so tell me about feltboards...

[fyrflymommy]

i was thinking of getting/making one for my dd who's almost 2.

does any toddler moms have one? does your ds/dd like it?

where do i get one? would it be better to make one myself? how do i make one?

what does everyone do w/ their felts?

TIA!!!!

[Avonlea]

yes, please, someone..I want to make one of these as well and am not sure what way is the best way. I have felt, glue and fabric. I can get card board for backing and so on..but I want to do it RIGHT...so any and all tips would be great!


BUMP!

[sarasprings]

I have not made one yet, but plan on doing so for DS's 2 year birthday in May. From what I understand, it is better to make the background out of flannel because the felt pieces adhere better.

Hope someone else can confirm or deny.

[Colorful~Mama]

well

dh made zoey (3) one.

he took a piece of plywood and cut it to size. then we bought a yard of felt at joanns and he laid the plywood on the felt stretching the felt back around the wood. he stapled it with the staplegun . voila. felt board.

zoey loves it. we use storyteller felt sets on it . hope this helps

[The Lucky One]

Yep, I'll help.

My mom and dad made one for ds for Valentines day this year.

My dad, who is not a craftsman btw, took a large piece of wood (the name of the wood just left me, darn it. Particle board? No, it's the same type of stuff they use as sub-flooring.) My mom covered it with a solid light blue flannel using a staple gun. Yes, felt sticks best to flannel. Then she and my grandma cut and sewed the cutest shapes. One is a ladybug, another winnie the pooh's face, a car, bunny, bear, and lots of others.

He plays with it on and off. I had one when I was a kid and supposedly it was my favorite toy. It's definately not ds's favorite toy, but he does play with it some.

lisa

eta: PLYWOOD! Yes, that's the name of the wood!

[Beth-TX]

I made a combo felt/magnet board for my dd recently.

I bought a magnetic dry erase board at a craft store and stuffed a sheet of stiff felt under the frame on the back side. Easy peasy.

I have to say my dd is much more interested in the magnet side, though. I made magnets by tracing her favorite picture book characters onto shrinky dinks plastic (also available at craft stores) and attaching sticky back magnets to them.

peace, Beth

[kayjayjay]

We have one of the little felt boards like you get at toy stores and my kids just love it. My older DD loves to take felt and cut out new shapes, mostly people and clothes and cats. Both of my girls play with it all the time and we've had it for two years.

I was planning on making a bigger one for them for Christmas. It's good to know that the felt sticks better to flannel. Anyone have any color suggestions?

[GruppieGirl]

1.Get a large piece of scrap plywood

2. Cover it with dark felt. I like dark green.

3. Srew a drawer handle on the back for easy carrying.

Voila! You got it. I like to cut out simple shapes from stories and retell the stories with my dd.

KISS -the first thing I learned in teacher education-
Keep It Simple Stupid (really, no offense)

[Missgrl]

moving this to the crafts forum for ya

[fyrflymommy]

thanx for the help mommas. now what if i don't have any plywood? could i just use sturdy cardboard?

[Plaid]

I've been thinking about this...

I'd like to make one for dd; don't know when I'll get around to it, but here's what I'm thinking:

Plywood seems so heavy, esp. the thickness needed to accept staples. And dd likes to carry everything around the house lately, so I was thinking about corrugated cardboard, except it bends so easily. So here's what I would do --

Cut two pcs of corrugated cardboard the same size, but with the flutes (channels, "stripes", grain) of the cardboard going in opposite directions (in other words, one pc would have vertical flutes, other horizontal). Cover one w/ flannel, glued on the back side -- hot glue or strong double-sided tape. Then glue the other piece to the back so the fabric edges are sandwiched in the middle.

Having the grain of the two pieces of cardbd running in opposite directions will make it good & strong.

And I suppose both pcs could be covered w/flannel before they're glued together. Maybe one side black, the other white?

If you try this, let me know how it works out!

Teresa

PS-- Colorful Mama, where do you get Storyteller Felts?

[Mama Lion]

Re: I've been thinking about this...

Originally posted by Plaid
I'd like to make one for dd; don't know when I'll get around to it, but here's what I'm thinking:

Plywood seems so heavy, esp. the thickness needed to accept staples. And dd likes to carry everything around the house lately, so I was thinking about corrugated cardboard, except it bends so easily. So here's what I would do --

Cut two pcs of corrugated cardboard the same size, but with the flutes (channels, "stripes", grain) of the cardboard going in opposite directions (in other words, one pc would have vertical flutes, other horizontal). Cover one w/ flannel, glued on the back side -- hot glue or strong double-sided tape. Then glue the other piece to the back so the fabric edges are sandwiched in the middle.

Having the grain of the two pieces of cardbd running in opposite directions will make it good & strong.

And I suppose both pcs could be covered w/flannel before they're glued together. Maybe one side black, the other white?

If you try this, let me know how it works out!

Teresa

Teresa, that sounds like a great idea! I've heard that coroplast, that plastic cardboard that is used for campaign signs, works really well for making feltboards. So keep an eye out for some after elections, and you might be able to pick some up for free!

[AnnR33]

Just wanted to add one more option once you get your board and basic pieces...
If you have one of those handy xyron machines that laminates (they are the best!) you can have child help you find pictures in child's magazines or color picures, cut them out, laminate and glue some felt or velcro on the back so they'll stick to the board and you've got more pieces! These are sometimes good for the younger toddlers since they're sturdier.
You can do this with family pictures too and put the family member's heads on little stick bodies and kids love that!
Ann

[LaLa]

bean plays with hers all the time and she is 3

she has three book style felt sets and she uses them interchangeably and with her other toys as well. It is great seeing her imagination come to life!

I owe my vast collection of felt to Annr33, who turned me onto felt sets and such!
Now I have two more sets in teh basement that I can't bring myself to give to bean since she already has 3 out!
:LOL

It's a sickness, really!

[Plaid]

Mama Lion, so there IS a use for those blasted political campaign signs! That's a great idea.

Annr33, maybe I'll have to put a xyron machine on my wish list! Clare would love that.

So, can someone tell me where to get the felt sets? Are they available at toy stores? I don't get out much, at least not to shop! Or, better yet, is there an online source?

-- Teresa

[kazmir]

My DD who is 3 is really enjoying the one I got her at a Learning Express Store, not sure if those are a chainstore. The company that made it was called Felt Kids I think.

I want to make a larger board for DD , the one that came with the set was about 18 by 24 and pink. I want to make a green or blue one, but need to brave the fabric store with DD to get it going.

Thanks for the ideas to put it together!

Robin

[AnnR33]

There are lots of sources for felt boards/sets now:
-Sams Club has felt set books
-TJ Max and Marshalls often have them now around the holiday time for good prices
-Toys R Us as a good variety of baord sets
-specialty toy stores often carry them
-www.storytellerfelt.com or maybe www.storyteller.com or do a search for this but ehy have great sets that are very durable
-www.kidsurplus.com has good prices on sets and nice boards
-e-bay-but you have to look under "flannel boards" to get the most variety-they had lots last time I looked for good prices in general
Happy shopping
Ann

[Plaid]

Ann,
Thanks! I had no idea. Now I've got more stuff for dd's holiday wish list! I'm hoping to have plenty of suggestions for the relatives so they don't end up getting her a lot of electronic junk.

And thanks fyrflymommy for starting this thread!

-- Teresa

editted to add this link-- http://www.thestoryteller.com/indexie.html

[fyrflymommy]

plaid/teresa:


i made a board a few days ago! i cut one of the sides off a juge computer box, and stapled pale blue flannel to one side. the flannel was like $2/yd at walmart. i'm probly going to glue another piece of board to the back. now i just need to get some felt sets!


oooh that reminds me....i went to michaels yesterday and they had the "felt wee folk" book!!! i know this isnt about felt sets...but it has to do w/ felt. does anyone have this book?

[AnnR33]

I don't have the Wee Folk book but have looked at it often and I love it! I'm getting "Feltcraft" for Christmas and was going to "aspire" to Wee Folk next year since it's so expensive at $24.95.
Thanks for telling us it's at Michaels-I can use my weekly coupon on it! I only hope mine has it!
Ann