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My Placemats

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Click here for vegetable images
Click here for fruit images
Click here for "Chirpie" image

What You Need

• 11x17 sheets of colored construction paper (1 sheet for each placemat)
• Glue stick
• Safety scissors
• Clear contact paper (2 pieces for each placemat, available at craft or home stores)
• Washable crayons or non-toxic, colored markers

How To Make It

• Print out template(s).
• Select the placemat you would like to make (fruit, vegetable or "Chirpie").
• Cut out template pieces and use a glue stick to adhere them to a sheet of colored construction paper.
• Label the fruits (or vegetables) with a colored marker or crayon.
• Cut two pieces of clear contact paper large enough to cover the construction paper.
• Place one piece of contact paper sticky side up on a flat surface.
• Set the decorated sheet of construction paper on top of the contact paper.
• Place the other piece of contact paper sticky side down on top of the decorated construction paper.
• Smooth the surface of the placemat to remove any air bubbles and press the edges of the placemat to make sure that both sides of the contact paper have adhered to each other.
• Trim off the excess contact paper, leaving a ½-inch border around the placemat.

How To Play

• Before your toddler's meal or snack, decide which placemat to use. If you want to concentrate on introducing new fruits to your child, set the fruit-themed placemat in front of him.
• Start by saying the name of each fruit while you point to it. Then, ask him to point to the fruit as you say its name. Soon, he will be able to name the fruit as you point to it.
• To help your toddler learn the names of the fruits, make up rhymes, for example, Silly Strawberry, Beautiful Banana or Pretty Pear.
• As you are identifying the fruits and playing rhyming games, place small pieces of each fruit on top of the corresponding picture on the placemat. Encourage your toddler to taste the fruits!
• You can repeat this with another placemat devoted to vegetables.
• Does your toddler have a special stuffed animal or favorite storybook character? Include a picture of either one on a placemat and make up a silly story about the character. For example, "Let's feed 'Chirpie' the bird!" You might introduce a spoonful of cooked corn calling it "corny bird seed."