Simply Made: Tablecloth ABC Mat

Using a simple felt-backed tablecloth, I made an extra large ABC Mat that can be used in a variety of ways to target a number of skills!

You will need to gather the follow supplies:

• Felt-backed tablecloth (I used a rectangle)
• Permanent Marker
• Yardstick (optional)

Directions:

1) Lay the tablecloth on the floor. Smooth out all of the wrinkles.

2) Plan where you are going to draw your lines. When I unfolded my tablecloth, there were enough lines to make 36 blocks using the fold lines.

3) Trace your lines on the fold lines or use a yardstick to help keep lines straight.

4) Write the alphabet, one letter per square. I wrote mine in alphabetical order, but you could mix up the letters depending on your tot's readiness.

5) If you have extra squares like I did--you could write numbers or other target skills. I wrote numbers 1-10.

6)Play!!

Variations for play:

• Beanbag Toss--toss a beanbag and say the letter name or sounds
• Look & Find--I told my son to find letters and stand on them.
• Move & Spell--Have your older tot spell three-letter words or names.
• ABC Match-Up--Match foam letters or other letter manipulative to the correct letter square
• Simon Says--"Simon says...jump on letter B two times."
• "Whack-A-Letter"--Give your tot a clean fly swatter to let them take a "whack" at letters you call out.

Variations for Tablecloth Mats:

• Numbers
• Shapes
• Sight Words
• Counting Routines (count by 2's, 5's, 10's)
• Computer Keyboard
• Anything!

 FYI--If you have trouble finding a plain colored felt-backed tablecloth, you could also use a shower curtain liner cut to size.