
Here is a simple way to keep your kids entertained while learning shapes, colors, and practicing spatial reasoning. They get to be artistic without the mess of glue and the scariness of scissors. I bought a picture frame, took out the glass and glued flannel to the cardboard part of the frame. Wash the flannel first, using no fabric softener, and only glue the edges around the back (the part that wraps around.) If you glue the front, then the flannel will lose it's ability to keep static. I bought some of those cheap squares of felt and just started cutting shapes. I put a little thought into it and made something that could be used as a lake or ocean in blue, some green triangle for trees, light brown for skin tones- but mostly I just cut random shapes. I highly recommend that you DON'T let your kids carry the board around. Nail it to the wall- or better yet- get those 3M Command picture hangers and put it on the wall. That was my next step, but someone stepped on the board and it broke. I keep the small pieces in a zip-baggie and know that the pieces will be spread all over. The kids like it- and I need to make a new board this week. I was thinking that a mini version of this might be nice for church because there would be no noise. I think felt will stick to the back of the fabric cover pews as well. Ours are wood.
What an awesome idea! Let me know when you go to get a new picture frame can I want to make a couple of them too!
ReplyDeleteI made one about three weeks ago. I made shapes to make a house I did different flowers, trees, clouds and then basic shapes. Great minds think alike! I put ours in our Sunday bag and the flannel does stick to some pews not all of them.
ReplyDeleteHi there - I have some instructions for making a flannel board on my blog at http://www.fun-activities-for-kids.com I take cardboard or coroplast and use 3m spray glue, wrap it around the back and tape it down. You can also get felt figures pretty inexpensively at http://www.funfelt.com Just thought I'd share some of what works for me. Using felt with the kids is great - they are really engaged and imaginative!
ReplyDeleteKaren
I have wanted to find one of these for Ethan but haven't yet. Thanks for the idea to make it my self!
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