This interview with Dr. Jackie Humans is one of the most informative articles on bullying I have seen.
A particularly interesting point is that bullies scan the people around them for likely targets. In effect, they do their homework. Although it is crucial to understand that bullies are responsible for their behavior (i.e., their victims are not responsible for being bullied), there are many skills people can learn to be "less fun" as a target.
She makes a great point about bullies wanting their victims to react in a traumatized way. They want their victims to believe that the remark, scenario, or physical harm is completely awful. If the victim deflects bullying behavior with humor or an unemotional non-reaction, the bully's "awfulizing" does not work.
See the article for more information and some tips, although she leaves some of the good stuff for readers of her book. 15 Ways to ZAP a Bully! is written with middle-schoolers as a target audience. I have not read this book but I will consider finding it when my five-year-old is just a little older.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Storybook Week 4: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type was written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin. The first step in this Storybook Week is to buy or borrow from the library this book or Storybook DVD. Read the book and/or watch the DVD together.
Help your child type a letter on the computer. Better yet, if you have one, let your child use a typewriter. Print it out if necessary and mail or deliver it to the intended recipient.
For a toddler: If you allow your toddler to touch your computer or typewriter, show the toddler how to strike keys to make letters and numbers appear on the screen. Put the word processing program on a very large font to help your child see. Different colored fonts are fun, too.
For a preschooler: Teach your child to type on a computer or typewriter if necessary. If your child is already familiar with this, teach how to capitalize letters on a keyboard, how to make spaces between words, and how to make sentences with punctuation.
For an older child: Teach letter formatting with return address, recipient address, date, salutation, paragraphs, and closing. You may also want to teach appropriate letter etiquette.
This is an interesting link about young children playing a strategy board game (Settlers of Catan) that includes trading and negotiation. I am particularly interested in the fact that the author's six-year-old could play the game, because we own this game and my oldest is now five years old.
Another option if you want to get your younger children into strategy board games is this version called Kids of Catan. If you read the review, though, you will see that this version does not include many of the learning opportunities present in the regular version of the game. Important note: Kids of Catan does not include trading or negotiation.
For social skills activities, including one involving negotiation, scroll down to the "Build a consensus" section on this Parenting Science website. This would work best with a small group of preschoolers or young elementary schoolers, but it could be done as a fun imaginative activity between parent and child. A young child may expect to participate in the imagined event in the near future, so keep that in mind as you do the activity.
Talk about where we get milk and eggs. Include the concept that animals give us these products. Identify which animals give us each product. Then talk about where your family usually gets these products, such as the grocery store.
Make a simple recipe together that calls for milk and eggs. Some ideas are scrambled eggs, omelettes, pancakes, or waffles.
For a baby: Allow baby to watch nearby as you prepare a recipe using milk and eggs.
For a toddler: A toddler may be able to bring you utensils, stir, pour, and even begin to learn how to crack eggs into a bowl.
For a preschooler: Teach your child how to crack eggs into a bowl if he or she does not already know how to do it. Be encouraging and point out that people often make mistakes when learning how to crack eggs. Even adults let pieces of egg shell into recipes sometimes! Show him or her how to fish the egg shells back out (with clean hands, of course).
For an older child: Let him or her use a kids' cookbook or regular cookbook to make the recipe. Supervise but do not help except when asked.
This activity is pretty self-explanatory. If there is no nearby farm or household with multiple animals, especially farm-type animals, try the zoo and/or petting zoo. Point out and talk about the animals that would live on a farm (ducks, goats, roosters, etc.) and those that would not live on a farm (lions, monkeys, giraffes, and of course many more). Most ages will enjoy this activity.
1. Type A Letter
Story Interest/Language ArtsHelp your child type a letter on the computer. Better yet, if you have one, let your child use a typewriter. Print it out if necessary and mail or deliver it to the intended recipient.
For a toddler: If you allow your toddler to touch your computer or typewriter, show the toddler how to strike keys to make letters and numbers appear on the screen. Put the word processing program on a very large font to help your child see. Different colored fonts are fun, too.
For a preschooler: Teach your child to type on a computer or typewriter if necessary. If your child is already familiar with this, teach how to capitalize letters on a keyboard, how to make spaces between words, and how to make sentences with punctuation.
For an older child: Teach letter formatting with return address, recipient address, date, salutation, paragraphs, and closing. You may also want to teach appropriate letter etiquette.
2. Strategy Game
Social SkillsThis is an interesting link about young children playing a strategy board game (Settlers of Catan) that includes trading and negotiation. I am particularly interested in the fact that the author's six-year-old could play the game, because we own this game and my oldest is now five years old.
Another option if you want to get your younger children into strategy board games is this version called Kids of Catan. If you read the review, though, you will see that this version does not include many of the learning opportunities present in the regular version of the game. Important note: Kids of Catan does not include trading or negotiation.
For social skills activities, including one involving negotiation, scroll down to the "Build a consensus" section on this Parenting Science website. This would work best with a small group of preschoolers or young elementary schoolers, but it could be done as a fun imaginative activity between parent and child. A young child may expect to participate in the imagined event in the near future, so keep that in mind as you do the activity.
3. Milk and Eggs
Cooking/Sensory ActivityTalk about where we get milk and eggs. Include the concept that animals give us these products. Identify which animals give us each product. Then talk about where your family usually gets these products, such as the grocery store.
Make a simple recipe together that calls for milk and eggs. Some ideas are scrambled eggs, omelettes, pancakes, or waffles.
For a baby: Allow baby to watch nearby as you prepare a recipe using milk and eggs.
For a toddler: A toddler may be able to bring you utensils, stir, pour, and even begin to learn how to crack eggs into a bowl.
For a preschooler: Teach your child how to crack eggs into a bowl if he or she does not already know how to do it. Be encouraging and point out that people often make mistakes when learning how to crack eggs. Even adults let pieces of egg shell into recipes sometimes! Show him or her how to fish the egg shells back out (with clean hands, of course).
For an older child: Let him or her use a kids' cookbook or regular cookbook to make the recipe. Supervise but do not help except when asked.
4. Take Me to the Farm
Story Interest/Field Trip/Outdoor Activity/ScienceThis activity is pretty self-explanatory. If there is no nearby farm or household with multiple animals, especially farm-type animals, try the zoo and/or petting zoo. Point out and talk about the animals that would live on a farm (ducks, goats, roosters, etc.) and those that would not live on a farm (lions, monkeys, giraffes, and of course many more). Most ages will enjoy this activity.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Storybook Week 3: Chrysanthemum
The book Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes, stars an adorable mouse with an absolutely perfect name. At least, it seems perfect until one day when a classmate makes certain comments...
Ask your child what his or her full name is. Together, look up the meaning of the name in a name book or dictionary or online. Some questions to consider together are:
What do you like best about your name?
What does it sound like?
What does it remind you of?
If you could choose any name for yourself, what would it be?
For a baby or toddler:
If you or someone you know has the talent or budget for it, you could make or purchase a name sign to hang in your child's room where he or she will often see it. There are many vinyl wall art companies to choose from these days and many online tutorials for decorating and displaying wood letters with materials you can find at any craft store.
Point out the picture to your child, saying the name and talking about the letters, pictures, colors, and shapes in it.
We are extremely fortunate to have an artist in the family: my mom. Here is an example of part of a name picture:
Read the book together, or watch the Scholastic Storybook Treasures story video. The video has marvelous, soothing narration by Meryl Streep.
In the book, Chrysanthemum loved to write out her name with a fat orange crayon. Set out a large piece of paper and a big orange crayon. Have your child write out his or her name on the paper.
For a toddler: Draw block letters of your child's name on a large piece of paper. Let your toddler scribble away at the paper with a fat orange crayon. It may be more fun if you join in!
Use puppets that you have or make paper bag puppets by drawing faces and hair on the bottom of a paper lunch sack. Start a role play using the puppets in which someone is teased for something like a name or hair color. You can play the teasing puppet and the puppet being teased, while your child plays a friend of the puppet being teased. See what your child does as a friend. After a few minutes, you can switch all the roles.
For younger children, you can model the friend being helpful, saying encouraging statements like, "I like your name," or "I am sorry you feel bad. Do you need a hug?" You can talk about strategies such as telling the parent or teacher if they feel bad about something someone said or did to them.
For older children, talk about what teasers or bullies want. For example, you can talk about how reacting strongly and emotionally to the teasing makes bullies want to do even more teasing. Model calm, bland phrases like, "Thank you for noticing," or "It's interesting you think that." These, if repeated often, should be very boring and demotivating for a teaser or bully.
For even older children, or any children who use cell phones and online technology, research cyberbullying and address those issues with your child.
1. Origins of a Name
Story Interest
Ask your child what his or her full name is. Together, look up the meaning of the name in a name book or dictionary or online. Some questions to consider together are:
What do you like best about your name?
What does it sound like?
What does it remind you of?
If you could choose any name for yourself, what would it be?
For a baby or toddler:
If you or someone you know has the talent or budget for it, you could make or purchase a name sign to hang in your child's room where he or she will often see it. There are many vinyl wall art companies to choose from these days and many online tutorials for decorating and displaying wood letters with materials you can find at any craft store.
Point out the picture to your child, saying the name and talking about the letters, pictures, colors, and shapes in it.
We are extremely fortunate to have an artist in the family: my mom. Here is an example of part of a name picture:
2. Read the Book
Read-aloudRead the book together, or watch the Scholastic Storybook Treasures story video. The video has marvelous, soothing narration by Meryl Streep.
3. Fat Orange Crayon
Arts and Crafts/Handwriting
In the book, Chrysanthemum loved to write out her name with a fat orange crayon. Set out a large piece of paper and a big orange crayon. Have your child write out his or her name on the paper.
For a toddler: Draw block letters of your child's name on a large piece of paper. Let your toddler scribble away at the paper with a fat orange crayon. It may be more fun if you join in!
4. Teasing
Emotional Awareness/Social skills Use puppets that you have or make paper bag puppets by drawing faces and hair on the bottom of a paper lunch sack. Start a role play using the puppets in which someone is teased for something like a name or hair color. You can play the teasing puppet and the puppet being teased, while your child plays a friend of the puppet being teased. See what your child does as a friend. After a few minutes, you can switch all the roles.
For younger children, you can model the friend being helpful, saying encouraging statements like, "I like your name," or "I am sorry you feel bad. Do you need a hug?" You can talk about strategies such as telling the parent or teacher if they feel bad about something someone said or did to them.
For older children, talk about what teasers or bullies want. For example, you can talk about how reacting strongly and emotionally to the teasing makes bullies want to do even more teasing. Model calm, bland phrases like, "Thank you for noticing," or "It's interesting you think that." These, if repeated often, should be very boring and demotivating for a teaser or bully.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
How The Read-Aloud Handbook Works for Us, Part 1
Jim Trelease's book The Read-Aloud Handbook was given to us when our first son was born five years ago. It seems to have only gotten more popular since then, even though it was first published over thirty years ago! We have the 5th edition, published in 2001.
It is chock-full of information about why, how, when, and where to read aloud, and the interaction between reading, TV, and the Internet. Perhaps the best thing about the book is its extensive Treasury of Read-Alouds, categorized by type and children's ages. The types are: Wordless Books, Predictable Books, Reference Books, Picture Books, Short Novels, Full-Length Novels, Poetry, Anthologies, and Fairy and Folk Tales.
Without opening the book again, I can remember certain points that were salient to me:
1. Read aloud no matter what the age of the child. Infants benefit and so do teenagers.
2. It's okay for children who are interested in them to read comic books, graphic novels, and other materials. The idea is for children to learn to love to read, not for them to read all the great classics and nothing else. There is a reason great classics are classics, but did you know many of them are now available in graphic novel form? Anything that gets a child's interest will lead to more reading, including the original books eventually, one may hope.
3. The biggest predictor of whether or not children will love reading is whether or not their parents love reading and show it. A home full of books, magazines, newspapers, and reading parents will produce children who love to read. Borrowing them from the library is exciting, free, convenient, and offers more variety than a home library, but there is also a section in The Read-Aloud Handbook that talks about the importance of a home library and how to build a good one.
In a recent post from Chronicles of a Babywise Mom, I was reminded that the book also talks about the impact of the kinds of materials parents read. 95% of children whose mothers read novels had a high interest in books. The same high percentage did not hold up for fathers who read novels. However, 91% of children whose fathers read newspapers had a high interest in books.
Like many parents and educators, I am so enthusiastic about The Read-Aloud Handbook that I need two posts to talk about it. My second post will contain the specific ways we implement the ideas from the book, and any setbacks we have experienced in reading to our children.
It is chock-full of information about why, how, when, and where to read aloud, and the interaction between reading, TV, and the Internet. Perhaps the best thing about the book is its extensive Treasury of Read-Alouds, categorized by type and children's ages. The types are: Wordless Books, Predictable Books, Reference Books, Picture Books, Short Novels, Full-Length Novels, Poetry, Anthologies, and Fairy and Folk Tales.
Without opening the book again, I can remember certain points that were salient to me:
1. Read aloud no matter what the age of the child. Infants benefit and so do teenagers.
2. It's okay for children who are interested in them to read comic books, graphic novels, and other materials. The idea is for children to learn to love to read, not for them to read all the great classics and nothing else. There is a reason great classics are classics, but did you know many of them are now available in graphic novel form? Anything that gets a child's interest will lead to more reading, including the original books eventually, one may hope.
3. The biggest predictor of whether or not children will love reading is whether or not their parents love reading and show it. A home full of books, magazines, newspapers, and reading parents will produce children who love to read. Borrowing them from the library is exciting, free, convenient, and offers more variety than a home library, but there is also a section in The Read-Aloud Handbook that talks about the importance of a home library and how to build a good one.
In a recent post from Chronicles of a Babywise Mom, I was reminded that the book also talks about the impact of the kinds of materials parents read. 95% of children whose mothers read novels had a high interest in books. The same high percentage did not hold up for fathers who read novels. However, 91% of children whose fathers read newspapers had a high interest in books.
Like many parents and educators, I am so enthusiastic about The Read-Aloud Handbook that I need two posts to talk about it. My second post will contain the specific ways we implement the ideas from the book, and any setbacks we have experienced in reading to our children.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Typing as a Writing Activity
AlexanderDusNotwottoohvrtmiwalt.
The above is an example of a writing activity for young children. It is my older son's attempt at a typed sentence. Typing activities can be a fun and useful change of pace from manual writing exercises. Children need manual writing practice as well, but in the early stages the focus is on the difficulty of the mechanics. Typing gives them a chance to work on sentence structure, capitalization, and spelling without worrying about the physical dexterity challenge that goes with handwriting.
Computer activities can kick-start learning for children who are fascinated with computing. They tend to learn fast if they're doing something exciting.
The idea of typing as a language arts activity came from the book Your Child At Play: Three to Five Years: Conversation, Creativity, and Learning Letters, Words and Numbers by Marilyn Segal. I recommend the book for an easy read about what's going on in preschoolers' minds and development. It has tons of easy suggestions for parents to try with their children, including the idea to let preschoolers play in word processing documents and even start an email account to correspond with friends and relatives. (Of course, parents should control all computer and online activity with kids, especially kids this young. I help my son send emails to his grandma, and that's about all we do with his account.)
The above is an example of a writing activity for young children. It is my older son's attempt at a typed sentence. Typing activities can be a fun and useful change of pace from manual writing exercises. Children need manual writing practice as well, but in the early stages the focus is on the difficulty of the mechanics. Typing gives them a chance to work on sentence structure, capitalization, and spelling without worrying about the physical dexterity challenge that goes with handwriting.
Computer activities can kick-start learning for children who are fascinated with computing. They tend to learn fast if they're doing something exciting.
The idea of typing as a language arts activity came from the book Your Child At Play: Three to Five Years: Conversation, Creativity, and Learning Letters, Words and Numbers by Marilyn Segal. I recommend the book for an easy read about what's going on in preschoolers' minds and development. It has tons of easy suggestions for parents to try with their children, including the idea to let preschoolers play in word processing documents and even start an email account to correspond with friends and relatives. (Of course, parents should control all computer and online activity with kids, especially kids this young. I help my son send emails to his grandma, and that's about all we do with his account.)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Storybook Week 2: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was written by Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault and was illustrated by Lois Ehlert. This is another classic children's book, one that many people call the best storybook for children under six. It should be readily available at the library, on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com, or in brick and mortar book shops. We have the DVD as part of the Scholastic Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics. (I do not get any benefit from recommending these sites, books, or DVDs - they are simply things that I have used and liked.)
Read the book or watch the DVD together. Use this simple Coconut Tree Craft from DLTK's Growing Together website.
Adjust for toddlers and younger preschoolers by cutting and/or pasting for them.
For older children or those who have an interest, look up coconut tree facts and pictures to learn more. Show them on the map where coconut trees mostly grow. Here at 4to40.com are some facts about coconuts.
For this activity, you will need a foam, magnet, or other set of letters of the alphabet. Use the coconut tree craft you made in Activity 1. With your child, play out the story with these letters. Have A ask B to go up the tree. March or skip the letters up the tree and set them in the branches or leaves or on the top of the tree. When they have all gotten up the tree, make them tumble down!
Make a big deal of the tumbling down part. Shake the paper tree until the letters fall down. Pick up the letters again and repeat the activity. This will be even more fun for a toddler if you get a box or container and tape or glue the picture of the tree inside the container. It will become another way for toddlers to play the clean-up-dump-out-clean-up-dump-out game. (I know my toddler loves this game!)
Use your own and your child's bodies to form letters of the alphabet on the floor. Your child may like to stand up and form the shape of a letter as best she can on her own in order to act out part of the story. It would be even better to have someone on hand to take pictures of this activity.
Try forming the letter A by standing with legs apart and arms overhead with palms together. Say, "A! I'm the letter A!" See if your toddler can imitate you. Take pictures!
4. Who Wrote the Book?
Language Arts
For this activity, you will need the book physically on hand. You may also want to have other books written by Bill Martin, Jr., or illustrated by Lois Ehlert to look at. There are many books by these two at the library.
For a preschooler or kindergartner: Open to the title page and tell your child that this is called the title page, and that every book has one. Show them what information is on the title page.
Tell them that the person who wrote the words in the book is the author. Give them the author's name. If you have other Bill Martin, Jr., books, show those to your child and point out his name on each of the title pages.
Explain how the person who drew (or created) the pictures in the book is called the illustrator. If you have other Lois Ehlert books on hand, show them to your child and point out her name on the title pages.
Ask, "Who is the author of this book?", pointing to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
Ask, "Who illustrated this book?"
For a toddler or baby: Read and show books by Bill Martin, Jr., or illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Continue as long as it holds your baby's or toddler's interest. Keep the books near to look at them and read from them throughout the next week or two.
CDKitchen has an Easiest Coconut Pie recipe that children can help with. Older children can help with all of the recipe; younger children can pour or toss in the shredded coconut. The Homemade Baby Food website says that coconuts are not a common allergenic food and has more information on babies and coconut. According to that site, coconuts are not related to peanut or tree nut allergies but are related to latex allergies. Please use your pediatrician's guidance to determine what your baby can safely eat.
If you can find one and have the money in your grocery budget, it would be very helpful to buy a real coconut so your child can handle it, look inside (once an adult cuts it for them), and compare the shredded coconut to the whole coconut. Chowhound has some readers' ideas for using a whole coconut.
1. Coconut Tree Craft
Arts and Crafts/Story InterestRead the book or watch the DVD together. Use this simple Coconut Tree Craft from DLTK's Growing Together website.
Adjust for toddlers and younger preschoolers by cutting and/or pasting for them.
For older children or those who have an interest, look up coconut tree facts and pictures to learn more. Show them on the map where coconut trees mostly grow. Here at 4to40.com are some facts about coconuts.
2. Letters Come Tumbling Down
Story InterestFor this activity, you will need a foam, magnet, or other set of letters of the alphabet. Use the coconut tree craft you made in Activity 1. With your child, play out the story with these letters. Have A ask B to go up the tree. March or skip the letters up the tree and set them in the branches or leaves or on the top of the tree. When they have all gotten up the tree, make them tumble down!
For a toddler:
Make a big deal of the tumbling down part. Shake the paper tree until the letters fall down. Pick up the letters again and repeat the activity. This will be even more fun for a toddler if you get a box or container and tape or glue the picture of the tree inside the container. It will become another way for toddlers to play the clean-up-dump-out-clean-up-dump-out game. (I know my toddler loves this game!)
3. Be a Letter
Dramatizing/Sensory ActivityUse your own and your child's bodies to form letters of the alphabet on the floor. Your child may like to stand up and form the shape of a letter as best she can on her own in order to act out part of the story. It would be even better to have someone on hand to take pictures of this activity.
For a toddler:
Try forming the letter A by standing with legs apart and arms overhead with palms together. Say, "A! I'm the letter A!" See if your toddler can imitate you. Take pictures!
4. Who Wrote the Book?
Language Arts
For this activity, you will need the book physically on hand. You may also want to have other books written by Bill Martin, Jr., or illustrated by Lois Ehlert to look at. There are many books by these two at the library.
For a preschooler or kindergartner: Open to the title page and tell your child that this is called the title page, and that every book has one. Show them what information is on the title page.
Tell them that the person who wrote the words in the book is the author. Give them the author's name. If you have other Bill Martin, Jr., books, show those to your child and point out his name on each of the title pages.
Explain how the person who drew (or created) the pictures in the book is called the illustrator. If you have other Lois Ehlert books on hand, show them to your child and point out her name on the title pages.
Ask, "Who is the author of this book?", pointing to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
Ask, "Who illustrated this book?"
For a toddler or baby: Read and show books by Bill Martin, Jr., or illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Continue as long as it holds your baby's or toddler's interest. Keep the books near to look at them and read from them throughout the next week or two.
5. Cook a Coconut
Cooking/Sensory ActivityCDKitchen has an Easiest Coconut Pie recipe that children can help with. Older children can help with all of the recipe; younger children can pour or toss in the shredded coconut. The Homemade Baby Food website says that coconuts are not a common allergenic food and has more information on babies and coconut. According to that site, coconuts are not related to peanut or tree nut allergies but are related to latex allergies. Please use your pediatrician's guidance to determine what your baby can safely eat.
If you can find one and have the money in your grocery budget, it would be very helpful to buy a real coconut so your child can handle it, look inside (once an adult cuts it for them), and compare the shredded coconut to the whole coconut. Chowhound has some readers' ideas for using a whole coconut.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Quickest Ever Scrapbook
If you are like me and will never finish putting together a photo album or special-event scrapbook, here is the Quickest Ever Scrapbook that allows you to have physical results in hardly any time.
Forget about perfection. Would you rather have a product or not have a product? This is what I have to ask myself when putting together the Quickest Ever Scrapbook.
Buy the simple two-pocket, three-hole folders whenever you see them on sale. I think I got my last stockpile for a few cents each during school supplies shopping season. The project becomes even easier if you buy letter stickers whenever they are on sale.
Take pictures of the event.
Print out a coloring page that goes with the theme of the event. Have your child color it and glue it to the front of the folder. You could also use stickers or any other kind of decoration that is quick and easy for you and your child.
Use letter stickers to spell out the name of the event.
Print out some of your photos and gather together any other items from the event like tickets, cards, or brochures.
Use a three-hole punch to punch holes in the printed photos, cards, and anything else that can fit into the three-hole punched section of the folder. The odds and ends that don't fit can be put into the folder's pockets or glued around the inside and outside of the folder. Some folders have brads to attach the pages and some don't. If your folder does not have brads, simply tie string or thin ribbon through the holes to contain the pages.
You're done!
I have a folder full of little trinkets, cards, and items from my son's birthday last year. It is one year later and I still have done nothing with it. This year I gave myself permission to make the Quickest Ever Scrapbook, and I have already finished this year's birthday scrapbook:
Step 1:
Forget about perfection. Would you rather have a product or not have a product? This is what I have to ask myself when putting together the Quickest Ever Scrapbook.
Step 2:
Buy the simple two-pocket, three-hole folders whenever you see them on sale. I think I got my last stockpile for a few cents each during school supplies shopping season. The project becomes even easier if you buy letter stickers whenever they are on sale.
Step 3:
Take pictures of the event.
Step 4:
Print out a coloring page that goes with the theme of the event. Have your child color it and glue it to the front of the folder. You could also use stickers or any other kind of decoration that is quick and easy for you and your child.
Step 5:
Use letter stickers to spell out the name of the event.
Step 6:
Print out some of your photos and gather together any other items from the event like tickets, cards, or brochures.
Step 7:
Use a three-hole punch to punch holes in the printed photos, cards, and anything else that can fit into the three-hole punched section of the folder. The odds and ends that don't fit can be put into the folder's pockets or glued around the inside and outside of the folder. Some folders have brads to attach the pages and some don't. If your folder does not have brads, simply tie string or thin ribbon through the holes to contain the pages.
Step 8:
You're done!
I have a folder full of little trinkets, cards, and items from my son's birthday last year. It is one year later and I still have done nothing with it. This year I gave myself permission to make the Quickest Ever Scrapbook, and I have already finished this year's birthday scrapbook:
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