Recently, I started reading the Narnia books out loud to my children. In fact, we started our own Narnia Book Club, and we are pretty excited about it.
Yes, we are a family of nerds. But nerdy does not mean unenjoyable. My kids even managed to talk a couple of their friends into joining our Narnia Book Club. And, so far, it has been a super fun shared experience.
Narnia Book Club
In this post, I am sharing the plans and guidelines for our Narnia Book Club. Additionally, check the end of this post for simple games and activities related to The Chronicles of Narnia Books we read. Maybe you will feel inspired to create a Narnia Book Club for your family, too.
Why Read The Chronicles of Narnia Books
Why did I choose the Narnia books to read this summer with my children? Oh, for several reasons.
- There are movies to watch afterwards. We especially enjoy watching the movie adaptation after reading a book.
- The Chronicles of Narnia books are classics that have withstood the test of time.
- We all need a little bit of magic in our lives, and the Narnia books have lots of magic.
- These books inspire kids to go on adventures, and you know that I love a good adventure!
DISCLOSURE: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you make a purchase through any Amazon links in this post, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).
What Order To Read the Narnia Books
There is always some debate about what order one SHOULD read The Chronicles of Narnia books – publication order or chronological order. (You can find a detailed explanation of each at NarniaWeb.com.)
Thus, we are reading the books in the order which Walden Media had planned to film their movies. That order is as follows:
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Last Battle
Booooo! The Silver Chair movie project was abandoned, and the movie for The Last Battle was never produced at all. But we are including these books in our reading list anyways.
If we aren’t itching to move on to other books after The Last Battle, we may choose to also read the two remaining books – The Magician’s Nephew and The Horse and His Boy.
Basic Narnia Book Club Guidelines
I’m trying to keep things simple for our family book club meetings. But, you know me, I love planning themed events so it may be difficult to resist the temptation to go overboard.
Simply put, we plan to read the book, hold a short kid-friendly book club meeting, and then watch the corresponding movie.
Reading About Narnia
RELATED: Check out this adorable picture book of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I purchased!
Kid-Friendly Book Club Meeting
I have two main goals (and one secret goal) for our Narnia Book Club meetings. I want to keep these kid-friendly gatherings simple, and I want the kids to think they are fun. (And, secretly, I hope they will be educational as well.)
I don’t feel the need to make the Narnia Book Club meetings too complicated. We will have a meeting after reading each book. At these meetings, I plan to ask the kids to bring a picture they have drawn of their favorite book scene and ask each family member to share one thing they liked or disliked about the book. I also intend to plan some fun games, activities and snacks to go along with each book as well. (You can find examples of fun Narnia-themed games and activities at the end of this post.)
Narnia Movie Nights
Family movie night! Following our book club meetings, we plan to watch the corresponding movie. (Family read alouds are always better if there is a movie adaptation to watch after you finish the book, don’t you think?)
As previously mentioned, our family plans to watch the Walden Media movie productions from the 2000s. Our family has watched these movies in the past and really enjoy them even as very young children.
ADORABLE SIDE STORY: We took my oldest son to see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the theater back in 2005. My then three-year-old son loved the first film so much that, during the big battle scene, he jumped out of his seat, threw his fist in the air and yelled “YEAH! LION!” to the delight (or maybe exasperation) of an entire theater full of movie-goers.
Some parents may prefer their kids to watch the late 1980s BBC series. They claim the BBC series is less frightening for small children than the newer Walden Media films.
I have not watched the BBC version myself. But, as I said previously, I have watched the newer films with my own children at young ages, and they did fine.
Use your own best judgment in choosing the film adaptations that would be best for your family.
RELATED: There has been talk since 2018 that Netflix is developing new series and films based on The Chronicles of Narnia. Our family can’t wait for those releases!
Fun and Simple Narnia-Themed Activities
As we read each book, I will provide a list of the fun things we do at each corresponding book club meeting. Just click on the appropriate link below for fun ideas – Narnia food, Narnia games, Narnia decorations and other fun activities.
Narnia Party Theme Ideas
Click on the links for fun games, educational activities, themed food and decorations related to individual books in The Chronicles of Narnia series. Perfect for book club meetings, family move nights, birthday parties and other Narnia-inspired events!
- The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
- Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (COMING SOON!)
- The Silver Chair (COMING SOON!)
- The Last Battle (COMING SOON!)
Welcome to Narnia and Happy Reading!
Have you read The Chronicles of Narnia books? Have your children read them?
Have you watched the Narnia movies? The BBC series? Both?
Have you ever planned or attended a Narnia-themed event?
Would your family enjoy being in a Narnia Book Club?
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