Share Your Book Cutting - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Share Your Book Cutting

Make small folded books by cutting and stapling paper with adult help, decorate pages with drawings and messages, then share your creations with friends.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to Share Your Book Cutting

What you need

Plain paper, scissors, stapler, colouring materials, stickers or glue optional, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all materials and place them on a clear table.

Step 2

Choose four sheets of paper and stack them neatly into one pile.

Step 3

Fold the stacked papers in half so the short edges meet.

Step 4

Press your finger along the folded edge to make a sharp crease.

Step 5

Open the folded stack flat on the table.

Step 6

With an adult, trim about 1 cm off the open edges using scissors to make the pages even.

Step 7

Re-fold the stack in half along the crease.

Step 8

With an adult, staple twice along the folded spine to hold the pages together.

Step 9

Write the title and your name on the front cover.

Step 10

Use colouring materials to draw pictures and write messages on the inside pages.

Step 11

Add stickers or glue small decorations to the cover if you like.

Step 12

Show your finished mini-book to a friend or family member and tell them about it.

Step 13

Share your finished creation on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use instead of a stapler if we don't have one at home?

If you don't have a stapler for step 8 (staple twice along the folded spine), glue a thin line of strong craft glue along the folded spine and hold it with a clothespin until dry, or punch two holes and tie the pages with yarn or ribbon.

My pages became uneven after cutting—how can we avoid or fix this when trimming about 1 cm off the open edges in step 6?

To keep the pages even when you trim about 1 cm off the open edges in step 6, have an adult guide the scissors using a ruler as a cutting guide or use a paper trimmer, and if already uneven, re-stack and carefully re-trim small amounts until even.

How do we change the activity for a preschooler compared to an older child?

For preschoolers, an adult should do steps 2–8 (stacking, folding, trimming, stapling) while the child focuses on colouring and stickers in steps 11–12, and for older kids let them use 8–12 sheets, write a full story, add glued-on small decorations, and design a decorated cover in step 10 before sharing.

How can we make the mini-book more special or longer-lasting before sharing it on DIY.org?

To enhance the mini-book (steps 10–12), laminate or reinforce the cover with cardstock and glue, add a little pocket glued inside for notes, create a pop-up page from an extra folded sheet, or personalize with photos and washi tape before showing and sharing.

Watch videos on how to Share Your Book Cutting

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Facts about bookmaking for kids

📚 You can make an 8-page mini-book from a single sheet of paper with a few folds and one cut — great for tiny stories!

✂️ Saddle-stitching (placing staples down the folded spine) is the same basic binding used for magazines and small booklets.

🖍️ Many children's picture books are 32 pages long because printers lay out pages in groups of 8-page signatures.

🤝 Zines and handmade mini-books have long been used to share ideas, art, and stories in community swaps and festivals.

🧷 A single staple through the fold can hold several pages; an adult can help pick the right stapler to keep your book snug.

How do I do the Share Your Book Cutting activity with my child?

Fold one or several sheets of paper in half to make the book shape. With adult help, mark where to cut or where the staples will go; the adult makes the cuts or staples the spine. Open the pages and refold to form a small booklet. Let the child decorate each page with drawings, stickers, or short messages. Finally, have them sign and share their handmade books with friends or family.

What materials do I need for Share Your Book Cutting?

You’ll need plain or colored paper (single sheets or small stacks), child-safe scissors and an adult pair of scissors, a stapler and staples (or tape and hole punch), crayons, markers, or colored pencils, stickers and glue sticks for decoration, and a ruler and pencil for simple guides. Optional: envelopes, string or ribbon to tie books, and name labels for gifting. Keep a small container for used staples to avoid hazards.

What ages is the Share Your Book Cutting activity suitable for?

This activity suits preschoolers through elementary ages: about 4–10 years. Younger children (4–6) benefit from adult cutting and stapling while they draw and write simple words; provide pre-cut pages if needed. Older children (7–10+) can practice folding, arranging pages, and writing short stories with more independence. Adapt complexity by adjusting cutting tasks, adding prompts, or letting older kids design covers and multiple-page stories.

What are the benefits and safety tips for Share Your Book Cutting?

Making small books builds fine motor skills, early writing and storytelling, creativity, and social confidence when children share their creations. Safety tips: always supervise cutting and stapling; use blunt child scissors and let adults handle the stapler or use tape as an alternative. Pre-fold or pre-cut pieces for younger kids, check staple backs to avoid pokes, and keep small items away from toddlers. Encourage kindness when sharing books to support confidence.

Ready to create?