Create a Personalized Picture Book

 Posted by on November 14, 2012
Nov 142012
 

Practice language skills with your child by creating a personalized picture book with familiar things. This idea comes from my friend, Rachel. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist and as such knows tons of reading and literacy strategies.  She suggested creating a homemade photo book of Aiden’s toys.  You can make your own picture book, too!

picture book

 

How to Create a Picture Book

  1. I bought a little 4×6 photo album that holds 36 pictures for $1.
  2. I took pictures of some of Aiden’s favorite toys.
  3. I uploaded the pictures to Shutterfly, cropped them to 4×6, and added a border.
  4. I added some pictures of Aiden and family members.
  5. I sent the pictures to be printed at Walgreens. (The cost was 19 cents each.)
  6. I picked up my photos, slid them into the photo album, and voila – a cute little book for Aiden to have.

Here are just a few of the pages in the book.

Total cost should have been $5.  When I went to Walgreens to pick up my photos, they couldn’t find them.  The computer said they were finished, but the guy who processed the order had left.  I was there for 20 minutes, but they reprinted the photos as no cost.  So the total I spent on the photo book was $1 for the album.

You could also print the pictures yourself.  (Patrick tells me it’s cheaper to print them at the store than to use up ink.)  Instead of the photo album, you could attach the pictures to construction paper or cardstock and cover them with contact paper (if you didn’t print on photo paper).

Aiden loves this book!  He “reads” it to us by saying the name of each picture.  I can see how this is an effective reading/literacy strategy.  He is practicing language skills by using items he knows and loves.  After Aiden says the name, I repeat the object’s name (saying it correctly).  For example, when Aiden was 2, he calleds a “frog” a “froff.”  I would say, “frog.”

Tips for Making the Picture Book

Here are Rachel’s tips for making the book.
  • Take colored pictures of a few of your child’s toys or familiar objects around the house (e.g. balls, rattles, bottle, keys…).
  • Show only one or two objects in each photo and put each object against a plain background (white, light yellow).
  • Put one picture on each page.

More Reading Ideas

What pictures will you put in your child’s photo book?

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  17 Responses to “Create a Personalized Picture Book”

  1. thelovelypoppy says:
    November 26, 2011 at 9:57 am

    thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try!! i’d love for you to stop by http://www.thelovelypoppy.com and check out some of the new tutorials and the giveaway going on. xoxo nicole

    Reply
  2. amy says:
    November 26, 2011 at 2:25 pm

    Great idea! Would you share it here?

    http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/2011/11/shine-on-fridays-3-and-some-fabulous.html

    Reply
  3. Kristina says:
    November 28, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Visiting from follower’s fest by way of the Wiegand’s!

    much love, Kristina

    I’d love for you to come visit me at simplybold.blogspot.com

    Reply
  4. JennAtFFP says:
    November 28, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    I love how easy and inexpensive this is. There’s too many toys and gadgets out there for kids that cost a small fortune. I’m thinking with a little modification this could be a good dry erase activity board for older kids too.

    Reply
    • Trisha says:
      November 28, 2011 at 9:21 pm

      That’s a great idea Jenn! You could insert little games to play on each page of the book and a few blank pages for creative freedom. I’ve used highlighters to write on plastic sheet protectors before. I think the material is similar to the plastic in photo albums, so that could be an less expensive alternative to dry erase markers.

      Reply
  5. Lindsi B says:
    December 2, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    I love this idea! I’m doing something similar for my 10 month old son for Christmas this year. I’d love you to link up with us.
    http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-2.html

    Reply
  6. Kara says:
    December 2, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    What a fabulous idea!! Thanks for sharing and inspiring us!!

    Reply
  7. Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky says:
    November 14, 2012 at 7:33 pm

    I love this idea! I bought some mini photo albums a while ago with a plan similar to this, but forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder :)
    Visiting from It’s Playtime :)
    Kylie @ Octavia and Vicky recently posted..Reading Nook InspirationMy Profile

    Reply
  8. amy says:
    November 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    Cute idea! My son would love something like that too. Thanks for sharing at Shine on Fridays!

    Reply
  9. Allison says:
    November 19, 2012 at 1:17 am

    Such a great idea, and so simple! I love it.
    Allison recently posted..The Old Schoolhouse Magazine {Review}My Profile

    Reply

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