With Krea
How to make a zine from one sheet of paper
To make a zine from one sheet of paper, fold the sheet into eight boxes, have a grown-up snip along the middle line from the folded edge to the next fold, then push the ends together until the sheet wraps into an eight-page book. In this course your kid folds and snips the sheet, fills every page with a different kind of page (a fact, a top 3 list, a tiny comic, a how-to-draw page, a map, and a page for the reader to draw), then copies the flat sheet and gives the copies away. Krea hosts four short films for kids 6 to 13, with a zine called All about snails as the example all the way through, and your kid ends with a finished zine, Issue 1, and a stack of copies to share. Plan about 4 minutes of films and 45–60 minutes of folding, drawing, and copying. On Kubrio, all four films and the quiz are free, with no account.
All 4 films and the quiz are free on this page. Your kid doesn't need an account. See every lesson
What your kid makes
Your kid ends with an eight-page zine made from one sheet of paper, all about one favorite thing, with a different kind of page on every page. Your kid also has a stack of copies marked Issue 1 to give to friends and family, and the next zine is Issue 2.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 4 films, about 4 minutes, then 45–60 minutes of folding, drawing, and copying
- You need
- One sheet of printer paper, scissors, and a grown-up for the snip, a pencil and a dark pen, crayons or markers (optional), a copier or printer for the copies (optional)
- Host
- Krea
The 4 lessons
Lesson 1. Eight boxes
A zine (say it "zeen") is a tiny magazine you make yourself, about anything you love. Three folds turn one sheet into eight boxes, and each box is one page.
- Lay one sheet flat, long side down
- Fold it in half top to bottom, then in half side to side, and in half again
- Open it and count eight boxes
Where: Paper
Lesson 2. Snip and push
One snip along the middle line turns the eight boxes into a little book: the slot opens like a diamond, then a plus, then the pages wrap around.
- Fold the sheet side to side, and have a grown-up snip the middle line from the folded edge to the next fold
- Fold it the long way, and push both ends together
- Wrap the pages around, press it flat, and count eight pages
Where: Paper
Lesson 3. Fill every page
A zine is about one thing you love, and every page is a different kind: a fact, a top 3 list, a tiny comic, a how-to-draw page, a map, and a page where the reader draws.
- Pick one thing you love
- Number the inside pages 1 to 6 in pencil, and fill each with a different kind of page
- Write a big title on the front, and The end and your name on the back
Where: Paper
Lesson 4. Copies to share
Unfolded, the zine is one flat sheet, so a grown-up can copy it, and every copy folds into a new zine. Some pages look upside down on the flat sheet, and that's right.
- Unfold the zine and have a grown-up copy the flat sheet
- Fold, snip, and push each copy
- Write Issue 1 on the front and give the copies away
Where: Paper
Take the quiz
Krea asks 3 questions about the films. Get 2 right and you finish the course.
Lesson 1 transcript: Eight boxes
Hi, I'm Krea! Today you make a zine. You say it like this: zeen!
A zine is a tiny magazine that you make yourself. It can be about anything you love.
You're the writer and the artist. And all you need is one sheet of paper!
Lay it flat, long side down. Fold it in half, top to bottom. Then open it again.
Now fold it in half, side to side. Then in half again. Press each fold hard with your thumb.
Open it all the way and count the boxes. Eight! Each box will be one page.
Your turn. Get one sheet of paper. Fold it three times, open it, and count eight boxes. Then press Next.
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
What is a zine?
A zine (say it "zeen") is a tiny magazine someone makes by hand, about anything. In this course, one sheet of paper becomes an eight-page zine: a front, six inside pages, and a back. Your kid is the writer and the artist.
Is the cut safe for younger kids?
The films ask a grown-up to make the one snip with scissors, along the middle line from the folded edge to the next fold. That's the only cut in the course. Everything else is folding, drawing, and writing.
Do we need a copier?
No. Copies are optional, and a grown-up makes them. Dark pen lines copy most clearly. With no copier at home, a printed photo of the flat sheet works too, or your kid can fold a second zine by hand. The films play on this page, with no account.