Materials

Colored construction paper
Scissors
File folders, one for each child
Camera and film
Old magazines and catalogues
Glue
Markers, crayons, or paint
Clear contact paper
Hole punch
Metal rings or yarn

What to do

1. This activity will take a period of time to complete.

2. Ask each child to choose four pieces of colored construction paper.

3. Cut the paper into 8" (20 cm) squares and place them in the child's folder.

4. Have fun taking pictures of the children. Take pictures of each child at different times during the day, including outside play. If possible, get double prints. Place photos in the appropriate child's folder for later use.

5. At a later time, go through the photos in the folders and cut out the particular child with a friend or two. Discard the background. You may be able to cut out more than one pair of children from a photo. Place the photos back in the appropriate files.

6. Give the children magazines and catalogues and help them cut out pictures of favorite toys, animals, things they would like to learn more about, and any other pictures that they like. Place them in each child's folder for later use.

7. When it is time for children to create their own books, give them their paper squares.

8. On three of the squares, number the pages one to five, using both sides of the paper.

9. Next, give each child his magazine pictures. Encourage the children to glue the pictures onto the pages. For example, they can glue pictures of their favorite toys on page one, favorite animals on page two, things they want to learn about on page three, and their favorite things on pages four and five.

10. Encourage the children to dictate a sentence or two about each page in their book. Write it under the pictures.

11. Invite the children to make a clever cover using the fourth square of construction paper. (Sponge painting might be fun.)

12. When each child is finished decorating his cover, glue a close-up photo of the child on it. Title the book using the child's name (for example, "Susan's Book").

13. Cover all the pages with contact paper and trim to fit.

14. Punch holes along the side of the book and fasten with rings or yarn.