[Handmade Picture Books] A curated selection of recommended ideas perfect for early childhood education
The mysterious world of picture books we encountered in childhood.
Even now as adults, many of us can still vividly recall the stories and characters.
That’s how powerful the picture books we meet in our early years can be.
In this article, we’ve gathered lovely ideas for handmade picture books you can create using familiar materials like construction paper, cardboard, and felt! Picture books that you can experience by “touching,” “pulling,” and “pinching” are perfect for early learning, too! If you’re considering a handmade picture book as a gift for your child, or if you’re a teacher looking for read-aloud ideas for your class, we hope you’ll find this helpful.
- Handmade fabric book ideas: a wonderful gift for babies
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- Easy DIY! Introducing educational toys that can be easily made with 100-yen shop items and things around the house.
- [Handmade] A collection of hat ideas made with construction paper
- Handmade felt toys: simple and cute ideas
- Recommended for 5-year-olds! Simple DIY toy ideas
- [Educational] DIY Montessori-style toy ideas
- [Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Toy Ideas You Can Create Yourself
- Fun to make! A collection of simple handmade doll ideas using a variety of materials
- Handmade plushies with everyday items! A collection of ideas perfect for beginners
- Have fun crafting! A collection of beard ideas
- Made of paper! A fun collection of DIY toy ideas you can play with
- Fun for kids and adults alike! A collection of DIY beanbag (otedama) ideas
[Handmade Picture Books] A Roundup of Perfect Educational Ideas (1–10)
Hand-stitched felt picture book
The soft feel of felt is comforting even for adults, isn’t it? Little children will likely find the gentleness of felt soothing as well.
Because felt doesn’t fray at the edges, you can cut and paste it freely, and the stitching is simple, so it’s great that you can add all kinds of interactive features.
Make stuffed characters your child loves—like a bear or a bunny—and turn them into a fun picture book packed with items used throughout the day, such as a blanket, a clock, a change of clothes, a toothbrush, and food.
A pop-up book made of cardboard
A pop-up picture book made from cardboard and construction paper.
It’s an extension of pop-up cards, and even kids can give it a try.
For example, for a cloud, stick double-sided tape along the bottom edge of a sheet of white construction paper and fold it.
Attach it to the construction-paper base, fold it, and trim the white paper so it doesn’t stick out when closed.
Then peel off the backing of the double-sided tape, attach it to the base, and cut it into a cloud shape.
Use the same method to make the other parts.
After that, cut out your favorite shapes and glue them on.
Finally, make the cover by attaching colored construction paper to a piece of cardboard that’s slightly larger than your pages.
It’s a picture book that’s fun to make and to look at, sparking excitement and imagination!
A flip-through picture book
Here’s an idea for a “flip-through picture book” made by folding rectangular drawing paper in half and connecting several of them.
This example is for making an album, but it can be adapted for a picture book as well.
Decide the number of pages based on the content of your book.
You can also use items like craft punches that round corners or cut flower shapes.
Try making the cover and back cover a different color, or make each page a different color for a bright, colorful result!
[Handmade Picture Books] A Selection of Recommended Ideas Perfect for Early Learning (11–20)
Hardcover picture book
If you’re going to the trouble of making a picture book, you’ll want it properly bound in hardcover.
To give it a beautiful finish, let’s also add colored endpapers at the beginning and the end.
Align the “spines” carefully, clip the opposite side, then use a brush to apply glue slightly thinned with water into the gap along the spine.
Remove the clips, place a weight on top, and attach a strip of gauze.
Next, let’s make the cover.
Adhere drawing paper to your preferred cardstock, apply glue, and fold it over.
Fit bookbinding tape to the spine, and finally attach the cover.
Your original picture book—made to last for years—is complete!
A cloth picture book for learning table manners
This is the “Manners Cloth Picture Book” series, which is actually available for purchase.
Children start out eating with their hands, but as they get older, they learn to use a spoon, fork, and chopsticks.
Still, it can take time for them to get used to it, and they may end up choosing whatever is easiest.
That’s where this Manners Cloth Picture Book comes in.
Kids can pretend to eat using a spoon, fork, and chopsticks, and there are also pages for handwashing and toothbrushing, so they can experience the whole flow of mealtime.
Please use it as a reference and try creating your own Manners Cloth Picture Book.
A small picture book made with origami
This is a miniature picture book made from origami.
Not only the book itself, but even the rabbit character on the cover is made of origami.
It has a three-dimensional feel, and the handwritten title is very cute.
You can make the book body with a single sheet of origami paper.
First, fold the top and bottom edges of the paper to meet the center line, then fold the left and right edges to meet the center as well.
Unfold the left and right sections you just folded; you should see eight squares formed by the creases.
Make cuts with scissors along the horizontal lines of the four central squares.
Fold the paper along the horizontal center line, then collapse the slit so it forms a cross and fold it into a booklet.
It might be a hit if you base it on your favorite picture book!
A cloth picture book for learning about time and greetings
There are many important things in life, but greetings are the basics, aren’t they? Many parents probably want their children to grow up able to greet others properly.
In such cases, this manners picture book is highly recommended.
In this book, children can learn various greetings and times of day, such as “Good morning” and “Let’s eat.” Each page features an illustration that matches the greeting, and at the top there’s a clock with hands that you can actually move.