We are just beginning our first week of homeschool activities at home. It’s a slight adjustment for my younger two boys, and my niece and nephew. So, to help my sister out, I have had my boys FaceTime their cousins to work on classwork with them. However, like many new homeschool parents are discovering, homeschool work doesn’t last nearly as long as a traditional school day. With that in mind, the boys and I have been working on some fun activities for my niece and nephew, and some of the younger neighborhood kids. Our favorite project so far is this simple DIY Activity Mat we made with an old towel and permanent marker!
DIY Activity Mat Project
Check out our printable and crafty Alphabet Letter Activities, too!
Supplies:
- Old Towel, Flat Bed Sheet, or Blanket.
- Permanent Marker.
- Ruler.
- Optional – Iron On Vinyl, Cutting Machine, and Heat Press or Iron, or Paint Pens.
When the boys were younger I used to make them seasonal nap mats or buy fun towels for them to use during nap time. One of my boys is very much like me and always had to be a very big part of making his nap mats. He loved to use paint pens and markers to draw on his nap mats and pillow cases. (And, anything else he could add his artwork to when I wasn’t looking) So, he was the inspiration behind this project.
The first thing we needed to do before we started on this fun project was find an old towel to use. If I had an extra Twin Size Flat Sheet, I would have used that instead.
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After we found our Activity Mat, we decided what we wanted to add to it. My son suggested a small hopscotch path. Then, I added a Tic Tac Toe board, and small parking area for toy cars.
I folded the towel in half lengthwise and began the hopscotch path with a marker. And, I used a ruler to make sure the squares were all about the same size. I was sure to add some double squares for two feet hops too. Then, I flipped the towel over and finished drawing the squares and divider lines.
Once I finished the hopscotch path, I drew a Tic Tac Toe board and added a small parking lot for toy cars.
If you are using a cutting machine to cut Iron On Vinyl, cut each hopscotch square individually, and then press onto the mat.
But, this activity mat can easily be customized to fit your little ones’ interests too.
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I love how versatile and easy this project is to make. And, it’s so easy to pack up when you’re finished playing!
