Reusable sticker books are a fun and creative way for kids to play and be imaginative without generating a lot of waste from single-use stickers. With a reusable sticker book, kids can stick stickers on and peel them off over and over again. Making your own reusable sticker book is easy and inexpensive. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make a reusable sticker book.
Select a Base for Your Reusable Sticker Book
The base of your reusable sticker book can be made from a variety of materials:
- Poster board or cardstock – This provides a firm, durable base for the sticker pages. Look for heavyweight poster board or cardstock.
- Plastic sheets or transparency sheets – These provide a slick surface that stickers peel off easily from. Try using overhead transparency sheets or plastic sheets designed for lamination.
- Contact paper – The adhesive backing provides a reusable, sticky surface for stickers. Look for heavyweight removable contact paper.
For a basic reusable sticker book, poster board or cardstock works well. Plastic sheets or contact paper provide more of a glossy magazine type of effect.
Choose How Many Pages
Decide how many pages you want your reusable sticker book to contain. 10-20 pages is ideal for a starter reusable sticker book. To determine the number of pages:
- Count the number of stickers your child has
- Divide by the approximate number of stickers desired per page
For example, if there are 200 stickers total and you want 10 stickers per page, you would need 20 pages.
Cut Paper to Size
Using poster board, cardstock, plastic sheets or contact paper, measure and cut your paper to the desired size for each page. Keep a few things in mind:
- Standard size is 8.5 x 11 inches, but you can go smaller or larger.
- All pages should be cut to the same dimensions for consistency.
- Cut pages individually if using poster board or cardstock.
- Cut contact paper to size before removing backing.
Create a Cover
To make a cover for your reusable sticker book:
- Cut a piece of poster board, cardstock or plastic slightly larger than your pages.
- Decorate the cover with stickers, markers, crayons, or pictures.
- Laminate the cover with clear contact paper for durability.
- Attach the cover to your sticker book pages by gluing, stapling or tying with ribbon.
Get creative with the cover decorations! You can write the child’s name, add drawings or doodles, or decorate however they want.
Bind Pages Together
There are a few options for binding the pages together:
- Staples – Simply staple through one corner of all pages. This provides a fixed binding.
- Thread or ribbon – Cut ribbon or thread and tie through punched holes near the edge of pages. This binding allows pages to rotate.
- Binders or rings – Use sturdy binder rings or a small binder clip to hold pages together. This also allows rotation.
- Spiral coil – Use a plastic spiral coil binding inserted through punched holes. Rotates and lays flat when open.
Younger kids may do better with a fixed binding like staples, while older kids can handle a rotating style. Make sure binding is secure.
Create the Sticker Surface
Finally, it’s time to make the reusable sticker surface on each page. There are two main options:
Contact Paper Pages
This method provides a glossy, magazine-like texture:
- Remove backing from contact paper sheets.
- Adhere contact paper to each page, smoothing bubbles as you go.
- Trim excess contact paper from the edges.
Coated Cardstock
For a more matte texture:
- Use a wide brush to apply a layer of clear acrylic sealer to each page.
- Let the sealer coat dry fully before allowing stickers.
The acrylic sealer provides a reusable sticker surface. Add 2-3 coats for best results.
Fill Your Reusable Sticker Book
Once constructed, your reusable sticker book is ready to be decorated! Show your child how to:
- Peel stickers off their backing and place on the pages.
- Smooth stickers fully using a plastic card or their fingertips.
- Use light pressure and peel stickers slowly to remove without ripping.
- Keep pages themed, like vehicles, animals, foods, etc.
Let their creativity run wild! This reusable sticker book is ready for hours of imaginative play.
Care Tips
To maximize the reuse potential of your sticker book, keep these tips in mind:
- Use high quality, removable stickers when possible.
- Pull stickers up slowly at a 180 degree angle to prevent tearing.
- Store book closed and flat to keep pages clean.
- Wipe pages with a damp cloth if they become dirty.
- Reapply sealer coat if pages become less sticky over time.
Troubleshooting Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Stickers won’t peel off cleanly | Use lighter pressure when placing and removing stickers. Pull sticker up slowly. |
| Pages are warping | Ensure you are using thick poster board or plastic sheets. Store book closed and flat. |
| Book won’t lay flat | Consider a different binding method like spiral coil or ribbon. |
| Stickers keep falling off | Clean pages and reapply acrylic sealer coat to restore stickiness. |
Customize Your Book
Once you get the basics down, feel free to customize your sticker books to suit your child’s interests:
- Themed books – Make a princess, dinosaur, robot, unicorn or other themed sticker book.
- Doodle pages – Include blank pages for drawing, doodling and adding custom art.
- Photo book – Print out photos to make a family member, pet or vacation sticker book.
- Tracing pages – Add pages with shapes, letters or objects to trace.
As kids get older, encourage them to make their own reusable sticker books for savings and creativity! Have fun crafting and playing.
Benefits of Reusable Sticker Books
Reusable sticker books provide many benefits for kids:
- Creativity – Allows open-ended imaginative play as kids make different scenes and stories.
- Fine motor skills – Peeling and sticking stickers helps develop fine motor muscles.
- Problem-solving – Figuring out how to peel stickers cleanly takes persistence.
- Environmental awareness – Reduces waste compared to single use stickers.
- Fun! – Provides hours of entertainment and learning.
Reusable sticker books are more economical and eco-friendly than buying disposable sticker pads and books. The reusable aspect teaches responsibility and care for belongings. Make sticker time fun and educational!
Conclusion
Reusable sticker books are a crafty way for kids to enjoy stickers without the waste. Make your own reusable sticker book at home with just a few supplies. Let your child decorate the pages with their favorite stickers to create fun scenes, stories and designs. Add durable clear contact paper or acrylic sealer to allow for stickers to be applied and removed over and over again. Let your kid’s creativity shine! With a little care, your homemade reusable sticker book will provide hours of fun.
