Enrich Your Child’s Education by Hosting a Club

Some of my daughters’ happiest memories come from the extra-curricular clubs they participated in during their pre-teen years. One daughter took part in a Muslim book club, and the other in a secular writing club. What exactly do clubs like this entail? What are their benefits? Are they easy to run? Let’s explore how we can enhance our children’s learning opportunities by forming a club.  

For my older daughter, the Muslim book club was hosted by her best friend’s mother. This kind sister welcomed about 10 Muslim girls between the ages of 10-12 into her home once a month. The girls chose an age-appropriate book to read each month and discussed it at the meeting. Of course, in addition to the deep literary discussion, there was a lot of socializing, laughter, and fun! The adult club leader prepared some thought-provoking questions, moderated the discussions, and often incorporated crafts and games related to the book. She put a great deal of effort into making the book club an event that all the girls anticipated eagerly. Even when the selected book did not have an Islamic theme, it was a wonderful chance for Muslim girls to gather in a halal environment, enjoy themselves, and bond. It also enhanced their reading comprehension, public speaking, active listening, and critical thinking skills. 

For my younger daughter who wants to be an author when she grows up, I ran a bi-weekly writing club in our home. My daughter invited four of her 5th-grade classmates who enjoyed creative writing. None of them happened to be Muslim. There was a different vibe at our club because it was a secular gathering, but I can see in retrospect how our club was probably a positive, subtle dawah experience. We welcomed the non-Muslim girls to our home, provided yummy snacks, and shared laughter and learning as we led them in lively creative writing exercises and silly wordplay games. This was perhaps the girls’ first time being in a Muslim home, and I hope they experienced a warm, encouraging, and welcoming environment that gave them a favorable impression of Islam. The participants also improved their writing skills, learned to give each other thoughtful and helpful feedback, and experimented with various genres of writing. 

Basic Components of a Successful Club 

Before doing any planning for a club for your own child, it is important to make sure there is interest and enthusiasm about the theme. Hosting a club is a great opportunity to bond with your child, give him/her extra attention, and meet some of their friends. However, if we want the experience to create happy memories, your child will need to be involved in the decision-making. Even if you think a writing club would be beneficial, for instance, if your child hates writing, it will not be a positive experience. Follow his/her interests. Chess, Lego building, arts and crafts, robotics, drama, knitting, and board game clubs are just some of the many options. Almost all clubs can help kids think creatively, work collaboratively, improve social skills, and learn in a wholesome environment. 

Every successful club contains some basic components.

• Find a topic that excites and interests kids of the target age group. 
• Formulate a plan so that you know the purpose of the group, all the dates and details, necessary supplies, and club guidelines. This will be useful for your own organizational purposes and also for potential club members. Empower your child to help design the plan; their creative ideas might surprise you! 
• Choose the participants carefully. Solicit your child’s opinion. Make sure all the invitees and their parents know the purpose and requirements of the club. Try to invite kids who are enthusiastic about the topic and eager to join. 
• Consider writing some behavior guidelines if you think it’s necessary. While you don’t want to be too strict and school-like, it is reasonable to expect children to listen respectfully, keep their behavior and language appropriate, and put their phones and devices away during the meeting. 
• Don’t make it too academic. Kids already do a great deal of work at school and don’t want to strain their brains too much in their free time. Don’t worry; these club activities will be inherently educational, even when we make them enjoyable. 
• Provide snacks because food makes everything seem more festive. Ask participants about food allergies or restrictions ahead of time. Consider having a rotating snack schedule amongst parents so that the burden is not all on the host.
• Incorporate relevant games and crafts to keep the kids engaged. 
• Don’t make the meetings too long. Around 90 minutes will probably be long enough to accomplish your day’s goals and leave some time for eating and socializing. 
• Look online for inspiration. If you need help getting the ball rolling, check out Pinterest, where a search for various club activities will reveal hundreds of fun ideas. 
• Consider letting the participants take the lead. Once the club has been established, let club members take turns being the moderator. They can choose the theme, formulate discussion questions or activities, orchestrate the events, and even give a short presentation, if relevant. Because some kids might not be comfortable being a leader, I recommend making this opportunity optional. 
• No matter the theme, your club should not force kids into situations they find uncomfortable, burdensome, boring, or draining. The secret to a successful club is happy, willing participants who come eagerly and join wholeheartedly. Remember, learning will come naturally, so make fun, comfort, positivity, and fellowship your main priorities. 

The idea of hosting a club might seem overwhelming if you have never done it before, but it can be a very enjoyable experience for you, your child, and their friends. Make the intention to do it for the sake of Allah, and surely you will find blessings and benefit in it, inshaAllah, God willing. 

Laura El Alam is a freelance writer and editor and a first-generation American Muslim. She is the author of over 100 published articles and has written a children’s book, Made From the Same Dough, due to be released in 2023, inshaAllah. A wife and mother of five, Laura lives with her family in Massachusetts. You can visit her online at www.seaglasswritingandediting.com.