Home Made Learning Cloth 2

I am thinking I will change the name from the clear plastic table cloth.. to a home made learning cloth.

Posting another idea we are using this week with it.

I took pages from a pre-k workbook and slid them under. He worked all the puzzles and seek and find, like a pro. When he was done we just wiped it off. I will leave it for a few days, because as different family members sit down they work with him and that is the repetitive part of learning.

This is really amped up on his learning, just this week, he is saying numbers, alphabets.. he is like a sponge, ever absorbing.

This mat has also been on my kitchen table, which is where everyone eats and hangs out. So it seems that my dry erase markers are being used not just the littlest, but the biggest. They all like actually writing on it.

We are planning a trip, so there is a map, we work with.. and we are building a swing set, and we are drawing and planning it.

I hope that you give this a try, for the big ones or the little ones...

Home Learning Cloth --- a new idea for your table

This is our kitchen table.

Yes, the one we share our meals on. I gave up fine dining awhile ago, 21 years to the day.

I find that our table is the center of our home. We talk, laugh, cry, work out problems, homework, art, crafts and play games on.

Our new use for it, is a large wipe off board for learning our name and alphabets. (Well I already know my name..I think I do!)

I have plans to branch out for other things, which I will post as I go along.

Our table has a regular plastic table cloth on it, printed in a bright springy pattern. On top of that is a sheet of heavy plastic that I purchased at the fabric store. They have it for I don't know what, they have some with even prints on it. I actually purchased it to keep the one table cloth looking bright and clean through the season. It ran me about 15 dollars for my large table. They sell it by the foot.

I also bought a box of different colored dry eraser markers.

Please remember if you are using this with a 3 years old, please watch them, mine had the habit of pressing too hard and popping the marker into itself. Ruined a few of them. Also remember to teach your little one and big ones to put the lid on and tap on the table to make sure it shuts. Lost a few to dry out.

 Eventually my creative mind took over and we first layed a map on it, to plan our summer week run.

Then I started to write up cards of my sons name for him to practice writing, then alphabets.

When he was done, all he had to do was wipe it off.

Gosh, it started to great for everything. The play sheet pad for playdough slipped right under and then they didn't have to constantly straighten it over and over.

We started to slip the game boards under it, because some reason at my house, it constantly is moving and with having to keep it on the table and the pieces. Well you get the idea.

Please also if  you use the dry erase markers, be sure to wipe off. I look pretty silly sporting different colored sleeves on my skin. I also when we are finished just a quick squirt with windex and wipey, wipey.. and back to normal.

This week I am looking for dot to dots to put under to play and a few maze games..

I just wanted to share with you. I promise I will post more as I keep getting my creativity on.

This actually is fun, and makes us a little closer. Draws us together...and isn't that what family is all about.