I checked the shipping on Doman Bit Cards and it is way too much for my budget. I am thinking of making my own BIT cards. I am trying to collect some ideas of how to make the cards and what the final product should look like. Would it be possible for anyone out there to post pictures of what their homemade BIT cards look like? I am would appreciate it, thanks.
What I did was buy the 11 x 11 cardboard from the Gentle Revolution store. You can also buy posterboard and cut out your own, but the quality of te gentle revolution ones is better and it saves a lot of time. Then I created the 10 programs of intelligence (you can find some examples of ones I’ve created in my files). I also searched the internet for a good picture. Then I printed off the picture and glued it to one side and the poi’s and glued them to the otherside and laminated the whole thing. I am not good with uploading pictures, but if I get the time I will try.
Linzy,
I have purchased posterboard and cut it into 11X11 squares already. I can’t order from the Gentle Revolution Store b/c the international shipping is way too expensive for my budget. I have my POI researched. I’m not sure about the quality of my pictures. And I am lacking confidence in my cut, paste, glue abilities! I don’t own a laminator and do not have easy access to one. Do I really need to laminate?
I would love to see a picture of your cards, but by the looks of your Due Date - you might not have time! Hope all is well and all goes as you hope.
Thanks again.
You don’t really have to laminate them, if you aren’t letting baby touch them. I don’t let my children handle our cards that are not laminated. As for your cutting and pasting ability, they don’t have to be perfect. And you will get better the more you make. I have made about 800 cards, the first ones were pretty awful, compared to my last ones, but htey got the job done. My kids still recognize the information I gave them on the cards when they see it in real life! Give your self some credit. Your children will love the attention they get from you when you show them the cards!
A great place to get pictures are calendars. Wait until after the first of the year and everybody usually marks them down. Also check out used book stores. Bits about Art are the easiest to make. Birds are a close second. Just my opinion.
No lamination is not necessary but when you put so much effort into them you dont want them damaged. but absolutely not necessary. By the way here is the link to the weekly collaboration group we had going a while ago. It has tons of cards that just need to be printed out and mounted.
Hi all!
I’m starting out on the grand adventure of BIT cards.
I’m just wondering…would it really harm my child if I printed out my bit cards on an 8.5 x11 sheet and put it in a plastic page protector? Does it really NEED to be an 11x11 card? I’m just thinking of what is really going to happen…me cutting, pasting and laminating OR printing a few sheets off on the computer and sliding them into the plastic sheath.
8x11 is working for us! My son is learning human organs very well. I started doing Canadian province too, those seem to be a bit more difficult but I figure if I give it some that will start to come too. I even use 5x7 cards for marine life and thats working well for us too.
I am still interested in a few pictures, if possible. I’m trying to see if I am on the right track. Thanks. The 81/2 by 11 in a plastic sheet sounds easier. I have been cutting and pasting onto cardstock and that takes a lot of time.
I started off with the 11X11 cards, printed the pictures, researched and wrote up the facts, printed the facts, cut and glued them onto the boards, and then put contact paper on top of both sides. My daughter does touch the cards a lot. After doing many sets like that I decided that it was absolutely NOT worth the effort to have them be 11x11 size. I then switched to printing directly onto card stock in regular 8.5x11 size. That way I didn’t need to do any cutting or glueing. And it worked perfectly fine! There are so many bit cards that members of this forum have uploaded - I wish I had found them before I started making my own.
I have posted pictures of some of mine here:
http://www.professional-mothering.com/encyclopedic-knowledge.html
If you purchase your own laminater (ours was $40, but I’ve seen them for even less at Sams Club), it is very cost effective to laminate them. I buy 200 sheets for $20 at Sams Club, which makes it 10 cents for every thing I laminate. I also use the laminator to make “toys” for my kids, it was an excellent investment.
Nice Tamsyn!
I read to the bottom of your post 
Thanks for the hints. I just may splurge on a laminator!
I agree, even though I haven’t officially started on the EK bits yet, I’ve printed out some of the free flashcards here and they are GREAT! Smaller than what GD would give his nod of approval to, but they’ve been working well for us. I’m so happy that I found BrillKids!
Kizudo
iN ITALY i DO THIS:
- I look for good(usually more than 800 pixels the most long side) pictures by google etc of the subject
- I resize them and place on a 28x28cm canvas size file
- I put in cmky color mode
- I save in pdf photoshop format (zip compression)
- I bring them in a typography shop to print them on hard coatet paper:
BINDAKOTE 300 gr/m2 laser printing
They also cut them in the right dimensions for you - I pay about 7 euros per 10 bits (it depends on quantity)
Hope this can help
:laugh:
Mmmx
I´ve tried your suggestion and it got pretty good. Thanks for the tip.
Mari
Here are 2 sites that i mentioned a long… time ago… Hope these help
http://www.childandme.com/ideas/teach-your-child/encyclopedical-knowledge/
http://www.theclassicalmommy.com/bitscollection.html (great info but the owner does not follow this method any more )
I have purchased and made many sets of bits and here is what I have found. It is nice to have the 11x11 bits and the ones from IAHP are really nice. I have made my own by buying flash cards of states, presidents and whatever I can find and writing the facts on the backs of the cards and then gluing the flashcards to the front.
The bits do not need to be that size. You can easily accomplish the same thing using homemade books. I made tons of these for my kids. You can cut out a picture or print a picture and put it in a page protector and then write your facts out and put them on a separate page under the picture. This is actually better because if you make the words large enough you can read them with your child. I buy the soft three ring folders and put my pages in there landscape style. I write a title on the front of my book and we read them together. My kids love them and they are pretty durable. I have some that are 8 years old. If you go to my website www.monkisee.com and click on the video you will see my son reading from one of these books. The one shown is simple, we have more complex books.
I was going to mention the Classical Mommy website as well. If you print those out and protect them you will have a great collection of bits. I did print some of her’s and make them into books but I never finished. I think www.childandme.com has a good selection of printable bits as well and even in foreign languages.
Good Luck
I made a TON of homemade Bits.
I used 8.5 x 11 cardstock because it was so much less expensive.
Mostly, I went to the used bookstore and bought art books, science books, etc and cut and pasted. Then I did laminate them using laminating sleeves.
You can see a picture of some of my homemade Bits here. I enjoyed making them. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wGfTgMP9nBw/Rl8dOBmE8zI/AAAAAAAAAhI/flliZejyx_0/s1600-h/DSCI0145.JPG
Let me know if you have any questions!
Your bit looks so nice. I love making bits too. It is exciting to think of all the things you can teach your baby. Thanks for sharing.
Attached is a photo of some of my homemade bits. I use those magnetic photo albums and either do full size which can be filed, or I cut them and store them in photo boxes.
Since January my 3 year old with Down syndrome has learned 10 inventors and what they invented, 10 composers, the flags of South America, about 30 flags of Africa, about 20 breeds of dogs, 10 organs of the body, 10 composers, 10 missionaries, 10 world leaders, some word cards and some math dots.
It has been a long road to get here though. When Josiah was 18 months I showed him a card with the word “good-byeâ€. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t make any gestures, and he began to wave. This was the first time I realized that he was understanding the words I was showing him. I was also showing him dots and pictures. Unfortunately it took another two years before he was ready to show me more. I persevered during that time, though I confess that I wasn’t as consistent as I would have liked. Sometimes I would be on the program then we would take a break, but in January I decided to get back in full tilt and was thrilled.
My friends are amazed when they see him because on the outside he appears like a toddler. He is not very verbal and shows me the answers by pointing.
I share this to encourage you all to persevere. Your child will get it if you don’t give up.
Wow, Denise Joy! That is amazing! I’m going to forward your post to my girlfriend who has a 16 month old daughter with D.S.
By the way, I don’t think your attachment was “attached” But then again, I’m pretty tired and may have missed it…
Seriously! It wasn’t there a minute ago! I swear. Sheesh.