Book Week. It rolls around every year, and if you’re a parent, you either love it or you’re already panicking about a last-minute costume made of cardboard and despair. But here’s the thing: Book Week is so much more than just a parade of kids dressed as Where’s Wally or Harry Potter.
It’s a golden opportunity to remind our kids that reading isn’t a chore—it’s a freaking blast. I’ve been through the trenches of Book Week with my own two little bookworms (and one reluctant reader who would rather eat the book than read it), and I’ve learned that the best activities are the ones that feel like play, not homework.
So, grab a coffee, put your feet up, and let’s chat about 15 ridiculously fun Book Week activities that will get your kids excited about stories. No glue-gun burns required, I promise.
Why Bother with Book Week Activities Anyway?
Ever wonder why some kids devour books while others treat them like a punishment? A lot of it comes down to how we present reading. If we treat it like a box to be ticked, they’ll smell the “educational” intent a mile away. But if we turn it into an adventure, a game, or a chance to be silly, suddenly, they’re all in.
Book Week gives us the perfect excuse to ditch the reading log and just have fun with stories. These activities are designed to do exactly that. They’re about building memories, sparking imagination, and hopefully, making your kid fall a little bit more in love with the written word.
1. Host a “Dress Up as Your Favourite Word” Party
Everyone does characters. Yawn. This year, why not shake things up? Ask your kids to dress up as their favourite word. Is it “giggle”? “Galaxy”? “Pickle”? The possibilities are endless and hilarious.
My son once went as “Meltdown.” He wore all grey, carried a toy volcano, and screamed “NOT THE BROCCOLI!” every five minutes. Was it weird? Absolutely. Did he understand the meaning of the word on a deeper level? You bet. Plus, it’s a fantastic conversation starter about vocabulary. Trust me, the creativity this sparks is worth the weird looks at the school gate.
2. Create a “Story Scavenger” Hunt
This is one of my absolute go-to activities. Write down a list of prompts and send your kids on a hunt through their bookshelves. You can tailor it to their age, but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Find a book with a blue cover.
- Find a character who is an animal.
- Find a book that takes place in a castle.
- Find a sentence that is longer than twenty words.
- Find a map inside a book.
It turns your home library into a treasure trove. My daughter loved this so much she started making her own scavenger hunts for me. Fair warning: it can get competitive. 😉
3. Bake Cookies Shaped Like Book Characters
Reading and baking? A match made in heaven. Pick a book with a distinctive object or character—think “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” (obvious choice), “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” or even just simple star-shaped cookies for “Goodnight Moon.”
The act of baking together is bonding time, and decorating the cookies gets those creative juices flowing. Plus, you get to eat the results. It’s a multi-sensory experience that connects the story to a real-world, tasty activity. This is not just fun; it’s delicious bribery to get them excited about the next book.
4. Build a Fort and Have a Read-a-Thon
Okay, this one is simple, but don’t underestimate its power. Draping blankets over chairs, grabbing every pillow in the house, and creating a “reading cave” is pure magic for kids.
Stock the fort with torches (flashlights) and a stack of books. Let them read in there for as long as they want. There’s something about a confined, cozy space that makes reading feel like a secret mission. I still remember the forts I built as a kid, and honestly? The books I read in them are the ones I remember best.
5. Write a Letter to a Favourite Author
In this digital age, getting actual mail is a thrill. Help your child write a letter to the author of their favourite book. Ask them what they’d want to say. What did they love about the story? Do they have a question for the main character?
You’d be surprised how many authors have a website with a contact form or a mailing address. It teaches kids that books are made by real people, and it gives them a sense of connection to the wider world of stories. Even if they don’t get a reply, the act of writing it is a win. IMO, it’s one of the most underrated literacy activities out there.
6. Act Out a Scene (With Sock Puppets!)
Not every kid wants to stand up and perform, and that’s cool. Enter: sock puppets. Grab some old socks, googly eyes, and felt, and let them create puppets of their favourite characters.
Then, they can re-enact a scene from the book or even make up a new adventure for the characters. It’s a low-pressure way to engage with the story’s plot and dialogue. The silly voices are mandatory, by the way. No ifs, ands, or buts.
7. Design a New Book Cover
Grab some paper, crayons, markers, or paint. Ask your child to redesign the cover of a book they love. What would they put on it? Would it be a close-up of the main character, or a sweeping landscape of the setting?
This activity forces them to think about the book’s central theme or most exciting moment. It’s a great way to start a conversation about why book covers look the way they do. My son once redesigned a dinosaur book to be “mostly teeth and screaming.” Accurate.
8. Host a Book-Themed Movie Night
This one works best with books that have been made into movies (think “Charlotte’s Web,” “Matilda,” or “The BFG”). Read the book together first, then schedule a special movie night to watch the adaptation.
The key here is the discussion afterwards. What was different? What did the movie leave out? Which version did they like better? This isn’t just passive watching; it’s active, critical thinking about storytelling across different mediums. Grab some popcorn and make an evening of it.
9. Start a “Blind Date with a Book”
This is a fun one for older kids. Wrap a few books in brown paper or butcher paper so the cover is hidden. On the front, write a few enticing clues about the story. For example: “Looking for adventure? This book has a magical wardrobe, a talking lion, and a wicked witch.”
Leave them around the house and let your kids choose a book based purely on the clues. It encourages them to step outside their favourite genre and try something new. It’s like a literary lucky dip!
10. Create a Reading Nook Refresh
You don’t need to spend a lot of money. Let your kids take ownership of their reading space. Can they rearrange their bookshelf by colour, size, or favourite vs. to-be-read? Can they add some fairy lights, a comfy cushion, or a “Do Not Disturb, I’m Reading” sign?
Giving them ownership over the space makes them want to use it. It becomes their special spot, and reading becomes their special time.
11. Interview a Grandparent About Their Childhood Books
This is a beautiful way to connect generations. Ask your child to interview a grandparent or an older relative. What books did they read when they were young? Did they have a favourite comic? What was story time like at their school?
It opens up a dialogue about history and change, all through the lens of stories. Plus, you might just discover a classic book from the past that your child will love, too.
12. Make Your Own Comic Strip
For kids who are a bit intimidated by long chapters, comics are a brilliant gateway. Grab a piece of paper, fold it into squares, and help them create their own comic strip.
It can be about anything: a superhero, their pet, or even a recount of their day. It teaches narrative structure (beginning, middle, end), dialogue, and sequencing, all in a format that feels more like drawing than “writing.”
13. Go on a “Punctuation Hunt”
Okay, this one sounds a bit teacher-y, but trust me, you can make it fun. Give your kids a highlighter or some sticky notes and a picture book. Their mission? To hunt for as many question marks, exclamation points, and quotation marks as they can find.
Talk about why they’re there. The question mark shows someone is asking something. The exclamation point means someone is shouting or surprised! It’s a sneaky grammar lesson disguised as a treasure hunt. Works every time.
14. Predict the Future of a Character
This is a brilliant car-ride or dinner-table conversation starter. After you finish a book, ask your child: “What do you think happens next?” What does the main character do the day after the story ends? Where do they live in ten years?
It extends the life of the book beyond the last page and gets those imaginative gears turning. There’s no wrong answer, which is the best part.
15. Have a Book Swap Party
Get together with a few of your child’s friends (or your neighbours) and organise a book swap. Each child brings a few books they’ve already read and are ready to pass on. They can trade them for “new-to-them” books.
It’s a fantastic, free way to refresh your home library and get kids excited about what their friends are reading. Plus, it’s a social event built entirely around books. Win-win.
The Simple Secret to a Great Book Week
So, there you have it—fifteen ways to survive and actually enjoy Book Week. The secret ingredient in all of them isn’t elaborate planning or Pinterest-perfect crafts. It’s you. It’s your willingness to be a little silly, to build a fort, to wear a word on your head, or to just sit and listen.
When kids see us getting excited about stories, they learn that reading is valuable. Not because a teacher says so, but because it’s fun, it connects us, and it lets us imagine worlds beyond our own.
Now, go forth and make some bookish magic. And maybe hide the glitter. You’ll thank me later. 🙂
