Share the story of you
Make a short illustrated autobiography booklet showing important events, favorite things, and goals. Practice writing, drawing, and sharing your personal story.
Step-by-step guide to make a short illustrated autobiography booklet
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Step 1
Gather your materials and find a clean comfortable place to work.
Step 2
Stack 4 to 8 sheets of paper and fold them in half to make a small booklet.
Step 3
Use your pencil to lightly write a title and your name on the front cover.
Step 4
Open the booklet and write a simple page plan in pencil listing what each page will show.
Step 5
On the first inside page draw a picture of your family or an early memory.
Step 6
Write one or two short sentences under that drawing explaining who is in it or what happened.
Step 7
On the next page draw and then write one sentence about an important event in your life.
Step 8
On the next page draw your favorite things and label each item with one word.
Step 9
On the next page write and draw three goals or dreams you have for the future.
Step 10
Carefully color your drawings using your colouring materials.
Step 11
Add stickers or glued cutouts to decorate pages and make them bright and fun.
Step 12
Erase any pencil marks you do not want and make small final touches.
Step 13
Take a picture of your finished autobiography booklet and share it on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have stickers, glue, or colouring materials?
Substitute stickers or glued cutouts with magazine pictures or colored paper taped with clear tape, and replace missing colouring materials with crayons, markers, or watercolor paints while still using your pencil for the page plan.
My booklet pages won't fold neatly or the pencil drawings smudge—how do we fix that?
For misaligned or bulky stacks, use only 4–6 sheets, align and press the folded edge with a ruler or bone folder and staple at the crease, and prevent smudging by erasing pencil marks before colouring and letting ink or paint dry between steps.
How can I adapt this activity for a 4-year-old or a 10-year-old?
For younger children (around 4), use 4 sheets, have a parent pre-fold, pre-write the title, and help with drawing while the child labels with one-word captions and stickers, whereas older children (around 10) can use 6–8 sheets, write full sentences for each event, add labeled photos, and use finer colouring materials.
How can we make the autobiography booklet more special before sharing it on DIY.org?
Personalize and enhance the booklet by adding a decorated cardboard cover, gluing in small mementos, recording a short audio narration to accompany the pages, and then photograph the finished booklet well-lit for uploading to DIY.org.
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Facts about autobiographical writing for kids
✂️ You can fold and cut just one sheet of paper into an 8-page mini-booklet (a fun zine trick) for your illustrated autobiography.
🎨 Kids' drawings get noticeably more detailed between ages 4–7 as their fine motor skills and storytelling ideas grow.
📔 Many famous books began as personal diaries or memoirs—Anne Frank's diary and Benjamin Franklin's autobiography are well-known examples.
🗣️ Telling your story out loud can boost memory and confidence—stories are easier for people to remember than lists of facts.
📝 The word "autobiography" comes from three Greek words meaning 'self' (autos), 'life' (bios), and 'writing' (graphein).
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