[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.
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[Handmade Picture Books] A Selection of Recommended Ideas Perfect for Early Learning (11–20)
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 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.
Cloth picture book you can sing and play with
Let’s turn popular children’s songs into a picture book and make a “sing-and-play cloth book”! With just this one book, you can enjoy a variety of songs for all seasons—like Tulips, Butterfly, Snail, and Red Dragonfly.
It’s great not only because it recreates the scenes, but also because kids can move the butterfly, spin the snail’s shell, and flip doors to discover sea creatures.
It’s a picture book that lets children enjoy singing while actively using their fingers.
The main fabric is felt, so if sewing is difficult, you can assemble it by attaching pieces with fabric glue instead.
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.