Erasable Crayon Placemat Tutorial
A fabric placemat lined on both sides with plastic sheeting and a few washable crayons or markers make an educational and fun activity for any child. Slits in the plastic make it possible to slide in pre-printed game sheets, guides for practicing writing or math, or pictures to color in over and over. A wet sponge and a little elbow grease wipes the mat clean.
Things You'll Need
- 2 pieces fabric, 12 inches by 16 inches
- 2 pieces clear plastic sheeting, 12 inches by 16 inches
- Binding tape
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Choose fabric for the back and front of your placemat in a plain, light color so that the markings on the plastic show up. White, cream or yellow work well.
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2
Layer the fabric and plastic sheeting. Start with plastic sheeting, top with a piece of fabric, right side down, then the other piece of fabric right side up. Top with remaining plastic. Pin all around the edges and sew together through all layers.
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3
Pin binding around the edges of the placemat. Sew in place.
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4
Using scissors, cut a 12-inch slit along the top edge of both pieces of sheeting, about an inch from the binding. Take care not to cut through the fabric. You'll be able to slide paper through the slits so that your child can practice letters, numbers or shapes or play games such as tic-tac-toe and hangman.
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Provide your child with washable crayons or markers to color on the plastic. Wipe the plastic clean with a damp cloth or sponge. If necessary, use the scrubbing side of a sponge to remove crayon marks. Wipe dry.
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References
- Photo Credit crayon pencils image by kastock from Fotolia.com
