Every weekday in April, I am posting a unique toddler learning activity I do with my two sons. These are low cost and simple ways to do something different each day. You can view any of these posts by looking for the title "Cheap Learning:"
April 1st - Day 1 of Cheap Learning for Toddlers
Here we go, folks.
Today was Flannelboard Day.
Flannelboards can be used to tell stories, work on counting, recognize letters, sort by colors, shapes, objects, etc. The possibilities are endless. They can be quite expensive to buy, though. So, I ventured into the world of DIY and it was great.
First, I followed the instructions given on this page: Make Your Own Flannelboard
But I was really interested in a large flannelboard, and there was no way I was going to spend $25 on a canvas to cover with flannel.
I hit up Hobby Lobby (who doesn't want to support them right now, right?). I found a package of two small stretched canvases for $7.99, and I used the 40% off coupon from Hobby Lobby (did you know you can go to the coupon on your smartphone right in the store and use it that way? I love them.). Two small canvases were like $5, so each of my toddlers could have their own small board.
Then, I looked around for a cheaper option than a large stretched canvas so I could make a big board. And I found it.
I bought a huge piece of styrofoam board (like for presentations) for $2.39 and decided to try the old handy dandy hot glue gun with some flannel (also at Hobby Lobby for $4.99 per yard).
Then, a huge stack of felt for 25 cents per sheet in various colors.
Buy it all, take it home, stretch the flannel, staple around the canvases or glue around the back edge of the styrofoam board, cut shapes out of colored felt, and WOOHOO - go to town with your very own flannelboard.
My next DIY flannelboards will be the excess flannel stretched over two small pieces of scrap cardboard and hot glued. These will be used for church. What is quieter than felt dropping on the floor? And if they bend or break, I think I can handle the 50 cent loss.
Seriously, we are going to use these things everyday. Felt sticks to flannel like white on rice.
Except we eat brown rice, but you get the point.
Note on the photos:
You can see the blue smaller board (stretched canvas with blue flannel wrapped and stapled on back) and the black larger board (styrofoam board with black flannel wrapped and hot glued on back).
I keep all my cut out shapes in a gallon size clear plastic bag.
Types of questions to ask your toddler:
Can you find all the red shapes?
Can you find all the shapes that have corners?
Can you find all the blue circles?
Can you find all the small shapes?
Can you find all the big shapes?
Can you put all the shapes in order of their size from smallest to largest?
Can you make a picture out of these shapes?
What happens if you put two triangles together? Does it make another shape?
I will stop, but seriously, you can go on like this forever.
Then, cut out felt letters and numbers and you can start all over again.
April 1st - Day 1 of Cheap Learning for Toddlers
Here we go, folks.
Today was Flannelboard Day.
Flannelboards can be used to tell stories, work on counting, recognize letters, sort by colors, shapes, objects, etc. The possibilities are endless. They can be quite expensive to buy, though. So, I ventured into the world of DIY and it was great.
First, I followed the instructions given on this page: Make Your Own Flannelboard
But I was really interested in a large flannelboard, and there was no way I was going to spend $25 on a canvas to cover with flannel.
I hit up Hobby Lobby (who doesn't want to support them right now, right?). I found a package of two small stretched canvases for $7.99, and I used the 40% off coupon from Hobby Lobby (did you know you can go to the coupon on your smartphone right in the store and use it that way? I love them.). Two small canvases were like $5, so each of my toddlers could have their own small board.
Then, I looked around for a cheaper option than a large stretched canvas so I could make a big board. And I found it.
I bought a huge piece of styrofoam board (like for presentations) for $2.39 and decided to try the old handy dandy hot glue gun with some flannel (also at Hobby Lobby for $4.99 per yard).
Then, a huge stack of felt for 25 cents per sheet in various colors.
Buy it all, take it home, stretch the flannel, staple around the canvases or glue around the back edge of the styrofoam board, cut shapes out of colored felt, and WOOHOO - go to town with your very own flannelboard.
My next DIY flannelboards will be the excess flannel stretched over two small pieces of scrap cardboard and hot glued. These will be used for church. What is quieter than felt dropping on the floor? And if they bend or break, I think I can handle the 50 cent loss.
Seriously, we are going to use these things everyday. Felt sticks to flannel like white on rice.
Except we eat brown rice, but you get the point.
Note on the photos:
You can see the blue smaller board (stretched canvas with blue flannel wrapped and stapled on back) and the black larger board (styrofoam board with black flannel wrapped and hot glued on back).
I keep all my cut out shapes in a gallon size clear plastic bag.
Types of questions to ask your toddler:
Can you find all the red shapes?
Can you find all the shapes that have corners?
Can you find all the blue circles?
Can you find all the small shapes?
Can you find all the big shapes?
Can you put all the shapes in order of their size from smallest to largest?
Can you make a picture out of these shapes?
What happens if you put two triangles together? Does it make another shape?
I will stop, but seriously, you can go on like this forever.
Then, cut out felt letters and numbers and you can start all over again.
