Flip books are a super simple craft that can show a lot of creativity. Take a look at the steps down below and help your child create his very own solar eclipse flip book, or check out our other suggestions for flip book ideas. This is a perfect project for art and cartoon lovers.

Step 1: Get supplies together. You’ll only need paper, scissors and a pencil! You can also use a ruler if you want all of the pieces of paper to be the exact same size.

Step 2: Cut the paper into flip book size pieces. You can make sure they are the same size by either folding the paper or measuring spaces. If you would like to just use whole pieces of paper then go for it! For the Total Solar Eclipse flip book, 15 pieces should be a good amount.

Step 3: Start drawing your solar eclipse phases. The sun can stay in the middle of the paper for each phase. The moon is what you’re going to need to move each time. Start with the moon in the bottom left corner. On each piece of paper, move the moon a little closer to the sun, then right on top of the sun, and keep going until it makes its way to the bottom right corner. Don’t worry about mistakes! Pencil can always be erased. If you want to add color with markers, crayons, paint, etc., then try doing it after you’re happy with how the drawings came out!

Step 4: Once you have all of your pages and drawings in order, staple the pages together. For this flip book, the pages were laid out in a vertical fan and then stapled in the center so that the first page has the staple in the middle and the last page has the staple at the top. You can also stack each page on top of each other and staple the top or left side together depending on your drawing. Make sure there is room to see everything while you’re flipping the pages.

Step 5: Start flipping! Flick through the pages slowly or fast to see the moon actually move.

Flip books can be made with many different types of drawings. Don’t let your creativity stop at just one! All you need is a subject and movement. Animals and stick people can make really great flip book. Here are some basic ideas to get you started for your next flip book:

* A stick figure playing soccer and getting a goal
* An animal growing up (puppy to dog, caterpillar to butterfly)
* A garden growing with pretty flowers
* A stick figure dancing
* Food being made (and eaten)
* Something being built (a house, building)
* Cars driving by

Have you made a flip book? Share your comments and suggestions below, we’d love to hear from you! 

Jennifer Hanrahan is an intern with Boston Parents Paper. Cecelia Crosby loves to get crafty and make flip books.