The seven steps
- Decide who it is for. Ask the child to name the person and one thing that person likes. That one thing often becomes the picture.
- Choose the paper. Thicker paper or light card stands up on a shelf. Ordinary printer paper works too if you use a quarter fold to double it up.
- Cut it to size. An adult can trim the sheet with a paper cutter or long scissors so the edges are straight.
- Fold it. Line up the corners, hold them with one hand, and press the fold flat from the middle out to the edges. A ruler or the back of a spoon makes the crease sharp.
- Decorate the front. Draw, color, stick, collage or stamp. Keep heavy decoration away from the fold so the card still closes.
- Write inside. Older kids write their own message. Younger ones can dictate while you write, then add their name or a mark.
- Make or find an envelope. Use a spare one or fold your own from a square of paper, as shown on the envelope page.
Sizes from a standard sheet
Most families start with a sheet of US letter paper (8.5 by 11 inches) or A4 (210 by 297 mm). These are the sizes you get from one sheet:
| Fold | From US letter | From A4 | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half fold, long edge | about 5.5 by 8.5 in | about 148 by 210 mm | Big pictures, collage, pop-ups |
| Quarter fold | about 4.25 by 5.5 in | about 105 by 148 mm | Thank-you notes, thin paper |
| Half sheet, half fold | about 4.25 by 5.5 in | about 105 by 148 mm | A standard small card from card stock |
A quarter-fold card from letter paper fits a common small greeting card envelope. Measure before you decorate if you plan to use an envelope you already own.
Ideas for the front
Small children often freeze when handed a blank card. Give them a starting point instead:
- A single big shape, like a heart, a sun or a balloon, that they fill with color.
- Torn paper pieces glued down as a mosaic.
- Thumbprints from a washable ink pad turned into bugs, birds or balloons with a few pen lines.
- A crayon drawing painted over with watery paint, so the wax shows through.
The card ideas page has more, sorted by occasion.
Writing the message
For children who are just learning to write, try a fill-in line. Write "Dear ___, I like you because ___" in pencil and let them dictate or copy the answers. Spelling does not matter much here. The person getting the card wants to hear the child's voice, and a word spelled the way it sounds is part of that.
Older children can plan the message on scrap paper first. A good card message is short: who it is for, one specific thing, and who it is from.
Glue, paint and drying time
Glue sticks dry fast. White school glue and paint can take an hour or more, and thick blobs can stay wet overnight. Lay finished cards open and flat to dry, away from where someone might set a cup down. If paper curls as it dries, place the dry card under a heavy book for a few hours.
What if the fold comes out crooked?
Trim the edges that do not line up after folding, rather than before. Cutting a thin strip off the open side of a folded card squares it up neatly.
How long should a card project take?
For preschoolers, plan on about fifteen to twenty minutes of focused time, maybe split over two sittings. Older kids can spend an hour on a pop-up card.