How to Make a Flannel Board for Children

Flannel boards are a fun way to tell stories.

Flannel boards are easy and inexpensive to make, providing hours of fun and education for children. Also known as felt boards, flannel boards are flannel-covered rectangular or square pieces of sturdy cardboard, plywood or even a clean pizza box. They can be used to illustrate stories, do math problems, spell words or just have fun. Shapes, numbers, letters, figures or pictures made of felt or heavy interfacing from a fabric store will cling to the flannel board.

Things You'll Need

• Yardstick or measuring tape
• Heavy cardboard or plywood approximately 3 feet wide by 2 feet high
• Scissors
• Light blue or black flannel
• Glue gun or craft glue
• Piece of anti-slip rug mat
• Felt in various colors or purchased felt figures
• Manila envelopes or file folders
• Clear tape

Instructions

1. Choose a board sized to accommodate your felt figures. A flannel board that is two feet high and three feet wide works well in most situations.

2. Measure the board and add two inches to each side. Use these measurements to cut a piece of flannel to cover your board. Light blue and black both work well as background colors.

3. Pull two inches of felt around each side of the board. Use a hot glue gun or craft glue to adhere the edges of the felt to the back side of the board. If glue is used on the front of the flannel board, it will make it more difficult for felt figures to cling to the surface.

4. Cut a strip of an anti-slip rug mat the length of the flannel board and one inch wide. Glue this strip to the bottom edge of the flannel board to prevent it from slipping during use. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before using.

5. Angle the board slightly during use to help the felt figures cling to the board. Put the board on an easel or chair so your hands can be free to place the figures on the board

6. Make numbers, letters, pictures, figures or shapes for the flannel board using felt or heavy interfacing from a fabric store. Interfacing can be colored with crayons and then placed between two pieces of wax paper and set, using the heat of an iron. Other materials, such as paper or laminated pieces, may be used on the flannel board as long as they have a backing that will catch on the flannel. Ideas for backing include using fusible webbing to adhere a felt backing onto other material, the "hook" portion of hook-and-loop tape, or felt discs and strips used on chair legs and other furniture to protect surfaces from being scratched.

7. Purchase commercially made felt figures if desired. These sets include popular children's and Bible stories as well as sets of numbers, letters and shapes

8. Store felt figures in labeled manila envelopes or file folders taped along both open sides

References

• Lesson Tutor: Fabulous Felt Fun
• Ohio Literacy Resource Center: Parent-made Developmental Toys
• Upper Hudson Library System: Felt Stories in Storytimes