Teach Your Child to Respect Books with This Simple Crafts Activity

Most children naturally enjoy books when they are presented at an early age. However, learning to respect books does not generally come naturally. It has to be learned. By doing this simple activity with your child, you can set the foundation for the respect of books.

Materials:
Computer
Printer with ink
Scissors
Memory Book Glue Or Double-Sided Memory Book Tape
Picture Frame (8 1/2 x 11)
1 sheet of decorative cardstock or memory album paper
1 sheet of plain cardstock or memory album paper

This poem I wrote for my children:

Be nice to your books; they're your friends
Don't ever give them tears, stains, or bends

Never leave them on the floor
Or outside when you shut your door

Never, ever leave them in rain
Never, ever leave them in Spain

Keep them out of that nasty pile
And on the shelf in single file

If you return them to the right spot
You can enjoy them quite alot

Never color on the pages
And you'll keep them around for ages

Books are great, books are neat
But, don't touch them with your feet

Always share them with a friend or two
But make sure your friends do what you do

So, read, read, read; but remember these rules
Because your books are more precious than jewels

Instructions:
First, you'll need to print the above poem on your plain cardstock. You may want to transfer the poem into a word processor, like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org. Then, use the font and size you desire. Just remember that you don't want the poem to cover the entire page. There should be space left at the bottom and the right side. Now that you have printed your poem, you need to cut away the space at the bottom and at the right side. Place your poem in the center of the decorative paper or cardstock. Tape or glue it down, once it is centered. If you are using tape, use it underneath. You do not want any tape or glue showing, so use the minimal amount needed to get the job done. Let the kids do the taping, cutting, and gluing if they're old enough. Once that dries, it's time to frame the poem. Have the kid/s place the poem in the frame. If they are old enough, they can hang it as well. This should be displayed very near to the books or if your child homeschools or has a homework or reading area, the frame can be displayed there as well.

Final Touches
This activity does not end with making and displaying it. Read the poem to your children and talk to them about which things should and should not be done with books. Ask them to name some do's and dont's as well. You will be surprised how much they can learn and reflect upon in such a short period of time. Let them continue with naming things as long as they want to, even if you don't feel like it anymore. This is good for them. It helps the lesson to "sink in". In a short time, you will see the children proudly displaying their books neatly and straightening the shelves often. You will notice many changes. This worked well my children, so I am proud to pass this on to others in the hopes of more respect toward books. Enjoy!