How to Make an Easy Lapbook

If you haven’t caught the fever yet you soon will. Lapbooks have made their way into hundreds and maybe even thousands of homes with parents that are home schooling their children. They are being used as a teaching tool to help educate children all over the place. Lapbooks are probably one of the easiest educational and fun tools to make with or for your children. Here are some tips on how to make an easy lapbook if you’re just starting out.

Tip #1: Make sure you have the right supplies

It’s not hard to get supplies for making a lapbook. In fact you might be surprised that you find most if not all of them already in your house. For an easy to make lapbook you will need some basic supplies:

• File folder (colored or plain)
• Pictures, images, or clip art (you can look on your computer, buy software, or try the Internet)
• Crafting material such as markers, glitter, etc.
• Glue, tape, or staples

Tip #2: Pick a topic

Choosing a topic is the first thing you will need to decide and probably the most important. Without a topic you don’t really have anything to create. Choose something that you plan to be teaching or something that your child will be interested in. Science and Social Studies units work especially well with lapbooks because children are genuinely interested in those topics. They find them very intriguing and interesting. You can find thousands of topics on the web if you’re lacking for ideas and try to find lesson ideas as well as pictures and games to use in your lapbook.

Tip #3: Resources

Select some books from the library and find some helpful information from your computer or Internet to help teach the concepts you are focusing on. Make sure that the books and information you find relate well to the topic so you can reinforce what you are teaching and hoping for your child to learn. After you use the books and other information the child should have a basic understanding of your topic.

Tip #4: Choose a lapbook style

There are many different styles of lapbooks to choose from; easy and not so easy. The reason I don’t say difficult is because no lapbook is really too difficult to make for you and most are easy enough for most children. If this is your first time then the most basic of all types of lapbooks is the shutter fold lapbook. It is made by using a file folder, opening it up, and folding the sides in so they meet the center of the folder. Once it is folded, you will have four different parts to use for your lapbook.

Tip #5: Create your lapbook

Once you have decided on what type of lapbook you will make, you and your child or student can start with the creation. You can use glue, tape, or staples to attach your clip art, pictures, or other pages you have been working on during the topic you have chosen. Make sure to include key definitions and descriptions to help them remember what it is they have been studying. If they are too young to read large words make sure you use short and familiar vocabulary.

Now that you have an idea of how to get started you can make your first lapbook. Have fun using your creativity and imagination to search and explore new areas and places.