Summer Fun Scrapbook

An Easy Economical Summer Fun Craft for Kids

As a mom of seven children, I often found myself looking for easy, economical crafts for summer vacation and rainy days. Over the years I've tried many.

Some became hits, and others were never done again.

Here is one of our all-time favorites. The cost is minimal, and it is very easy to make.

Easy Rainy Day/Summer Fun Scrapbook

Ages 4 and Up

Most children love to cut pictures from magazines. Boys often cut out airplanes and cars. Girls are always after pretty dresses, or doll-related toys.

They also love to hike outside and often bring home leaves, twigs, and interesting flowers which we collect in a little basket.

On rainy days or hot summer days, we get the basket out and make memory scrapbooks. For our older kids, many of these are still treasured. Looking at them brings back beautiful memories of fun family craft days!

Summer Fun Scrapbook Materials

• Pictures from magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape (Scotch tape or packing tape)
• Construction paper
• Yarn or thin ribbon scraps
• Yarn (large eye) needle

How to Make the Scrapbook Page

1. Sort your pictures in groups of things that are alike.

2. Glue or tape each picture, flower, leaf, etc. on a piece of construction paper. (Note: I use tape to completely cover items which become brittle over time like leaves and flowers. I also frequently press those items when the kids first bring them home. Carefully flatten in a folded piece of wax paper and place between two pages of a heavy book.)

3. Use two more sheets of paper (heavier paper or even cardboard work as well) to make book covers.

4. Put the pages between the covers.

5. Mark two dots near the left edge of the front cover and right edge of the back cover - one toward the top and the other toward the bottom of each cover. This is where you will sew the yarn or ribbon to bind the book.

6. Thread the needle with about 20 inches of yarn or ribbon.

7. Stick the needle down through the top mark of the front cover and through all the pages and back cover. Leave a long piece of yarn hanging out the front for a pretty bow or tassel. Stick the needle up through the bottom mark of the back cover and all the way through to the front again.

8. Remove the needle and tie.

9. Your memory scrapbook is almost done.

10. Add a title like "Things I like" or "John's Keepsakes." Make sure you also add the date. If you like, you can glue a picture of the child at his/her present age on the front as well.

This is easy, economical and something you will most likely not throw away - indeed a fun way of making memories to last!

Romona Weston lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania in the beautiful Amish countryside of Lancaster County. She is a mom to seven beautiful children and in her spare time, she loves to hike, write and organize. Romona has home-schooled for over 20 years.

She is a web publisher who owns KitchenCarts360.com. She likes to have an organized environment and has found using stainless steel top kitchen carts and wood portable kitchen carts has helped her achieve this. As a researcher rather than a seller, she presents an unbiased view of the products. Explore her reviews at www.kitchencarts360.com

Also see Popsicle Stick Pencil Holder also by Ramona Weston