One of the special projects I did when planning our spring break trip was making fun 50 States passports for the kiddos to get “stamped” as we traveled. It wasn’t that hard, and I’ve got a free printable for you if you’d like to try it yourself.

I found a lot of ideas and a few awesome templates on Pinterest, but I didn’t want to mimic a real international passport too much. The Ladybug just got back from a mission trip and we spent a lot of time emphasizing (and re-emphasizing!) how important a passport is, and how critical it was for her to take care of it and keep track of it while she was away. I don’t want to undo that groundwork, and we’re not traveling internationally anyway.

So I didn’t use the official US seal on a blue background. I searched out some patriotic clipart for the covers instead. And printed some state seal stickers for me to “stamp” each of them as we go along. It took me about 2 hours to print, cut, assemble, trim, re-assemble, and finish them. {smile} Then I stuck one in each of their travel activity cases.

STEP 1: The Cover Template

If you want to make it yourself with your own image (or insert photos like I did for ours) just use a 2-page Word document and insert a 2 over 2 table on each page to split the page into quarters. This will make 2 individual passports.

Put your cover image in the 2 right-hand boxes of PAGE 1.

Put your title page in the 2 left-hand boxes of PAGE 2.

Put your signature page in the 2 right-hand boxes of PAGE 2.

Add a background image to each horizontal half-page on PAGE 2.

Or you can just click on the image below to download the generic pdf template I made and print it double-sided on cardstock. 

On mine, you’ll see that I tiled the background image of a Virginia stamp. The tiling method didn’t turn out to fit the page perfectly. That sort of thing doesn’t bother me that much. However; on the template, you’ll see that for the background I inserted a single picture I took of an actual page spread in the Ladybug’s real passport. That actually turned out much better and I recommend that method. You could clip the cover with a corner rounder punch to match the image if you enjoy all the details.

STEP 2: Printing the Covers

The covers are printed two-sided on 8.5 x 11 white cardstock. Flip on the long edge, if your printer prints double-sided. (I use the Canon MX922 and I love the double-sided printing function!) Cut on the horizontal between the two, then fold in the middle of each on the vertical.

I used Stardust colored paper because that’s what I already had. I like how it turned out kinda textured. I think any neutral color would work. I didn’t use bright white because I imagined it would get dirty quickly in little hands on a road trip.

STEP 3: Inside Pages

For the inside pages, I made my life difficult by actually printing letter-sizes pages as double-sided paper and then cutting it in half on the horizontal. Then trimming everything multiple times because I tend to rush. What a waste of ink and time! There’s a better way…

If you have a paper-cutter, it would be much easier (and save a lot of ink!) to just buy some pre-printed, double-sided scrapbook paper with a patriotic design and cut it into 5.5 x 8-inch pieces. (This one from Authentique is adorable and this vintage one from The Paper Studio would work too. If you don’t have to make everything in triplicate like I do, a smaller kit like this one from Reminisce might be better.)

And if you don’t have a paper-cutter, well, you should get one. They don’t have to be expensive and you’ll use it a ton for crafty-mom stuff and kids school and church projects. I have this 12″ one from Fiskars.

Once you have your pages are cut, layer 4 or 5 together and fold them in the middle, on the vertical. Insert them in the cover and staple on the spine. Then trim as necessary. If you take your time to cut straight to begin with, you’ll have less trimming. {smile} But it might still take a little here and there to get them to fit together well. Sometimes the printer doesn’t pull the paper through perfectly either.

STEP 4: State-by-State Stamps

This was the easiest part. I found a great printable of the 50 individual state seals from Marine Corps Nomads that was formatted for Avery 0.75″ sticker paper.

Of course, it wasn’t the 2″ circle Avery sticker paper that I had left over from my Travel Sticker project, so I improvised by printing them on plain 8.5 x 11 full-sheet sticker paper and punching them out with a scrapbooking paper punch. “Stamping” is very easy–just peel and stick!

And if you really, really don’t feel up to DIY-ing it…you can get a cute, pre-made passport kit with some fun stamps right here…

Now that we’re back from our road trip I call tell you–the kids LOVED them.

Especially my Speedracer. He was the first one to holler “Here’s my passport!” as soon as we passed the welcome sign. It makes a great souvenir and a show-and-tell piece for them to talk about their trip with family and friends. Our goal is to hit all 50 states TOGETHER, as a family. We’ll see…