DIY Journal for Kids Using Scrapbook Paper
Create a fun and colorful journal using scrapbook paper! A perfect DIY journal for kids to write and doodle in all year round!
Hello Crafty Friends! Summer is here and a perfect time to make some cute paper journals! My kids love these little DIY journals and they are easy to make using one sheet of decorative scrapbook paper and printer paper for inside. They can be easily customized for any time of year or occasion depending on the scrapbook paper you choose. We made our journals summer-themed using cute paper from the DCWV paperstack “Rainbow Splash”.
These DIY journals are perfect for writing, doodling, stickers, stamps, and coloring. Kids go through paper so quickly that these a fun alternative to buying an expensive notebook, journal or diary from the store. Include your kids and let them craft their own! There are only a few steps to making them and they can decorate the cover. We used some of the journaling cards that came in the paperstack to decorate our notebooks. This is a super easy way to jazz up the covers with coordinating paper.
Add a sticker or journal card to the first page of the journal. Kids can add their name to this page too!
Below is the simple tutorial! Remember – you can make these for any time of year or event by choosing different scrapbook paper. :)
Supplies Needed:
- 1 sheet of 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper – Here are a few of my favorite paperstacks!
- 8 sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ printer paper or 4 sheets of 110lb 8.5″ x 11″ cardstock
- Paper trimmer or scissors
- Hole punch – I used this 1/8″ Hole Punch
- Yarn, string or Baker’s Twine
- Cute labels, stickers, or ephemera to decorate the journal
Step One: Create the cover using a piece of 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper. Trim one side of the scrapbook paper to 8.75″ so it now measures 8.75″ x 12″. Fold in half so the notebook is 8.75″ tall by 6″ wide.
Step Two: Create the pieces of paper for the inside of the journal by folding pieces of 8.5″ x 11″ paper in half. I made some journals using 110lb cardstock which is really nice for using markers and pens. For the other journals I used 8 pages of regular printer paper.
Step Three: Open up the folded cover and inside pieces and stack them all together. Use a hole punch to punch two holes (through all layers) along the crease lines.
Use string, yarn or Baker’s twine to tie all of the pages together. Tie in a double knot and bow on the outside of the notepad.
Step Four: Add a decorative tag or sticker to the cover. I cut labels from the journaling sheet included in the paper stack. Use a ruler to help center the labels.
Add a decorative journaling card or sticker to the inside cover along with the name the journal belongs to.
The notebooks are finished! These turned out so fun and colorful for summer. I really love all the papers included in the DCWV paperstack “Rainbow Splash”. It was a Christmas gift from my family a couple years ago but I still see it in craft stores like Joann Fabrics. The paperstacks Watercolor and Zodiac, also from DCWV, would be really fun too!!
Looking for more fun paper crafts to with kids this summer? Visit my Crafts for Kids page or check out my Harry Potter Notepads and Safari binoculars!
