The Harry Potter series has become very popular with my older students aged 9-12. It is great to see them get excited about reading. Here is a fun way to get kids involved in an after school club inspired by Harry Potter
Week 1- Make your own wizard wand
Materials needed:
- 9 x 12 white, brown, tan, and grey construction paper
- Glue gun (adult use only)
- Brown and black tempera paint
- Gold and silver felt pens
- Scotch Tape
Directions:
1) Have the children choose their wand color. Next have the children roll wands hot dog style, so that one end is wider than the other, and use scotch tape to hold it together.
2) Next a staff person will glue their edges shut, and children can choose to paint their wands with brown or black paint.
3) Allow wands to dry a few minutes and add hot glue “veins.” Once these are dry the children can use gold or silver felt pens to color their “veins.” Once completed encourage the children to name their wands and write a short story about the details of their wand.
Week 2- Hogwarts House Ties
Materials Needed: hole punch, yarn, markers, scissors, and template from Activity Village.
Directions:
Hogwarts has four houses: Gryffindor (red and gold), Hufflepuff (yellow and black), Ravenclaw (blue and bronze), and Slytherin (green and silver). Have the children choose the house they most identify with and create their own House ties.
Week 3: Bertie Bott’s Jellybean Taste Off
Jelly Belly used to carry the Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans, as you saw in the Harry Potter movies. These have been discontinued. You can however still get a similar product called “Beanboozled” with flavors such as canned dog food, rotten eggs, pencil shavings, and skunk spray. Have a challenge to see which jelly beans kids will eat and give awards for everyone who tried the “Every Flavored Beans”
Week 4: Have a Harry Potter Read-a-thon and Pajama Day
Encourage everyone to bring their favorite Harry Potter book; if possible have a few available for kids who don’t own the books. Serve popcorn and have kids brings their pj’s, blankets, & pillows and have a read-a-thon!
Looking for more club ideas? Check the club themes page for some more exciting themed-units!
