DIY Corner Bookmark Favors for a Storybook Party

A handmade bookmark is a small favor with somewhere to go after the party: the next bedtime story. These folded paper corners slip over a page without ribbon, tassels or clips. Make a sample before guests arrive, then let every child turn a plain square into a little character of their own.

Gather your supplies

• Eight 6-by-6-inch squares of ordinary colored paper, plus two spares
• One extra square for an adult demonstration
• Crayons or washable markers suitable for the children attending
• A ruler and scissors for adult preparation
• Eight small paper envelopes for taking bookmarks home
• A host-owned book to test the fit

1. Start with a true square

Measure both sides before cutting. Thin paper is easier to fold than heavy cardstock, especially when several layers meet. Use pale colors so drawings show clearly. If you want a patterned front, choose paper with a plain reverse rather than gluing two sheets together.

2. Make the first triangle

Place the square like a diamond on the table. Fold the bottom point up to meet the top point, pressing along the long bottom edge. You now have a triangle with two layers at its top tip. Keep that tip pointing away from you.

3. Mark the side folds

Bring the left corner up to the top point and crease it. Repeat with the right corner, making a small diamond. Open those two folds again so the paper returns to a triangle. The crease marks will guide the next step.

4. Create the pocket

Fold only the front layer of the top tip down to the middle of the triangle’s bottom edge. Leave the back layer standing. Bring the left corner back up along its crease, then tuck its point behind the folded-down front flap. Repeat on the right. Flatten gently: the two tucked corners hold the bookmark together without glue.

5. Decorate without adding bulk

Draw a sleepy face, a rainbow or the guest’s initial on the square front. Keep decorations drawn directly on the paper so nothing can detach into a book or a child’s mouth. Skip googly eyes, glitter, beads and paper clips. Adults can prefold bookmarks for guests who would rather spend their time coloring.

6. Test and pack

Slide the open pocket over the upper corner of a page in the sample book. It should sit loosely; do not force a thick bookmark onto a delicate page. Label each envelope and let guests take their own bookmark home. Avoid laminating the folded pocket, which can close the opening and make the edges stiff.

Keep scissors at the adult preparation area and supervise the activity. For a complete celebration built around books, see our storybook birthday guide. These favors work alongside a comfortable drawing table, with room for an adult to demonstrate the folds.