Doing workbooks at home with kids is a great way to bolster their literacy or math skills, bridge the gap between grades, or keep them engaged during school breaks. But it doesn’t take much diligent work (or coloring fun!) before you’re left with a stack of filled-in workbooks headed for the recycling bin. So why not go a step better than recycling and upcycle them instead?  In this kid-friendly DIY book craft, you’ll take a workbook or coloring book (or even a newspaper) and transform . . .

Book page flowers make such pretty decor. We have done a few different DIY book page flowers in this craft series. Why not make them all and combine them into a beautiful arrangement? I have to say, I was staying away from roses because of how intricate and delicate they look. I thought making a DIY paper rose was going to be so much harder than it turned out to be. So don’t shy away from this beautiful flower! If anything, it’s actually simpler than some of the other flowers we’ve . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson When kids aren’t together, sending hand-written notes is a great way to stay connected, not to mention lots of fun for both sender and receiver. Writing good, old-fashioned letters is also the perfect literacy activity for children—the kind they don’t even notice is educational. And this DIY book craft to make cute origami envelopes will motivate little and not-so-little penpals alike.  With just a few cuts and folds, this book page craft is relatively easy to . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson Cooling down on a hot summer day has never been cuter! Kids will love this fun summer book craft to create their own personal fans. Made out of upcycled book pages, these sweet paper fans are easy to make and fun to use. You can keep them simple or get as detailed as you want in coloring and decorating them. Get creative with stickers, glitter, or whatever else you have on hand. You could even glue feathers along the top of your fan! Once your fans are finished, you can . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson Looking for a creative way to decorate (or something to do with that falling-apart paperback)? From back-to-school to book club to birthday celebrations, you can customize this adorable DIY book page banner for any holiday or theme. It’s easy to make, yet creates a cute and polished end product.  Kids can dive right into this DIY book craft. Have them spell out their name on the banner and hang it above their bookshelf or bed. Or let them make one to celebrate a . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson Whether you’re hitting the beach with a vacation paperback or encouraging your kids through their summer reading lists, a bookmark is a must. Having a page-marker handy helps keep kids (or you!) from folding over the corners of those library and school books—or creasing up your home-library favorites. And these slide-on DIY corner bookmarks don’t get knocked out when you toss your book into a tote, the way traditional bookmarks can. Make these cute pocket bookmarks with . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson These literary blossoms are a fun craft to freshen your table or decorate for a special event. Display them in a natural wood bowl or scatter them along a surface for a sophisticated, minimalist effect. String them together along a streamer and hang them for a festive look. Or attach them to a small wooden dowel and put them in a vase—they can stand alone or add a cute touch to a bouquet of cut flowers. You could even get really creative and use them to top drink stirrers . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson These DIY fabric book covers are a pretty and crafty way to protect your library. Safeguard books while traveling, replace lost dust covers, or preserve well-loved titles from eager (and grubby) little hands. We especially like these covers for keeping kids’ favorites in good enough shape for them to read to their own children someday. Plus, they add a fun pop of pattern and color to your bookshelf. This book craft is easy, inexpensive and doesn’t take long. Have . . .

By Kelsey Nickerson These might be my new favorite DIY craft bookmarks! The chunky tassels are so fun and make it super easy to find your spot in a book, even for little hands. They’re also eye-catching and hard to misplace … hopefully encouraging young readers to use them instead of folding down the page corner! (We can always dream.) This is an excellent book craft to do with kids. Let them draw or paint their own design to personalize their bookmark, or help them copy out a quote from a . . .