ART SCRAPBOOK

Art scrapbooks are a great way to help to provide a fun, creative diversion for kids when they need to be still and are not able to run around, but are awake and alert enough to know it! It's especially difficult for little ones around ages 2 to 5 as sitting still is not what they are about.  Young kids who have to spend time in the hospital, or need to be confined to bed or quiet time due to illness or other challenges can receive many positive benefits from engaging in easy, inviting, arts and crafts projects.  Art  projects can provide hours of hands on fun and learning as well as a break from technology.  

 

Of course kids love coloring books and other simple art materials but with a little effort you can put together fun projects like an artsy scrapbook or even a collage done on a large sheet of tag board or cardboard.  Art scrapbooks and journals are fun for all kids starting around age 2, not just those dealing with challenges. It can be fun for kids who are older and able to write, to include notes here and there about their art, their day,  places and activities.  Event tickets, photos, napkins, invitations, menus, cards, photos etc can be cut up and turned into something creative.

 

A scrapbook can easily be created with 2 pieces of cardboard, tag board, heavy poster board etc for front and back and several pages of colored paper, white paper, whatever you like, for filler pages.  Filler pages should not be too light, construction paper, poster board, and other good weight papers will work best.  Punch holes in cover and back and filler pages and tie book together with ribbon or string.  You can also add more pages when book is full.  You can even purchase an inexpensive scrapbook but it's not necessary.  Any size will do, the book for Paige  is about 9x12, with 8.5x11 filler pages.  

 

Materials and Tips ~

 

Scrapbook, scissors, markers, glue stick, school glue, assortment of papers and materials for gluing to pages..

 

Put together a good selection of colored papers, fabrics, felt, ribbon, lace, trims, stickers, stars, pom poms, envelopes for secret stuff, and different shapes cut out of sticky back sheets of foam which come in a several  colors as well as glitter colors.  Pictures from magazines and newspapers, photos, little drawings or notes, and just about anything that can be glued down.   For young kids especially, they will be more interested if you take the time to cut out a lot of interesting shapes they can use in several creative ways.  Provide cut out squares, circles, swirls, strips, and zigzag strips that can be used for creating designs, patterns or houses, boats, and cities.  Having markers makes it possible to add details and different parts to designs.  A lot of kids respond positively to a bit of help getting started.  Providing simple shapes like butterflies, rockets, flowers, mountain shapes, trees, houses, and robots helps get things rolling and kids can then add their own special details with all of the available materials.  I also often find interesting items to use at 99 cents stores, you just have to use your imagination, and your scissors.  Ask kids what they would like, favorite colors etc.

 

Bring scrap book and the materials to child and tell them to have fun.  It's always good to offer a few suggestions while letting them know whatever they want to do is fine. If child is especially young you can add their name on the cover for them or you can cut out letters and let them do it,  Sticky back foam works well for the name.  Let them put anything they like on the cover.

 

Art scrapbooks take a little time and effort to put together but are well worth it, especially for kids in need of a little creative diversion as well as time away from their phones and screens.