There is something magical about the moment a child first steps through the wardrobe into the wonderful world of Narnia. 

Homeschool families have the unique opportunity to slow down and savor living books that overflow with beauty, virtue, and goodness. As you choose treasured literature for your family to read together, stories like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are a powerful way to create a love for reading and inspire children to learn about seasons in nature and seek what is good and true in their own lives. 

In this blog post we are sharing meaningful activities to pair with reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. These activities are selected to inspire children to make deep connections alongside reading the book. We have also included free Narnia copywork sheets to offer print and cursive handwriting practice as children engage with the story.

In this blog post:

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe summary
• Learn about author C.S. Lewis
• 13 book study ideas and activities for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe copywork sheets [Free printable PDF download]
• How we use Treehouse Book Studies in our homeschool

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe summary

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, part of The Chronicles of Narnia series, is a children’s fantasy novel full of adventure and exploration, betrayal and forgiveness, and the battle between good and evil. To keep them safe from the air raids of World War II, four young children are sent to live with a kind old professor in his large house in the country. During their stay, the children accidentally discover the magical world of Narnia after hiding in an old wardrobe.

As they explore the world of Narnia, they find a land that is locked in an eternal winter. The children quickly become swept up in a battle between the White Witch and the great lion, Aslan.

Read the Common Sense Media parent review here.

Themes in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

There are many themes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe you will explore through videos, notebooking, and projects. Explore any themes more in-depth that really stick out to you or spark the interests of your children.

• World War II
• The Blitz, the German bombing of London during World War II
  Snow and Ice
• Beavers
• Good versus Evil
• Allegories – Stories with Hidden Lessons
• Author C. S. Lewis
• Betrayal and Forgiveness 
• Courage and Sacrifice 
• Faith and Hope 

Learn about author C.S. Lewis

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is written by notable author Clive Staples Lewis (November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963), or C.S. Lewis. Lewis was a British author, literary scholar, and Christian theologian who also held academic positions at Oxford and Cambridge.

He is known for writing The Chronicles of Narnia, but also for fiction books such as The Screwtape Letters, and many notable non-fiction Christian books. The Chronicles of Narnia have sold millions of copies and have been adapted for film.

13 book study ideas and activities for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Here are some activity ideas to enjoy as you read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe together in your family, book club, or homeschool co-op.

Learn about snow and ice. Narnia was covered in snow and ice, caught in an eternal winter. Do some fun experiments to learn about snow and ice.

Make your own Turkish Delight with this simple recipe and taste Edmund’s favorite treat.

Make a Narnia diorama. Make a small diorama of Narnia showing how Narnia appeared to Lucy when she entered the land through the wardrobe for the first time. 

Make paper snowflakes. Use printer paper or white tissue paper to cut beautiful paper snowflakes. (Here’s a kid-friendly tutorial.)

Make snow dough. Use cornstarch and glitter to create a sensory snow dough for children to play with.

Make an ice crown. Use hot glue and gems to create a simple ice queen crown.

Beaver drawing tutorial. Lucy befriends Mr. and Mrs. Beaver as she journeys through Narnia. Follow a beaver drawing tutorial for kids and learn some fun animal facts along the way.

Make Marmalade Rolls. Share a meal like the one Mrs. Beaver served by trying sweet marmalade rolls.

Melting ice experiment. Experiment with melting ice as you learn about how the winter of Narnia turned to spring.

Narnia coloring sheets. Little ones will love book-themed coloring pages as they listen to the story being read-aloud.

Cardboard sword. Make swords out of cardboard or a simple bow and arrow as you read about Peter preparing for his first battle.

DIY Flower Crown. Celebrate spring by making simple flower crowns for children to wear.

Family movie night. Have a family movie night and watch The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe together. Compare differences and similarities between the book and the film. (See all our favorite family movies here.)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe copywork sheets [Free printable PDF download]

Copywork is a long-standing practice in education. In the Charlotte Mason philosophy, copywork is a method of practicing writing skills. Students practice copying words from a passage of literature or other writing source to learn and practice handwriting and letter formation. It helps students develop vocabulary, improve reading and writing, and learn how punctuation is used. The goal is for children to absorb other learning through the habit and practice of copywork – consuming great literature and advancing their skills as they work through different passages.

Print and download copywork sheets from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe below. These copywork sheets include coordinating copywork in print and cursive so children can enjoy this activity at different age levels. Pair this simple activity by reading the story aloud together, or for children who love the Chronicles of Narnia tales.

How to use Treehouse Book Studies in your homeschool

Treehouse Book Studies are digital download book studies of children’s literature for ages 6-12. These open-and-go studies allow you to dive into rich literature with activities that create meaningful connections for children as you read together with themes from science, nature, geography, history, and language arts. 

Each download includes: Book Study with weekly lesson plans, recipes, Book Report Template, Extension Book List, Multimedia Reference Materials links, and Book Club Meet-up Guide ready for use. Simply grab a copy of the book, print the book study, and get started. 

In my family, we do a read-aloud together over lunch and use this as a jumping off point to explore literature together, along with themes in history and science. 

We often use the reading plan and Book Club Guide from Treehouse Book Studies as a way to blend literature with other subjects my children are studying. We may coordinate a read-aloud with a seasonal nature unit study, so children can make real-world connections between different subjects. It is an organic way to read high-quality literature and explore new topics like geography, historical figures, vocabulary, and more in an organic way.

After finishing the book, we may watch the movie together as a family, or meet with a group of friends who have also read the book to celebrate finishing the novel, give presentations, eat snacks related to the story, and more. Open-and-go unit studies make it simple to provide quality education at home without the struggle of overcomplicated preparation or having to source all of the activities yourself.

Will you read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in your homeschool? Share your favorite activities in the comments below.