Helping Children Create Books

Creating Books with Children by Debbie Roome
It is possible to nurture a love of reading in young children from an early age. This can be done by encouraging them to participate in fun activities that involve creating books.

Teaching Children to Create Books
It is simple to help your child create his own book. It takes time and effort but the results will be enjoyed for months and years afterwards:
· Give you child sheets of coloured construction paper and ask him to cut out pictures and stick them on to form a story. Pet magazines are a good source of animal pictures, and junk mail and store catalogues can provide endless inspiration
· If your child is a little older and likes drawing, give him some sheets of firm white paper to draw a series of pictures that tell a story. Offer stickers and embellishments as additions
· If the child is old enough, allow her to write the story on each page. Otherwise they can dictate the words to for an adult to write down
· Show him or her the inside of a book with the publisher’s details and copyright and help them add similar information to their book
· Add a title page and the child’s name as the author
· Add a blurb to the back cover describing what the book is about and who authored it
· Bind the book by running strips of glue down the edge of the pages and staple on a cover. The pages can be laminated first for protection but don’t attempt this if there are stickers or embellishments on a page
· Another method of producing a book is to scan the pages at a high resolution and print them on good quality paper

Young children have a natural interest in books and creating their own can bring them hours of pleasure and encourage a love of reading. If the first book is a success, promise to make another one with them in a few months time.

Debbie Roome works as a freelance writer from her home in New Zealand. Visit her at Debbie Roome or read some of her work at Suite 101, Associated Content and Faithwriters.