So you’ve heard about lapbooking; seen pictures all over the home school blogs, and now they’ve intrigued you so much that you want to try and make one yourself, but you’re not quite sure where to start. It can be somewhat overwhelming trying to take on a task that you’ve never tackled before, especially when you have a plain manila file folder sitting in front of you with nothing on it. This article will give you some ideas on how to start lapbooking and you probably won’t stop doing it once you’ve started.

Start with a mini book

The easiest way to start lapbooking is to start out by making a mini book. There are some different styles of mini books so you’ll probably want to be familiar with at least two or three different styles. The great thing about mini books is that they are “mini” and won’t take a ton of time. You can use the paper that is available to you at home; colored, white, or whatever you have. Details are not really an issue when it comes to making a mini book. The main idea is to have fun making it and to get involved with your child. The three most commonly used mini books are:

· One page books- they are the simplest; easy and fun.
· Layered books
· Accordion books

There are several different web sites on the Internet you can go to, to get directions on how to make these books. Some of the sites even have videos which make it easier to help understand as well.

Choosing a topic

The next step in making a lapbook is to choose something of interest; your topic. Don’t worry about exactly what curriculum you are going to cover, just try to find something that you know your child is going to be interested in.

If you’re trying to figure how you can start making these great lapbooks you’ve heard of then you’re in luck. There are several different ways you can make them and several different types of lapbooks to make and choose from. Learning how to make mini books for lapbooking is just one of the ways you can start your way to making a true lapbook. Mini books are often used as part of lapbooks and with many different types, you can make your lapbook everything you want it to be. This article will give you some help on making a few different mini books in order to get started with the lapbook craze.

1. Four page flip up book. The four page flip up book is an easy mini book you can make with a young child, or an older child can make easily on their own. With a few simple directions you can fit some valuable information on any topic into this little book. All you need is some different colors of paper, and if you don’t have that even white paper will work just fine. Here’s how to make this fun book:

· Place two sheets of paper on top of each other. Position the two pieces of paper so that about one inch of the bottom sheet is showing. Fold the two sheets of paper together and you will have a four page flip book with about a one inch edge. You can make the books with almost any size paper you choose making any size book you want. Place some glue along the folded edges so that the book will stay together and there you have your first mini book.

2. The Matchbook. The matchbook is yet another mini book that you can make. It too can be made any size you choose and from really any kind of paper you have lying around the house. Here’s how to make this book:

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.

When lapbooks first hit the press (so to speak) they were very simple and easy to make. And although they are still fairly easy to make they have come a long way from being simple. There have (since the first lapbook) been some extremely creative and fun lapbook ideas that have come out since the first (not to discredit those genuine first lapbooks). With so many different themes and topics to choose from you can virtually create any kind of lapbook you choose or can think of. Here are some fun lapbook ideas and themes to use when making some of your own lapbooks.

1. ABC Theme- This idea works especially good with young children that are between preschool and first grade. Learning the ABCs is crucial for children as it sparks an interest in reading and writing and teachers love it when kids enter kindergarten knowing their letters and sounds. You can use one lapbook for all of the letters of the alphabet, or you can use one book for each letter focusing on different objects and other things that begin with a particular letter you are working on. Think of how much fun this could be for a young learner as they learn their ABCs and have fun cutting, pasting and become a young scientist.

2. Ancient Civilizations- This obviously would be for older children as young learners have not quite grasped the concept of the entire world let alone their own city or state. Using a lapbook to experience learning about Ancient Civilizations is a great way to make the learning fun and a lot more enjoyable. You can really be creative with foods they used to eat, what they lived in and wore, and what kinds of entertainment they got into. The possibilities are endless.

I am writing an column for Surfnetkids.com about homemade polymers, and I realized that the longer I researched, the more names I stumbled upon for the homemade goop. Here's the list so far: goo, goop, gak, slime, flubber, oobleck.

Do you know of any others? Let me know by commenting below.

Mother's Day is over, and that means that Father's Day is just around the corner. And we have started a series of Father's Day gift ideas: gifts that can be handmade by little fingers (along with some grownup help.) Enjoy, and keep coming back because will have more ideas over the next week or two.

To celebrate Play Doh's 50th anniversary, Hasbro has released a Play Doh Perfume. It is available online from Demeter Fragrance and it should be available in Sephora stores by this summer.

Enjoy!