Altered Books for Kids
Bored with board books {guest post}
I am welcoming again, my friend and fellow creative mom, Julie Lancaster, to this writing space today (you can tell it's not me because of her first sentence ;))
I love spring cleaning. Anytime of the year. I jump for joy when the kids are ready for the next size of clothes: I like getting rid of stuff as much as the next person likes to get it.
This month, I’ve had my sight set on board books. The kids are getting older (7- and 4-years old), the corners of these square little books have been well loved and sucked-a-plenty, and frankly, they are just occupying space.
Busying myself with decluttering and the promise of repurposed space, I barely noticed that I was wearing only one slipper. (Who has time to find the other one?)
With my frenzy of reorganizing reaching full tilt, I spied my daughter, peacefully at the kitchen counter. Water-coloring. Engrossed in thoughtful color choice and carefully attentive to her work. She and I were on different planes.
Back in my frenzy, (how was I going to preserve all of the magnificent artwork that she creates in her life?) I had had an epiphany and it was too good not to share. I could combine the projects
Altered Board Books:
You'll need:
- Board books that are no longer destined for greatness
- Water Color Paper
- Glue
- Paint or other art supplies to decorate the pages
What you do: Take your board book and paste cut squares of watercolor paper on each page. After adhered, invite your child to paint two pages. Once the paint dries, have your child dictate or write (depending on age) the scene. Each day they can paint two more pages (two at a time is best for drying properly) of their book. By the end, they have created an entire story!
With this, I allow myself to release the frenzy and just sit. They read their prized self-created stories to me. I delight in listening and they delight in reading. And their precious masterpieces are successfully saved; multitasking at its finest.
Guest Blogger, Julie Lancaster gardens, travels and creates with her husband and two creative kids. She has been published in Mothering Magazine and also leads an online Gardening Community on Facebook.
To read more by Julie, visit:
Alissa Zorn is an author, and founder of the website Overthought This. She's a coach and cartoonist passionate about helping people overcome perfectionism and shame to build authentic, joyful lives. Alissa is certified through the International Coach Federation and got her Trauma-Informed Coaching certification from Moving the Human Spirit. She wrote Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection, Not Perfection, and is always following curiosity to find her next creative endeavor.