Lapbooking and Notebooking

Lapbooking and Notebooking are creative and memorable ways for children to learn. They provide interactive, hands-on learning, and they are adaptable to all ages and learning abilities. Lapbooks and notebooks can be used for any subject or topic, are great for book studies and unit studies, and can be especially useful when teaching multiple children at different levels simultaneously. So, what are they?

Lapbooks are made using file folders, usually consisting of two folders taped together so that the lapbook will open on both sides. They contain minibooks and various foldables and other graphic organizers. Younger students tend to enjoy making lapbooks, but they sometimes need help with the cutting and pasting. Notebooks are usually loose leaf papers kept in a 3-ring binder. Notebooks can consist of drawings, maps, notes, and copywork and will oftentimes include minibooks and other foldables mounted onto heavyweight paper. Older students tend to gravitate toward notebooking and they can usually work independently on them. A bonus with notebooking is that the notebooks can double as a homeschool portfolio.

Lapbooks and notebooks are generally very inexpensive to make. There is no wrong way to make them, and they can be as simple or complex as you choose. If you have a kinesthetic learner, give one a try! You can create your own from scratch or use pre-made templates and notebooking pages found on websites and in books. (Many are free!)