Make a Little Book

1. 1

   Choose a topic your child currently loves, such as dogs. Gather white paper, related pictures, colored paper, scissors, glue, and a stapler.

2. 2

   Decide how large the pages should be. Cut the paper, then ask your child to line up the sheets into a little book.

3. 3

   Hold the pages steady with one hand and press the stapler down with the other. Try the motion together until it becomes familiar.

4. 4

   Once the book is bound, cut out and glue the pictures onto the pages.

5. 5

   Add decorations, such as a flower made from paper pieces or a colored border.

6. 6

   When the book is complete, turn through it together and admire the finished project.

What to notice

• Tears colored paper into shapes and arranges them into a flower Fine Motor
• Stays focused while binding the pages Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• A hole punch and cord can replace the stapler. Make only a few large holes and choose a somewhat stiff cord so threading is easier.

Developmental benefits

• Movement: Aligning pages, pressing a stapler, cutting, gluing, or threading a binding gives your child practice controlling their hands and coordinating what they see with movement.
• Cognitive: Following the project through arranging, binding, and decorating gives your child practice sustaining attention across a sequence of steps.