"My Family" Book
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Tools & TemplatesClick here for book template #1
Click here for book template #2
What You Need
- 1 sheet each of green, brown and red craft foam (available at craft stores)
- Heavy construction paper or card stock
- Colored nontoxic markers or crayons
- Pictures of your toddler, family members, and pets
- Glue stick
- Roll of clear contact paper
- 12 inches of ribbon or yarn
Hot To Make It
- Print out each book template.
- Cut the book covers and "tree" decoration out of the colored craft foam using the templates as a pattern.
- Cut several book pages out of heavy duty construction paper or card stock using the template as a pattern.
- Choose a small picture of your toddler to glue inside the tree top cut out.
- Glue the tree top and trunk to the front of the book cover (see assembled cover illustration).
- Glue pictures of family members to each of the book pages.
- Set out a sheet of clear contact paper, sticky side up. Set a finished page for your book on top. Place another sheet of contact paper, sticky side down, over the page.
Smooth the surface of the contact paper to remove any air bubbles, press firmly around each edge and trim off any excess contact paper leaving about 1/8 of an inch border so the pages don't peel apart and the photographs are protected.
- Once you have laminated all your pages, punch a hole in the corner of each of the covers and book pages as indicated on the templates.
- Place the pages between the front and back covers and tie the book together by threading ribbon or yarn through the punched holes.
How To Play
- Sit with your toddler and the "My Family" book. Go through each page calling out family members names as you point to their pictures.
- As your toddler begins to recognize the pictures, you can ask, "Where is Daddy?" or "Can you find Grandma?" Let her point to the family member's picture.
- Add pictures of your family members doing things such as gardening, cooking or walking the dog so that you can tell little stories as you turn the pages.
- Remember short, simple stories will keep your toddler engaged and looking forward to hearing more family tales!