How do YOU do lapbooks?

[meggie]

Let me just say that I'm not creative or imaginative or even very fun with little children. I had wanted to get Before FIAR to do with Digby (and I assumed Pigby would have fun with it as well). But I figured I could just use the FIAR book lists and make my own lapbooks from HSS.

 

I found a bazillion other lapbooks that Pigby can use for science and geography. I printed them out, am in the process of cutting them out....and am stuck. Do I have to let him write in them and assemble them? He's not a big fan of writing and in a battle over it I'd rather have him do his WWE, AAS, and handwriting than writing in lapbooks. And the pasting :svengo:I'm not sure I could stand a messy lapbook, is it ok if I do that part too? I know he'd love looking through the lapbooks after they're assembled, someone please tell me who needs to do all the work.

 

(PS-yes I know it seems like a silly question and yes I know you're all probably like, "Geez Meggie, get a lapbooking clue!" but I just want permission to be able to do this part myself. If that is against all that is just and holy in this world, please let me know before I :willy_nilly:)

[clarkacademy]

I always did the cuting but as far as the writing and assembling I would let the kid do that. That is kind of what makes it hands on and makes it their own work.

[Jpoy85]

I always did the cuting but as far as the writing and assembling I would let the kid do that. That is kind of what makes it hands on and makes it their own work.

 

:iagree:

[Mom-2-7]

I think its important for the child to "own" the lapbook.

 

I've had a few dc who didn't like writing or were so new at it that each of their letters were 2 inches tall! For them, I would print out the answers and let them glue the answer in the right book. Maybe they could draw a picture or two.

 

I totally get the messy lapbook thing. I don't like it either. You just gotta grit your teeth and let them do it.

 

My oldest still has all his lapbooks. They are lined up on the shelf of his bedside table. He's proud of them and still looks at them. That makes it worth the mess! :001_smile:

[hollyh]

So do you let the kids choose where they place things on the lap book- or do you tell them where it will fit? Do you put it together at the end of the unit, or do you put it together slowly?

[Ohmomjacquie]

I'm going to do the same with my younger two. Haven't start deciding which ones yet though. I help them figure out where stuff fits and such but I will let them choose. Will probably put them together at the end of each unit.zw

[Ecclecticmum]

Both. :D

 

There are some lapbooks that are really "reference" lapbooks that can be used for the whole family. These ones I do myself (and I use contact paper/laminating to make them last longer) Same with the lapbooks that are more "games" (not file folder games, but ones that actually are lapbooks, but at the end they are still quite interactive). But I do allow my children to "choose" stuff (like if its a winter reference lapbook, then she choose the clothing and acessories to go on the teddy etc, so it may have sunglasses, a hat and a billion other things LOL).

 

Then there are lapbooks that are really the individual childs work. So I may end up doing sometihng like just letting that particular child do the whole lot, or for a combined family thing, I'll print out 4 copies, then each child has their own lapbook they did, and I have a nice one I do up that I put in the lapbook binder for later years reference (each child also has there own lapbook binder, and there is another separate binder meant for reference/game lapbooks, so I will put my copy in there)

 

It serves the purpose of me not feeling like I have a "messy" copy (thus eliminating the OCD I have in such circumstances) and they have their copies that they love to show people they did, and they get to keep and look through. :) Its a win-win

[Mrs Twain]

I think its important for the child to "own" the lapbook.

 

I've had a few dc who didn't like writing or were so new at it that each of their letters were 2 inches tall! For them, I would print out the answers and let them glue the answer in the right book. Maybe they could draw a picture or two.

 

I totally get the messy lapbook thing. I don't like it either. You just gotta grit your teeth and let them do it.

 

My oldest still has all his lapbooks. They are lined up on the shelf of his bedside table. He's proud of them and still looks at them. That makes it worth the mess! :001_smile:

 

You should do what will benefit you in your homeschool. If you want to cut out, paste, and assemble, then go ahead. You should use everything as your tools to accomplish your purposes, and that includes lapbooks.

 

However, I agree with the comments quoted above. Kids get the most benefit and best learn the material from doing all of the work themselves. If they can't write, then just print out the text and have them paste it into the lapbook.

 

I don't do any cutting or pasting because I want my kids to learn and practice these fine motor skills. I let them figure out how to assemble the lapbooks (with a little guidance from me) because it helps them learn organizational skills, similar to how they will organize a written report when they get older.

 

Yes, their lapbooks look quite messy, and it bothers me. I would prefer to make them beautiful lapbooks like all of the pictures I see on blogs. However, my kids LOVE their lapbooks because they have made them entirely by themselves. They are tremendously proud of their lapbooks and pull them out now and then to reread them for fun (hence reveiwing the information).

 

In the end do what works for you, but I would encourage you to let your child do most of the work of the lapbook so that he can get most of the learning from it.

[Susie in MS]

My dd's motor skills didn't develop in her wrist as soon as it does for some. I think her aversion to coloring when she was younger had something to do with that. So there was a time that I did all of the cutting. But as her wrist strengthened and she wobbled less with scissors I would have her cut some. She is now almost 7 and I still do a small amt of cutting when there is a lot to be done in one day.

 

For the writing part.....when the space is small I take out a ruler and draw the lines just like you see in handwriting books so that she is able to fit all that needs to fit on the lapbook part. When she was younger I did have her paste the correct printed answer on each piece as mentioned above.

 

Because I have to streeeeeeeetch every single piece of paper, etc and can't buy file folders on a regular basis, we glue *parts* onto the backs of notebooking pages such as the handwriting sheet. For the sake of making it all fit I tell dd where to place the parts. Then we place the pages into a 3 ring binder. As long as we have page protectors left over from our older kids we use those. After that I don't know. I have considered using 3 prong folders to do smaller notebooks that are topic specific.

 

I do agree with the rest, do what you need to do to make it work for your family, but what the child does his/herself will really mean more to them and make learning more fun and *stick*.

 

My dd LOVES her notebook. She will luge that huge thing out and go over the lessons we did with FIAR and tell us all about them. It is so special that I wish I had this option when my olders were younger....but they were in public school at that age. :glare:

 

Maybe you will find an area of compromise --meet in the middle-- that will be tolerable to your *OCD* ;) tendency of neatness yet still be loads of fun and learning for your kids. :thumbup:

 

I am fully convinced that some the lapbook samples at HSS were either done by older children or mom. Or maybe the above average little guy.

[mhaddon]

Ok I have to ask this. FTR I had to ask myself the same question, lol.

 

Is the lapbook for you or the child? As in do you think your son will enjoy making it at all or is it something you think you would have loved to do, or would love to make now??

 

Ok so yes, the point is for them to do them. Some kids do not enjoy it at all. We are doing a lapbook class at coop and have a 3rd grade boy that hates, hates the class :( Some kids are not ready to do lapbooks and may never enjoy them, while some could do nothing but make them. I think you need to decide if it is really worth the time.

 

So now for us I wanted a pretty lapbook, it is something in school I would have been in love with doing and would have decorated it, etc. My son still isn't into them. My other son would do them even before writing well. So maybe next year I can finally do some, just not with my oldest :)

[SilverMoon]

How do *I* do lapbooks? I look at them with a raised eyebrow, thinking a mixture of "Oh, dear," and "The little ones may enjoy that.." Then I close the window and get more coffee. :leaving:

 

/she-doesn't-get-it

 

:001_smile:

[WeeBeaks]

I let the DC do them, cutting errors, huge print, chopped off parts and all. Some are glued in upside down or sideways. I help if they are frustrated and want help. Otherwise, it is their thing, and I grit my teeth at the billion scraps to vacuum up and paste everywhere. I have seen some remarkable progress in their cutting and printing skills over the last year of lapbooks.

 

BUT, if your child wants you to do it, then help. Mine are not the types to really look at it a lot afterwards. They keep it a month or two and then recycle it. Their fun is in the doing, not the looking at it later. If I did it, their fun part would be gone. Yours might be totally the opposite!