Concertina / Accordion Books
Fold a long strip of paper into a concertina (zig-zag) to create an accordion book. Can be used for a story, a timeline, a nature journal, or artwork. Simple to make, beautiful results.
Paper Crafts
Ages 5–1130 minsEasyIndividual
Watch on YouTube
Search: "concertina accordion book tutorial kids art activity" — video tutorials from popular craft channels
What you'll need
- Strips of cartridge paper or sugar paper (at least 60cm long)
- Card for covers
- Glue
- Pencils, pens, or watercolours
How to do it
- Take a long strip of paper (or tape 3-4 sheets end to end).
- Fold in half.
- Fold each half in half again — this creates 4 sections.
- Continue folding until you have 8 or more 'pages' in a zig-zag.
- Cut or fold 2 pieces of card for front and back covers, glue them on.
- Create content in each section — a story, timeline, or drawings.
💡 Tips
For younger children, pre-fold the concertina. Older children can score with a bone folder for crisp folds. These make wonderful display items when opened out — the accordion shape is eye-catching.
Books and materials
Convenience links for everything mentioned above. We link to Amazon — LessonKind may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.