What is it about stickers? As a child I had a whole stash of scratch and sniff stickers. Oh, I can still imagine the smell of buttered popcorn, grape and root beer! As a teacher, I had a pretty large assortment too. And now as a parent, I use stickers for all sorts of games and projects.
One of my favorite uses for stickers is to create literacy activities. Today I’m sharing some of our favorite sticker books and ways to use them to develop reading and writing skills.
6 IDEAS FOR USING STICKER BOOKS FOR KIDS
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MANIPULATIVES FOR LITERACY GAMES
My number one sticker book to use is the 1000 Stickers book. The stickers are photographs of common foods, animals and objects. There are groupings by color, letter and quantity. It is perfect for multiple concepts you may be working on with kids. I have created numerous literacy games with stickers from this book including Beginning Sound Pancakes and Muffin Tin Reading Games. This collection is the single best sticker investment book!
BUILDING VOCABULARY AND BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
If you are introducing a new topic, themed sticker books can help to build vocabulary. For example, if your child is starting to take ballet, the Ballet Sticker book is full of ballerina equipment. As your child places the stickers on each scene page, you can talk about the objects and build vocabulary around the topic.
There are themed sticker books on lots of different topics including tractors, airports and vacations.
TRAVELING ACTIVITIES
Sticker books or sticker kits make great traveling activities for the car, plane or train. They are light weight and easy to pack. Plus, they keep the kids busy learning for miles and miles. I love to listen to my son in the back seat making up stories as he places the stickers in the book. One of our recent favorite books was Color And Activity Books Builder .
REUSABLE FUN
Yes, there are stickers that are reusable! Kids can make up stories over and over again with reusable stickers. And, if they get tired using them in the book or play mat they can also use them on windows. Here are a few of our favorite reusable sticker books.
CREATE YOUR OWN BOOKS
Stickers make fun tools for illustrating books. I often would inspire writing by letting my kids in the classroom create a story with stickers. Then, they would come back and add words. It’s a great way to encourage kids to write when they say they don’t know what to write about or just need a little motivation to write.
MAKE YOUR OWN STICKERS
Not only can you create your own books with stickers, but you can create your own stickers. They can be as simple as using blank labels and markers. Kids can create their own stickers to use for writing activities. We even made scratch and sniff stickers.
What other ways do you like to use stickers to build literacy skills?
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Alison says
Love these ideas! 🙂
Heather H says
I had a sticker collection as a kid too. I seem to remember that my friends and I even traded with each other. I love your “Create Your Own Book” idea – my 5 year olds would love doing that!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Oh yes! Trading stickers…a favorite childhood memory!
PragmaticMom says
I love your idea! It’s a match made in heaven for kids!! My son made a few sticker books that I save and treasure!!!
Jodie Rodriguez says
Thank you! My kids just got a new batch of stickers so they are ready to make some new books too.