How to Create a Small Paper Book

Children love to create their own books so they can display their creativity in a form everyone can see. Many teachers create small paper books so that children can write their stories or draw pictures. You can easily make these books yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Several sheets of paper
• Poster board
• Hole punch
• Dental floss
• Sticky note pad (optional)
• Decorative tape (optional)

Instructions

1. Select the size. Use 5 or 6 sheets of typing paper, 8 ½ by 11 inches. Turn the stack of paper sideways and fold the sheets precisely in half.

2. Cut a piece of poster board that is slightly larger than the paper size. This will be your cover.

3. Mark two places in the center of the poster board fold. Punch a hole in both places. Mark the same spots on the fold in the papers and punch a holes there as well. Use an ice pick or another sharp object to punch the holes through if the hole-punch didn't work for you. Place the paper on top of the poster board with the holes lined up.

4. Thread 12 inches of waxed dental floss through the hole from the inside. Go down through the back of the poster board (or spine of the book) and back up through the other hold. Pull the dental floss tight, making sure that all the pages are even and everything is tight. Tie a knot in the dental floss and pull the floss downward toward the bottom of the page. Snip the dangling end of floss, leaving about 2 inches from the knot.

5. Let your child decorate the book. Contact paper, magazine cutouts, stickers, glitter art, crayons or markers all make fun covers for the paper books.

Tips & Warnings

• Get creative with your books by printing an introduction page on your computer and make it the first page in your child's book.

• Use colored paper, themed paper or lined paper for your book.