Daily Life Zine
A screen-free mixed-media bookmaking journey in observation, mindfulness and everyday storytelling
What if the ordinary moments of a child’s day could become the material for something beautiful, personal and worth keeping?
Daily Life Zine is a reflective, hands-on workshop in which children create their own small mixed-media book inspired by the details of their everyday life. Working entirely away from screens, children explore familiar routines; breakfast, clothing, school, places they go, objects they notice, moments they remember and transform these simple experiences into expressive pages through collage, drawing, stitching and creative writing.
Across the sessions, children are encouraged to slow down, look more carefully and discover that even ordinary daily moments can hold colour, texture, feeling and story. The result is a handmade book that feels personal, thoughtful and entirely their own.
This is a calm, creative and deeply rewarding project that supports self-expression, mindfulness and confidence through making.
9 to 12 years old
2 hours each. 4 sessions
Family homes (West London)
Mindfulness
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Self-Expression
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Observation
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Everyday Storytelling
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Mixed-Media Bookmaking
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Mindfulness - Self-Expression - Observation - Everyday Storytelling - Mixed-Media Bookmaking -
Finding richness in ordinary moments
One of the loveliest things about this project is the way it helps children value what is already around them.
In a world that often pushes children towards constant stimulation, novelty and speed, Daily Life Zine offers something quieter and more grounding. It encourages them to pause, notice and appreciate the details of everyday life, not because those moments are dramatic, but because they are real, familiar and meaningful.
This can be a surprisingly powerful shift. Children begin to understand that creative inspiration does not always come from something grand or unusual. It can come from a kitchen table, a favourite jumper, a walk to school, a window, a pet, a snack, a small routine.
By learning to notice more, they often begin to feel more connected to their own lives and surroundings.
Mindful Mixed - Media Bookmaking
Daily Life Zine invites children to discover that their own lives are full of creative material.
Rather than working from a distant theme or copying an example, children begin with what they already know: the rhythms, objects, places and moments that make up their everyday world. They might reflect on the breakfast they eat, the route they take, the clothes they wear, the textures in their home or the little routines that shape their day.
These observations then become the starting point for a handmade zine, a small artist’s book built page by page through image, text, collage and simple stitching. This makes the project feel especially personal. Each child creates something rooted in their own experience, memory and way of seeing.
That sense of ownership is one of the most powerful parts of the workshop.
9 to 12 years
2 hours per session
4 sessions (4 weeks)
Up to 5 participants
In-person, fully screen-free
Age Group:
Duration:
Sessions:
Group Size:
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WHAT CHILDREN WILL EXPLORE & LEARN
Daily Life Zine also offers children a gentle form of mindfulness through art.
The process of noticing, selecting, arranging, cutting, drawing and stitching invites a slower kind of attention. Children are encouraged to be present with their materials and their ideas, rather than rushing or trying to produce something “perfect.” This can support focus, patience and a more reflective relationship with creativity.
Because the workshop values personal expression over polished performance, it often feels accessible and reassuring. There is space for children to work in their own way, make their own choices and build a visual language that feels true to them.
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Paying attention to small daily details.
Reflecting on routines and personal experiences.
Translating observation into visual storytelling.
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Structuring pages in a meaningful order.
Understanding visual rhythm and composition.
Creating narrative flow through imagery and text.
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Collage using paper, fabric and found materials.
Drawing and expressive mark-making.
Simple stitching and binding methods.
Combining text and image thoughtfully.
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Making aesthetic decisions confidently.
Exploring texture and layering.
Completing a cohesive handmade object.
PROJECT ESSENTIALS
Materials
- Various textured and coloured papers
- Card for covers
- Fabric scraps
- Magazines and newspapers for collage
- Glue sticks and child-safe scissors
- Coloured pencils, markers, crayons
- Needle and thread (introduced safely)
- Stamps, stickers, decorative tapes
Materials to be provided by MAFE or the family.
Safety & Accessibility
- Child-safe scissors used throughout
- Needles introduced only to older children and with supervision
- All materials adaptable for different abilities
- Table-based sessions to support posture and comfort
- Flexible adaptations for diverse learning needs
Learning Outcomes & Benefits
Participants develop:
- Enhanced observation and mindfulness
- Visual storytelling and sequencing skills
- Confidence through independent creative choices
- Fine motor control through cutting, stitching and assembling
- Emotional awareness through reflective art-making
- A sense of accomplishment in completing a handmade book
Pricing
£45 per session (group sessions with more than one child)
£55 per session (individual session)
Materials additional if supplied by MAFE
WHY PARENTS LOVE IT
A RARE SCREEN-FREE ACTIVITY THAT ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO SLOW DOWN AND OBSERVE THEIR WORLD.
HELPS CHILDREN REFLECT ON THEIR DAILY EXPERIENCES IN A CREATIVE AND POSITIVE WAY.
BUILDS CONFIDENCE THROUGH MAKING SOMETHING ENTIRELY THEIR OWN.
DEVELOPS FOCUS, PATIENCE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
SMALL-GROUP SESSIONS WITH THOUGHTFUL GUIDANCE AND INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION.
INTRODUCES CHILDREN TO HANDMADE BOOKMAKING AND CREATIVE CRAFT SKILLS.
Get started today
About the Project Leader
May
Fine Artist & Community Art Educator
May is a fine artist and experienced art educator with an international background in painting, murals, stained glass and mosaic. She holds an MA in Fine Art from the University of Brighton and a BA in Fine Arts from Egypt, where she specialised in traditional and decorative techniques rooted in craftsmanship and material sensitivity.
She works as an Art Instructor at Artisan Village Gallery, South London and regularly delivers freelance and voluntary workshops for children, young people and adults across community, charity and educational settings.
May’s practice is grounded in craftsmanship, cultural heritage and expressive making. She places strong emphasis on working with materials by hand, encouraging children to slow down, observe closely and engage thoughtfully with their creative process.
Her sessions are calm, inclusive and gently structured, offering meaningful, screen-free experiences that nurture confidence, independence and emotional awareness. She is experienced in facilitating across a wide range of ages and abilities, adapting her approach to ensure every participant feels supported and successful.