How to Make an Accordion Card

What You Do:

1. Have your child use scissors to cut a long strip from the wrapping paper. The width of the paper should be as wide as she wants her card to be. The length should be between one and two feet.
2. Let her place the strip on a flat surface with the pattern facing down.
3. Help your child fold the strip of paper starting about two inches from the end.  Make the first fold so that the pattern on the paper is facing up.
4. Continue to have her fold the rest of the strip, back and forth. Each time she folds, the pattern should be facing up again. This type of fold is called an accordion fold.
5. Once the strip has at least four folds, let your child use scissors to trim the paper. Make sure she trims the accordion folds so that the top and bottom of the folds reveal the patterned side of the wrapping paper.
6. How does your child want to decorate her card? Let her creativity determine how she decorates the front with glitter, paint, construction paper shapes or crayon designs.
7. Have her write a message inside the accordion folds. Possible “punny” messages include “I love you to pieces” -- decorated with puzzle pieces -- or “Bee mine” -- accompanied by cute buzzing bees. Words can cross the creases, but do not glue felt or construction paper shapes across the creases as this will make the card tough to open or close.
8. When she's done, let any paint or glue dry before folding the card up to give to someone extra special.