Easy and Inexpensive Homemade Book To Make With Your Child

One of the best ways I have found to encourage my children to write and draw is to help them make their own book. The directions below are for the first book I help my children make. It is fast, easy, and only requires 8 x 11 paper and scissors. If you are a perfectionist, you may want to use a ruler and a pen, if not, just eyeball your cuts.

1. Take 6 – 10 pieces of  8x11 paper and divide them into 2 equal stacks.

2. Fold each stack in half so that they are 5 1/2” x 8”.

3. Unfold, and mark a 1 inch line on both ends of the center fold (you just have to do this on the top paper of each stack): 4. On one stack cut on the lines: 5. On the other stack cut on the fold between the lines, being careful not to cut on the lines: 6. Take the stack of paper on which you cut on the lines and loosely roll them:7. Insert the rolled paper, through the gap in the other stack of paper:  8. Gently unroll the paper and insert the uncut portion into the notches: 9. Fold the paper and you now have a blank book for your child to start filling up:Andrew is filling his book with pictures of his favorite things.

How do you encourage your children to write and draw?

This post has been linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.