Keeping a toddler busy (and quiet) for longer than 3 minutes is certainly not an easy task. Getting them to stay focused on something while also learning is even tougher!
I created this Toddler Quiet Book to help my child learn new words and concepts while also playing and staying engaged. Your child will simply peel off the pieces on each page and put them back where they belong.
A toddler busy binder is similar to a puzzle where they can take off the pieces and put them back in the right spot. The great thing about this quiet book though is that the velcro doesn’t require them to fit and maneuver the piece into a small space. They can simply place the piece close to the velcro and it will stick.
While your child is taking the pieces on and off, they are gaining both knowledge and fine motor skill strengthening. It takes a bit of force to pull the laminated paper off of the velcro!
The full version of this book does take awhile to put together as the most tedious part of the process is cutting out all the pieces and cutting out each strip of velcro. However, once you are finished you’ll have a great-looking busy binder that your kids can use over and over again.
For visiting my blog post, I’ve included 3 sample pages. however, if you want the full version of this book, purchase and download it here.
What You’ll Need:
- Printable toddler quiet book sheets (3 Sample Sheets) – or Full Version
- Velcro
- Laminator and laminating sheets
- Binder
- 3-hole puncher
- Scissor
What To Do:
1. First, make sure you have all your materials at home. Hopefully, some of these things you will already have around the house.
2. Download and print Toddler Quiet Book Sheets. I have included 3 FREE Sample Sheets that you can download and print. However, if you would like the full version, purchase them right here. When printing, you can use standard copy paper if you are laminating them.
3. Laminate each stationary sheet double-sided. Therefore, you can print the stationary sheets double-sided to laminate one sheet at a time or you can print them all on separate sheets and insert 2 at once into the laminating pouch.
4. Punch holes in all of the stationary sheets and insert them into the binder.
5. Laminate each cut-out sheet one-sided. These ones have dotted lines down the center so you know where to cut.
6. Cut out each piece from the cut-out sheets. The pieces can be cut smaller that the lines show to eliminate a lot of the white space. However, don’t make the pieces too small as your child may lose them. Be sure to keep these cut out pieces in piles based on which pages they belong to because if you get them all mixed up, you may be unsure where they go.
7. Use velcro dots (best way) or cut small velcro squares or strips and stick them on the stationary pages. You’ll have to count how many cut out pieces go on each stationary page and where exactly they belong. For some of the scene pictures (farm, house, street) there is no set orientation for the velcro. However, on the ones with letters, numbers, body, etc, make sure you’re putting the velcro in the correct spot.
8. Stick the other side of the velcro dots on the back of the cut-out pieces.
9. Attach all of the cut-out pieces to their corresponding stationary pages.
Let your child have fun! You can remove a page at a time for your child to play with so the binder doesn’t get in the way.
Storing the pieces:
You can store the pieces for 2 pages together in small envelopes. Punch a hole into the envelop and stick it in between the binder pages OR simply paper clip the envelope to that page.
I tend to just leave the pieces on the page and take them off as my child gets to it.
What’s Included:
There are pages included in the full version of this Toddler Quiet Book. The pages included are:
- Farm
- House
- Street
- Forest
- Beach
- Seasons “I know my seasons”
- Faces “I can make a face”
- Shape matching “I know my shapes”
- Color sorting 1 “I know my colors”
- Color sorting 2 “I know my colors”
- Numbers “I know my numbers”
- Alphabet balloons “I know my alphabet”
- Letter matching “I can match my letters”
- Number matching “I can match my numbers”
- Letter sounds “I know my sounds”
- Sizes “I know my sizes”
- Clothing “I can get dressed”
- Counting “I know how to count”
- Table place setting
The cut out sheets include all of the items that correspond with each sheet. The sample pages here include: shape match, size match, and street scene.
What They’ll Learn:
This busy binder is not just for toddlers, but children ages 1-5 can benefit from this quiet book. As always, you should be talking to your child throughout the activity to maximize the amount he or she will learn.
By having them say and repeat all the words of the object they will build their vocabulary and cognition.
There are a variety of skills, knowledge, and concepts that your child will learn:
- Counting
- Alphabet
- Shapes
- Seasonal items
- Clothing items
- Colors
- Sizes
- Letter sounds
- Facial features
- Where items belong
Along with the cognitive skills gained, they are also working on fine motor skills by pulling the pieces on and off.
I hope you take a look at this busy binder for your child and put it to good use!
