When Evie was about 18 months old we went on a trip to California and I made this airplane busy book for the trip. It was the first busy book I’ve ever made and I wanted show it off, even though the project is years old and I would do a lot of things differently if I made it now.
I wanted all the pages to be different aspects of travel so I started with a suitcase. The suitcase zips and inside are some different pieces of clothing that can be put on the little girl.
Now I mentioned I would have done things differently, the biggest thing is that I would have used a nicer wool blend felt instead of the cheap acrylic stuff. Another thing is that I used fabric markers to draw details onto the felt and it bled and doesn’t look neat. I wish I had taken the time to embroider all the details like I did with the girl’s hair.
Next up is everyone’s favorite part of air travel, going through security. I’m realizing now how incredibly inaccurate this is because the little girl shouldn’t be wearing her shoes.
I made a baggage claim belt with different shapes that can be put on there and then velcro back into place on the bottom of the page.
When the little girl goes through the x-ray machine she can be turned around and there is a skeleton.
The next pages have ticket and seatbelt activities.
The ticket has a strip of velcro and the letters of Evie’s name are removable.
I made a little seatbelt sign (again, I really wish I had taken the time to stitch the details instead of using the fabric marker) and got a clip that can be buckled. I just attached the clip to pieces of a wide ribbon and sewed them on the page.
All of the clouds on this page come off to practice buttoning. Then each of the windows are flaps.
I drew the animals on paper and just glued them onto the fabric underneath the plane. Each flap has a number that corresponds to the number of animals in the window.
I made a little activity on the front with a plane bead that can make the trip from Illinois to California.
This project took a really long time and Evie barely looked at it on the trip to California. But when I came across this recently and Evie saw it, she was really excited. She spent Mira’s entire nap time sitting on the floor playing with the busy book, so I guess it was a success! Even if it was played with a few years later than I anticipated!
this busy book is pretty cool! even if the execution isn’t up to your standards now, the ideas and creativity in its creation are amazing and fun. i especially love the x-ray/flipping the girl over to get the skeleton. 🙂
Thanks! It was definitely a good learning experience. I always think I should fix it up but I’m not sure it’s worth it.
Aww, that’s wonderful! I just love that seatbelt bit! And the x-ray machine 🙂
The x-ray is definitely my favorite! 🙂
This is sooooo good! So creative, and even without the embroidered details and wool felt, it’s a keeper.
This is so much fun! My grandma made me one when I was a kid that I still have – I bought the pattern for it on ebay a few years ago but can’t imagine making one myself now. She satin stitched everything on, and that seems like so many times to switch threads! She made one for me and at least one of my cousins, and said she’d never do it again after.
Even cutting corners this took a LONG time. I always think I should make more and then remember how much work it was and then I start something else instead…
This is a great book for kids! Very clever, and I bet it did take a while to make. I’m glad your daughter is having fun with it now!
How sweet! It’s sad that Evie didn’t want anything to do with it on the flight. It’s always so hard to gauge what will keep them entertained on a trip.
I brought a ridiculous amount of stuff on the flight, I’m not even sure it made it out of the bag. At least it’s getting played with now!