Weekend Wonder: Holiday Bookmaking
We all have different holiday experiences that are worth appreciating.
Any of your recent or upcoming holiday experiences can become the subject of a simple, handmade book created by your child.
This is a wonderful way to integrate a meaningful experience. By recalling a memory in detail, you can reactivate positive feelings and take in the good once more.
You can invite your child to feel the wonder of the Nutcracker or the sensory delight of cookie baking again. You can remember the anticipation of lighting candles each night of Hanukkah, process the challenges of ice-skating, and appreciate the cozy satisfaction of tree decorating - all through conversation and book-making.
A book can have drawings only. This is lovely.
You can also add words. You can write your child’s thoughts to support them, or your child can write for themselves.
Here’s how.
Invite your child to think about a recent holiday-related experience.
Discuss the memory. Recall the sequence and the details.
Let your child know that they could make a book about the experience.
Consider how. What could they draw? What colors would they use? What details would they add?
Make a plan. What materials does your child want to use? Where will they sit to create the book so they have a good workspace? They can go gather those supplies (suggestions here) and get situated.
Create. Keep your child company by sitting in parallel, if they would like. Where should the story begin? What came first in this experience? What came next? Next again? How did the experience conclude?
When your child has determined that the book is complete, invite them to add a title page and their name.
Admire the completed book together.
Invite your child to share it with others, if they would like.
Continue to revisit the book over the next few weeks, and save it as a holiday memento!
Enjoy!