How do I make free printable bookmarks?
Printing a bookmark is almost as easy as printing a sheet of paper. The main difference is that you’ll also need the right bookmark template and cardstock. Luckily, with Avery Design & Print Online, our printable cards, and our free printable bookmark templates, it’s easy to make your own unique bookmarks at home.
You can use Avery Design & Print Online on your computer, tablet, or smartphone to start designing with one of our free bookmark templates or create your own from scratch. Once you’re happy with your design, just use a laser or inkjet printer to print your bookmarks onto our cards.
What makes a bookmark special?
When you hear the word “bookmark” there’s a good chance that you’ll remember one that was special to you. Maybe it’s the one your teacher handed to you on your first day of sixth grade. Or maybe it was a giveaway item to promote The Lord of the Rings at a Scholastic Book Fair.
Bookmarks are special because they encourage us to keep reading and learning. And a custom bookmark is even more special because it’s a reminder that someone believes in you.
For many kids, reading a book can be an intimidating task. But seeing a homemade bookmark, every time they reopen a book, can give them the push they need to keep learning.
How to make personalized bookmarks
While the oldest bookmarks were made from leather and papyrus, these days you can just personalize your own bookmarks with our free printable bookmark templates. Once you open our template, it will take you to our online design software so that you can make changes and add your own text and images.
Whether you want to add your initials, family photos, or customize bookmarks for every student in your class, our software will make it easy. Once you print out your bookmarks, you can then choose to add any extra embellishments.
What you need to make DIY bookmarks
Here are the basic tools and supplies you will need to make your own DIY printable bookmarks:
- Printable cards, such as a tickets or tags
- Avery Design & Print Online
- A bookmark template
- A computer, smartphone, or tablet with an internet connection
- A laser or inkjet printer
But feel free to add an extra flourish with your own materials. For example, you could add a traditional throwback with a ribbon or a piece of silk. Historically, some bookmarks even used locks of hair from loved ones (we wouldn’t recommend running those through a printer, though).
For more durability, laminate your bookmarks to add an extra layer of protection. While our cards are designed not to smudge, some printers can unfortunately leave extra residue.
Avery cards can be sealed with standard laminating machines or with our self-laminating sheets. Our laminating sheets work straight out of the box without a machine or heat, so they’re perfect to use on the go or with kids.
How to find Avery bookmark templates
You can find our free bookmark templates in a couple of different ways. The fastest way in this article is to choose one of the bookmark templates below and click on the “Customize” button to open the template in Avery Design & Print Online.
If you already have one of our products in-hand, you can use the 4 or 5-digit product number on the packaging to find a blank template. For example, the product number for our printable tickets is 16154.
Once you know your Avery product number, you can use the Templates page to find every downloadable template option. Or you can use Avery Design & Print Online to search for the product number to instantly open the template in our online software.
Free printable bookmark ideas for kids
When you’re a kid it’s easier to fall into the massive worlds that books create. And a custom bookmark can help kids feel a more personal connection to their stories as they travel from book to book.
Whether your kid is already a bookworm or need a little encouragement, creating a bookmark with them can be a fun project. Let them choose a template and edit the design with them so that they can have a bookmark that is uniquely theirs.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ tags (22802).
Or, order custom-printed tags.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ business cards (28878).
Or, order custom-printed business cards.
Print for yourself on 1-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ tickets (16795).
Or, order custom-printed tickets.
Avery bookmark templates for students
Even the best books can feel like a slog if you’re forced to read them. Help your students rediscover the joy of reading with one of these free printable bookmark designs for classrooms.
For extra motivation, you could also customize their bookmarks with foil star stickers every time they finish a book. If you’re making individual bookmarks for your students, you can use the Mail Merge feature in our software to import a list of names and automatically fill them into all of your bookmarks at once.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ tags (22802).
Or, order custom-printed tags.
Print for yourself on 1-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ tickets (16795).
Or, order custom-printed tickets.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ tags (22802).
Or, order custom-printed tags.
Free bookmarks teachers will love
If you’re a student that wants to show your teacher how much you appreciate them, these bookmark templates are a perfect way to bring a smile to their face. Because, of all people in the world, teachers know the value of books the most.
For teachers starting a new book with a class, a bookmark can be a clever place to add in helpful reminders like character names, time periods, and locations. Or if you’re a student, you can customize bookmarks with your teacher’s name or tailor them for special events like their birthday.
Print for yourself on 1-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ tickets (16795).
Or, order custom-printed tickets.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ business cards (28878).
Or, order custom-printed business cards.
Print for yourself on 1-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ tickets (16795).
Or, order custom-printed tickets.
Best printable bookmarks for gifting
Some of the best friends in life come from a shared love of books and stories. Show your friends and family you care by personalizing one of these free printable bookmark templates that honors their favorite book or series.
Give these bookmark templates extra flair by adding meaningful quotes and in-jokes. You can also try pairing the bookmark with a special edition of their favorite book with a personalized bookplate to mark a special occasion.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ tags (22802).
Or, order custom-printed tags.
Print for yourself on 1-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ tickets (16795).
Or, order custom-printed tickets.
Print for yourself on 2″ x 3-1/2″ business cards (28878).
Or, order custom-printed business cards.
Creating the right bookmark
People’s lives can be charted by the journey they take from book to book. The books we read, and when we read them, speak to our character and growth as we live our lives.
But while we travel from books to poems to stories and more, some of the things we’re given become artifacts that stay with us. For some people, the right bookmark given by the right person can carry more meaning than all of the books they will ever read.
While it might just seem like a template printed on a simple ticket, a bookmark can also tell a student every day that you believe in them. Or remind your child, years from now, of the nights they spent falling asleep on your shoulder as they read their favorite books with you.
The right bookmark won’t just tell someone where they are. It will also tell them where they can go.
Want to show off your favorite bookmarks? Share some of the DIY bookmarks from your collection with our community on Facebook and with #averyproducts on Instagram.
