How To: Placemats

I absolutely Love Family Fun printables and often have them handy for snowy and cold days (and Chicago is often way too cold during the winter for outdoor fun). Dinner time can be daunting times in the winter too because toddlers, and our sensory kids, tend to be on the look-out for anything and everything to get into.

I know that AJ is dead tired by dinner time and wants to “rev” himself up. It is all I can do to help calm him. What has been working lately is giving him a pen and piece of paper and having him scribble. However, I found this in my email box the other day and just had to print it out for him…A cool matching game that doubles as a place mat for him!

To make your very own placemats:
1. two sheets of contact paper
2. one piece of construction paper (You can also use white vinyl place mats found at stores like Michael’s and Joannes. If you do this cut the contact paper just short of the vinyl place mat instead of longer.)
3. foam shapes, leaves, pipe cleaners, buttons, stickers, cutouts from magazines, markers and crayons, etc.
4. scissors
5. gluestick (preferred over wet glue)

Decorate and make a design on the piece of construction paper
Cut the contact paper to be slightly larger than the construction paper
Place the construction paper on the sticky side of one piece of contact paper and then place the other piece of contact paper on top, folding the edges over.

You can also check out these fabulous placemats at Olive Kids…I know AJ would love to drive cars on some of these!