, write a diary page with cartoon doodles.
12. Make a comic. Fold a sheet of paper into panels and draw a story. Neill Cameron’s book How to Make Awesome Comics is a good guide. See Neill Cameron.
13. Write a new ending. Ask: what if the story went differently? Write or tell your own version.
14. Interview a character. Write five questions you would ask the main character, then answer them as that character.

Reading habits

15. Build a reading den. A blanket, cushions and a torch make a cosy place to read. Our guide to reading aloud has tips for storytime.

Tips for success

• Keep it short. Ten to twenty minutes is enough for most young children.
• Follow their lead. Let them choose the book and the activity.
• Praise effort, not neatness. The aim is enjoyment.
• Link to the library. Borrow a few books on a theme. See your local library.

What are good activities after reading a story?

Drawing a favourite scene, acting it out, making a craft linked to the story or writing a new ending are all easy ways to extend a book.

What ages are these for?

Most suit ages 3 to 10. Younger children need more help; older children can lead.

How do I make reading fun for a reluctant reader?

Link books to things they enjoy, let them choose, and keep activities short. Our guide to reluctant readers has more ideas.

Do I need special materials?

No. Paper, pens, scissors and glue are enough for most of these.