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Make a pop up book

Make a pop up book
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Make a simple pop-up book by designing pages, cutting and folding paper, gluing movable parts, and decorating scenes to tell your own story.

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Step-by-step guide to make a pop-up book

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What you need
Adult supervision required, cardstock or cereal box for cover, colouring materials such as markers crayons or colored pencils, glue stick or white glue, pencil, plain paper, ruler, scissors, scrap paper for pop ups, stickers or tape optional

Step 1

Gather all your materials and put them on a clear table so everything is easy to reach.

Step 2

Choose a simple story idea and decide how many scenes or pages you want usually three to five.

Step 3

Write a short title sentence for each scene on a scrap piece of paper so you know what will happen on each page.

Step 4

Fold four sheets of plain paper in half to make your book pages.

Step 5

Cut a piece of cardstock or a flattened cereal box slightly larger than your folded pages to use as the cover.

Step 6

Put the folded pages inside the cover and glue the spine edge so the pages stay inside the cover.

Step 7

Cut one rectangle of scrap paper for each scene about 5 cm by 3 cm to make pop up tabs.

Step 8

Fold each rectangle down the middle to make a V fold tab that will pop up.

Step 9

Open the page you want to use and glue the folded edge of a V-fold tab onto the center crease so it will fold flat and pop up when opened.

Step 10

Draw characters or objects for each scene on scrap paper to match your story.

Step 11

Carefully cut out the characters and objects you drew.

Step 12

Glue each cut-out to the front of a pop-up tab so it stands up when the page opens.

Step 13

Decorate the backgrounds of each page with color stickers drawings or coloring to make your scenes come alive.

Step 14

Write your book title and your name on the cover and close the book so the glue sets for a few minutes.

Step 15

Take a photo of your finished pop up book and share your creation on DIY.org

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can we use if we don't have cardstock or a cereal box for the cover, or if we run out of glue?

If you don't have cardstock use a flattened cereal box, the back of a notebook, or layered printer paper for the cover, and substitute double-sided tape or a glue stick to attach the spine and V-fold tabs.

My pop-up tabs won't fold flat or the pages are sticking together—what should we try?

If a V-fold tab won't pop or pages stick, make a sharp crease along the tab's center, glue only the folded edge onto the page's center crease, and use lighter-weight scrap paper for the cut-out characters so the tab can lift them.

How can we adapt this pop-up book activity for different ages?

For preschoolers pre-fold the four sheets and pre-cut the 5 cm × 3 cm tabs so they can glue large simple shapes, while older kids can make 6–8 pages, add layered backgrounds and detailed cut-outs to glue onto the V-folds.

What are some ways to extend or personalize the pop-up book after finishing the basic steps?

To enhance your book add box-fold pop-ups, layered scrap-paper backgrounds, textured stickers or fabrics for scenery, write speech bubbles next to glued characters, and decorate the cover with photos before photographing your finished book to share on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to make a pop-up book

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Learn How To Make Pop Up Art | Easy DIY Crafts | Miniatures Course For Kids #DIY #papercrafts

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Facts about paper engineering and bookmaking for kids

✂️ Kirigami adds cutting to folding, letting you create windows, tabs, and moving parts that lift off the page.

📚 Early movable-book ideas go back to medieval volvelles — rotating paper wheels used in manuscripts for diagrams and calendars.

📐 Paper engineers design pop-ups like tiny machines; museum-quality pop-up books can contain dozens of interlocking moving pieces.

🧩 Pop-up books (movable books) use folds, tabs and V-folds — simple paper engineering that turns flat pages into tiny 3D scenes.

🎉 You can make a simple pop-up with a single folded sheet using a V-fold — perfect for a quick storytelling page.

How do you make a simple pop-up book?

To make a simple pop-up book, first plan a short story and sketch each page. Fold cardstock or heavyweight paper in half for pages. Create basic pop-ups by cutting two parallel slits and folding the tab inward (box fold) or making a V-fold for angled elements. Attach characters to tabs with glue or tape, test folds before decorating, and bind pages by stapling, sewing, or gluing the spine. Finish by illustrating and adding details.

What materials do I need to make a pop-up book at home?

You’ll need cardstock or heavyweight paper for pages, plain paper for pop-up pieces, scissors, a craft knife (use with adult supervision), a ruler, pencil, glue stick and liquid craft glue, double-sided tape, markers or paints, stickers, and decorative paper. Optional items: brads for movable joints, string for pull-tabs, foam tape, a cutting mat, and recycled materials like photos or cereal boxes. Keep small parts away from very young children.

What ages is making a pop-up book suitable for?

This activity fits many ages: preschoolers (3–5) can help design pages, choose stickers, and paste pre-cut pieces with close adult help. Ages 6–8 can cut basic pop-up tabs and assemble simple mechanisms with supervision. Children 9 and up can tackle complex folds, use craft knives safely, add moving parts like pull-tabs, and bind books more independently. Adjust complexity and supervision based on each child’s fine motor skills and attention.

What are some fun variations and safety tips for pop-up books?

Try variations like themed books (animals, space), pull-tabs, sliding inserts, spinning wheels, accordion-style or mini-pocket books, and sensory additions like felt or foil. Turn it into a group project with each child making a page or create a photo pop-up family book. Safety tips: supervise cutting, use child-safe scissors and non-toxic glue, and securely attach small moving parts to avoid choking hazards.
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