Give it a Try, it’s DIY! Let’s Make a Kawaii Bookmark

By Amelia Johansson
April 8, 2022

How to make your very own kawaii bookmark
What are the 5 benefits of reading?
What are the must-read books of all time?

Have you ever been reading and you want to stop for a break but you just can’t find a bookmark? Maybe your teen has too! Well, this DIY video is just for you guys, and it’s super cute and super simple.

Plus, discover the many benefits of reading along with a few of the must-read books of all time. 🤓

How to make your very own kawaii bookmark

This DIY video is for all the page folder-downers out there! When your young one gets to the end of a chapter in their latest book, instead of folding down those lovely pages, suggest they use a bookmark! How about a kawaii bookmark? We’ve created a video to show just how super-simple it is to make one.

What’s kawaii, we hear you ask? According to Merriam Webster, Kawaii is a Japanese word meaning “cute” “tiny” or “lovable” and is used to describe a cultural style that incorporates pastel colours with cute, childlike imagery. It is said that “Kawaii is often about endowing seemingly mundane things with personality.” Like a bookmark maybe! 😜 Famous examples of kawaii are Hello Kitty, Pokémon character, Pikachu and Rilakkuma, a super-adorable fictional bear character created by Japanese company, San-X. 🐻

For your Kawaii bookmark, you’ll need:

A square piece of paper – whichever colour you like!
Some gel or felt-tip pens

OK, let’s go!

Fold your piece of paper in half, corner to corner.
Make the fold nice and strong with your fingers.
Now fold the right side into the centre.
Do the same with the left side.
Unfold both of those so you’re left with the large single-folded triangle.
Fold the tip of the triangle down onto the base of the triangle.
Take the right corner of the triangle and fold it towards the centre, tucking the furthest corner into the pocket at the front.
Do the same with the left corner of the triangle. You should now have a little pocket.
Draw some of your own kawaii-inspired designs onto the pocket and voila – slide your brand-new bookmark onto the current page in your book so you can pick up where you left off next time!

What are the 5 benefits of reading?

Reduces stress

To help them forget the troubles of teenage life, encourage your young one to make a habit of getting lost in a book every day. It’s said that 30 minutes of reading can lower blood pressure, heart rate and feelings of psychological stress; so, for all the students out there who are feeling stressed about exams, school, college, uni or general life, a helping hand lies in the pages of a book. 📗

Increases vocabulary

Whether for school or impressing friends and family, building vocabulary knowledge will help your teen in so many ways, especially for when they go on to study at college and university, and eventually, for when they enter the world of work. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about slipping in some long words when you’re chatting with your friends isn’t there? 😉

Builds a strong brain

Research has shown that as our reading ability matures, the complex network of circuits and signals in our brain also gets stronger and more sophisticated. A study that took place in 2013 revealed that students who read the famous book Pompeii over a period of nine days showed a continuing increase in brain activity as the tension in the story built up. 🧠

Aids sleep

If your teen – or you! – is having trouble catching Z’s, suggest that they read for a little while before bed. And when we say read, we don’t mean reading Instagram captions. Reading from a print book is a healthier option for their eyes because the light coming from a device can hinder sleep. 💤

Increases empathy

Aside from the joy of getting lost in a great story, the benefits of reading fiction also affect our ability to empathise. When we read about different characters and explore their inner lives, we develop a heightened capacity to understand the feelings and beliefs of others. 💖

What are the must-read books of all time?

Whether your teen is a bookworm or believes books to be the ultimate bore, introducing them to some of the must-read books of all time will really get those cogs churning. If they’re the latter, we really hope these big-hitters will change their mind. 😁 Here are five recommendations to get you started.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This world-famous book is a coming-of-age story about a girl called Scout, her brother Jem, their widowed father, Atticus Finch and racial injustice in Depression-era South America.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Before Peter Pan became Disney-famous, he was the main character in J.M. Barrie’s magical book about a boy who can’t grow up. Expect to get reacquainted with the Lost Boys, some formidable pirates and Tinkerbell all over again.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

A lesson in how not to be greedy or spoil your children, if your teen has seen the movies then they’ll love the book. And if they haven’t seen the movies, they’re in for a real treat! 🍫

Beloved by Toni Morrison

A powerful story set after the American Civil War about a woman called Sethe, a former Kentucky slave, who is haunted by her heart-breaking past.

The Call of the Wild written by Jack London

A short adventure story set in Canada that follows the life of a dog called Buck who is abruptly pulled from his domestic family life to be sold off as an Alaskan sledge dog.

We hope our DIY kawaii bookmark video got your teen’s artistic juices flowing; if so, there’s plenty more where that came from! They could also try making the awesome gadgets from our other DIY videos – a laptop stand, friendship bracelets, a tornado in a bottle, a stress ball, speakers, a Mason jar tumbler – there are so many to choose from!

And before you go, if your kids and teens need some help with studying, we are at your service! Our super tutors are ready to meet you and your kids so book a free trial today!