Creating a Question Book
I once heard a statistic that the average four-year old asks 400 questions per day. I’m really not sure if the information was supported by any real scientific study. Based on the suggested data, I am grossly aware that all of my children are over achievers!!
Columbo is my most inquisitive child. He’s a facts guy. There are many things to know in life, and he has an avalanche of questions. Not being a child to be pacified with vague answers, one day I handed him a notebook to record his question to look up later. That began his first question book.
Today we made new question books. It was Magoo’s first, so I added a pencil holder. He’ the kind of guy that can never find a pencil when needed, so I’m hoping having one attached will help.
I had some composition tablets that I purchased at the beginning of the school year. I had some ribbon and tacky glue to make bookmarks. I purchased a roll of colorful Duck Tape.
I used the Duck Tape to make the pencil holder. I took about a four-inch long piece of Duck Tape and folded it in half, sticky sides together. I held it onto the side of the tablet with the pencil for sizing, and put a second piece of tape over that to hold.
For the bookmark I used a thin ribbon. I glued it inside the back cover with Tacky Glue.
Dad made cool labels for the front of the books. Printing on standard copy paper, the kids glued their label onto the cover.
Here is the question book cover document to print. Be sure to set your printer to landscape.
After labels were added, each of the kids added their own decorations. Little Bear was in the middle of the action decorating her own mini-book. I firmly believe that if you have a toddler or preschooler in the house, you cannot have enough stickers. I usually buy them in bulk from Oriental Trading, or get them at the dollar store.
Personal touches added and the books were completed.
We use our question books often. With three little voices chatting non-stop, I sometimes feel my sanity waiver. When the questions are about how things work or how things are made, I suggest writing it in their question book. I have used some of their inquiries to create short unit studies. Making short lessons out of their questions is a fun way to add to our school time.
Ha ha…. I have a BIG list of questions on a wrinkled piece of paper hanging on the bulletin board in the kitchen. I thought the questions were so good, that I never wanted to forget them. (“If baby amphibians begin their life in the water and move to land as adults, does that mean babies never see their mommies?” ) I love your idea! Like the science post, too!
Oh that is a precious question!! 🙂 As my kids grow I enjoy looking back on older questions. Sweet treasures!
This is such a fabulous idea. I’ll probably have to do most of the spelling for my 5 year old though 🙂
Initially I helped with spelling. As they were getting better at sounding out words I encouraged them to write it how it sounded. I sometimes struggled to read it :), but it has really helped build their confidence in writing. Columbo will now go look words up in the dictionary. Good luck! 🙂
I seriously am so tickled over what a cool idea this is. So simple, but packed with potential! I’m homeschooling a preschooler and a 7th grader, and I can tell you – I think she asks as many questions as he does throughout the day. (Questions that half the time I don’t know the answer to off the top of my head because they aren’t within the curriculum.) I love that this doubles as a great keepsake but can also be very practical for tracking questions that many times end up being forgotten about before we (or at least, I) have a minute to look up answers. I am so doing this!
I am still working on the document upload. It was created in a program that is not on the compatible list. I’m determined to update our program or find a conversion. 🙂 Thanks so much for your patience if you’re wanting to download the label.
What a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is a FABULOUS idea!!!! Sometimes when my kiddos ask me questions, especially spirtual ones, I can be too brain dead to sieze the teachable moment completely. This will SO work for us!
Thanks for sharing! And uploading a printable document is easy once you get the hang of it – and blog readers LOVE free printables!
Blessings,
Alyson
Thanks for the encouragement. I will go through the “help” and play around with uploading a document. 🙂