One of the most rewarding parts of being a children’s book author is getting to do school visits! With those eager young faces smiling up at you, their eyes wide as they ask, “Are you a REAL author?” it’s hard not to feel like a celebrity!
But, because talking with kids is such a fun (and seemingly easy) part of the job, many authors show up to their first school visit with nothing but their book and smile - and end up a little panicked when they realize it only takes them 4.5 minutes to read the book from cover to cover. Suddenly, all those expectant faces seem a little more intimidating than they did before.
What are you going to do for the next 25 loooong minutes?
Never fear!
Here are 7 easy activities you can add to your next school author visit to make sure the students stay engaged and you look like a pro!
7 Easy Author Visit Activities
1. Show them the illustration process
Kids love art and drawing, so let them see behind the scenes of your illustrations! Most illustrators are happy to provide a few “process” pieces…images showing how a single illustration went from rough sketch to finished masterpiece. So put them into a slideshow and share them with students. Don’t be afraid to include sketches that were revised or changed prior to publication! It’s a great way to start a discussion about the importance of having a growth mindset and to show them how much hard work goes into something as seemingly simple as a picture book.
2. Let them become illustrators!
If you want to take the discussion of illustrations a step further - and if the setup of the room allows - you can also have the students illustrate something themselves! Put a simple sentence up on the screen. For example:
"When Joey entered the room, everyone stopped and starred."
or "Stomp! Chomp! ROAR!"
And give each student a pencil and piece of computer paper. Have each student draw an illustration that matches that sentence. Let them share with each other, or even choose one or two to hold up and share with the group. Talk about how everyone’s illustration looks slightly different, and why that’s awesome! If they flip the paper over, you can do a second round, and if you have extra time at the end, you can even let them color their artwork.
3. Complete a MadLib
For an activity that focuses on stories instead of illustrations, buy a book of MadLibs! Choose one to complete with the group, calling on individual students to give you the required words verbally, then put the story with the blanks up on the screen and read it aloud, filling in the blanks with the student’s suggestions as you go. MadLibs are usually hilarious, so kids will giggle and feel like authors themselves since they had a hand in writing the story. Have two or more ready to go, just in case!
4. Play "Would You Rather?"
Kids love to share what they think, and this activity gives them the chance to do just that. Make a list of 20 or “Would you rather?” style questions. The questions CAN be related to your book topic…or just general bookish questions. Read each question to the class, (or put them up on a screen), then have students stand for their chosen answer.
“Would you rather read a scary story or a funny story? Think about it for a second. Ready?”
“Okay, now stand up if you would rather read a scary story!”
“Now, stand up if you would rather read a funny story!”
Obviously, you could also just have students raise their hands, but standing in place gives those fidgety kiddos a chance to move a bit without getting out of control. So just use your own judgment.
And don’t forget to tell them YOUR opinion on each question too!
5. Play a trivia game
This one is so simple, but so effective. Buy a bag of Jolly Ranchers or some stickers. Write a list of 20 or so trivia questions. These questions can be about you, about books in general, or about the topic of your book. Make sure they’re age appropriate…and have a couple super easy and super hard questions ready just in case. Ask the questions and call on students to answer them. Give out candy or stickers for each correct answer (or just for trying!)
6. Make a simple craft
Now, this one is tricky because depending on the size of the group you’re speaking to, you might have trouble organizing this or getting enough supplies. But, if you’re speaking to a single class of students who have desk space available, making a simple craft might be an option. Try to avoid anything with glitter or liquid glue that might make a mess. But...
coloring pages,
activity sheets,
projects with pipe cleaners,
or collective projects…like where each student creates a paper flower to add to a bouquet,
...are great for making your presentation memorable and using up some time.
If you aren't sure how to make these kinds of activity sheets, check out our blog about Canva for authors! Canva is FREE and super user-friendly!
7. Show a video clip that connects to your topic.
I’m not talking about a full length documentary - but if you have...
a book trailer,
a non-fiction clip about your topic,
or a brief author interview,
...it’s a great way to engage with kids who are increasingly "video-centric"!
When all else fails, open the floor to questions…and be prepared for ANYTHING! I’ve never had a class leave me hanging without any questions…in fact, we usually have to cut them off with hands still in the air.
Being prepared with simple activities like these before you arrive at your next school visit can go a long way towards making you feel more confident and making the experience more engaging for the students.
So, be prepared, be flexible, and be yourself! And most of all, HAVE FUN!
Not sure how to go about booking those school visits? Check out our guest blog post at Book Fox with all the advice you'll need.
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