Felt Boards

Also don't foget you can skip the whole colouring step too by going to google and click on images and it will bring up coloured clipart you can copy and paste to a document and then just print out.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Making might be cheaper but as you say time is important too. Buying the board and then making the figures to go on the board is certainly a better use of time.

I often will trace things during naptime and then cut out while watching tv later that night or even during freeplay the next day. Sometimes I give the kids the pieces as I cut them and they add them to the board such as leaves or flowers or birds. Other times I cut the things out and just set them aside sort of like teasing telling the kids we will use them later.

There are lots of ways to make figures too. I do a lot where I colour pictures I find and then glue them to sandpaper (#120). Also a quick way is to colour the pictures and then put peel and stick felt on the back which saves doing any gluing and you don't have to cover the whole thing so you can cut pieces to keep it economical. The advantage of the peel and stick is that if you laminate the figures the felt will still stick. You can use markers, fabric paints etc. to add details but if you use google eyes, etc. remember they should be circletime only felt sets and not left out for play.

It's more work but results are great is to find fabric with figures on it - a great way to make TV characters. Put heatnbond (use the ultrahold one). You iron the heatnbond to the back of the fabric, peel off the backing and then iron onto a piece of felt. That adheres the cotton fabric to the felt. Then when it is cool cut out. The possibilities are endless.

Feltboards are a great teaching tool.

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Does the 120 sand paper wear down the felt on the felt board??

Also...where can you buy peel and stick felt? I am thinking of colouring the Old lady who swallowed a fly and cutting it out myself rather than buying it.

i don't have a problem with the #120. You do want to put things on and off and not scrape them down the board but the #150 does. At the same time there are times you want something that will stay on such on as you move other pieces so it is worth it but be careful with them.

You can also buy the sandpaper in packages of 3 to give it a try.

Compared to velco even the #150 is more gentle on your feltboard.

Peel and stick felt comes in 9x12 sheets at michaels or fabric land.

It is a lot messier but you can also use the permanent spray adhesive. Spray the back of your figures and then lightly spray the piece of felt too. When they get tacky ie give them time to set then place together. Spraying both makes the adhesion stronger. Let dry and then trim.

I have very limited storage space and no dedicated "playroom" to leave out daycare equipment so I bought a magnetic whiteboard at Costco and covered the back of it with felt. The board can be hung on the wall for independent play or I will use it on my lap for group activities. We use the felt side and the magnet side equally (the kids seem to like magnets better, I love felt) and when I want it put away it slides in the space between my fridge and counter.
I love the idea of an easel with a felt board on one side, but we don't have room for an easel :(