How to Make a Simple Pop Up Book

Creating your own pop-up book is easy.

A pop-up book is a great way to get kids interested in reading. Creating their very own book can bring fun and excitement to the activity, and they'll be proud of being "authors." Pop-ups are also a memorable way of creating scrapbooks; your favorite pictures will stand out from the rest. Making a pop-up book is an easy way to let your creativity flow.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Coloring supplies

Instructions

1. Fold a piece of paper in half. Any paper will do for this, but construction paper works well and looks pretty.

2. Make two cuts into the center of the fold. These cuts should be about two inches long and one inch apart. For best results, the cuts should be as uniform as possible.

3. Unfold your piece of paper and gently tug the tab you've just created. Be very careful with this; if the tab tears, you'll have to start over with a new sheet of paper.

4. Write any text you'd like to appear on the page, and draw any background pictures. While background drawings aren't necessary, they help add to the 3-D effect. Make sure that no important text of drawings will be covered up by the pop-out.

5. On another sheet of paper, cut out your pop-out. Alternately, if you're creating a pop-out scrapbook, trim the picture to the necessary size. Color or decorate the pop-out so that it looks how you'd like it to in the book.

6. Glue the pop-out image to the center of the tab. Make sure it stays on there well, but try not to use more glue than necessary.

7. If you'd like to add more pages, glue more sheets of paper along the folded centers. Make sure not to get any glue on the pop-out tab, though.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're using photographs, the picture will fold when the book is shut.

References

• Great Schools: Think 3-D: Make a Pop-Up Book