DIY Felt Shape Activity for Toddlers [Free Pattern]
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Are you looking for a fun and creative activity to keep your toddler or preschooler engaged and learning at the same time? Try this felt shape activity! With just a few materials and a little bit of time, you can create an activity that will keep your little one entertained for quite a while. This fun and simple-to-make shapes activity allows toddlers and preschoolers to play with felt shapes while learning about the different shapes that make up our world.
For more felt board patterns and activities visit Felt Board Ideas.
And if you are looking for advice on how to make a felt board? Visit my article and learn how to make Easy DIY Felt Board.
What is a Felt Shape Activity?
A felt shape activity is a kid's activity where shapes (rectangle, square, circle, etc.) are made out of felt, and then used for learning or play. Felt is a great material to use for this activity because it is soft, easy to cut, and comes in a variety of colors. Also, felt sticks to felt temporary, making it easier to play with than paper. And if you have a felt board at home, kids can make large sceneries and add other felt board shapes available.
Why Do Toddlers Love Felt Shape Activities?
Toddlers love felt shape activities because they are simple, fun, and engaging. They love playing with different shapes and colors, and this activity provides a way for them to explore and learn at the same time.
The Benefits of Felt Shape Activities for Toddlers
Felt shape activities offer a range of benefits for toddlers. They help develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive skills. They also promote creativity, imagination, and early learning activities, helping toddlers to learn shapes, colors, sizes, and more.
The simple-to-make shapes activity allows little ones to play with felt shapes while learning about the different shapes and colors that make up our world. It helps toddlers to to develop their understanding of basic concepts.
Using a felt board, toddlers can create scenes. This activity stimulates toddlers' imagination as they express themselves freely through different arrangements. It also makes for the perfect opportunity to encourage creative conversation and learning. Moreover by playing with the shapes, they enhance their cognitive and motor skills.
So the next time you're wondering what activity to engage your kid in, get your felt, scissors and give this DIY a shot :)
How to Make Felt Shapes for Toddlers or Preschoolers?
Materials Required to Make Felt Shapes
You will need a few simple materials to make felt shapes. These include:
The felt shapes set pattern or you can create your own shapes
The following free patterns are available for download: Basic Felt Shapes for Scenery Template, Christmas Tree Felt Shapes Activity Pattern, House Felt Shapes Activity Template, Felt Pizza Shapes Template - to download the files, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password and link to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault
Felt sheets (in any color of your choice) (find great felt at Benzie Design or find more buying options in the Types of Felt section of How to Sew Felt blog post)
A pen or pencil to trace the shape on felt (optional)
A ruler (optional) - to make rectangles, squares, etc.
Step-by-Step Tutorial to Make Felt Shapes for Toddlers
To make a felt shape activity, follow these simple steps:
Choose the different shapes you would like to make and colors. These could include circles, triangles, rectangles, and more. It will depend on the activity you want to engage your toddler in. For two years old, choose larger shapes and prepare only a few of them. For older kids, choose more complex felt shapes activities.
The following free patterns are available for download: Basic Felt Shapes for Scenery Template, Christmas Tree Felt Shapes Activity Pattern, House Felt Shapes Activity Template, Felt Pizza Shapes Template - to download the files, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password and link to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault.
Cut out the shapes using a pair of sharp scissors. If you prefer, you can trace the shape onto the piece of felt first and then cut. If you are cutting the same shape again, you can use the felt shape and cut around it. As felt stitcks to felt, it might be easier than cutting the shape based on a paper pattern.
TIP: Learn more about different ways on how to cut felt in six ways for cutting felt shapes.
Once you have cut out the shapes, you can begin to use them for different activities!
Fun Activities to Do with DIY Felt Shapes
Matching Game with Felt Shapes
A matching game is a great activity to do with felt shapes. To play, simply cut out two of each shape and have your toddler match the shapes together. This activity helps to develop cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination.
Sorting Activity with Felt Shapes
A felt shape sorting activity is an easy and fun way for toddlers to learn about different shapes and colors. Simply give your toddler a pile of felt shapes and ask them to sort them into different groups based on their shape and color.
Pattern, Sequence Activity with Felt Shapes
Ask your toddler to place different shapes in a specific pattern or sequence, helping them to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Creative Play with Felt Shapes
Felt shapes can also be used for creative play. Encourage your toddler to use the shapes to create different scenes and designs, and let their imagination run wild! This activity helps to promote creativity and imagination.
Creative play of my kids (aged 6 and 9 years) - no instructions given
Felt Board Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
DIY Felt Board Tutorial for Toddlers
A DIY felt board is easy to make and provides endless opportunities for learning and play. To make a felt board, simply attach a piece of felt to a piece of cardboard or foam board, and you're ready to go!
Shape Storytelling with Felt Boards
Shape storytelling is a great activity to do with a felt board. Use different shapes to create characters and objects, and encourage your toddler to tell a story using the shapes. This activity helps to promote language and storytelling skills. Kids can make anything from houses, flowers, and animals to robots and monsters.
Find the free template House Felt Shapes Activity in Free Downloads Vault - to download the file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password and link to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault.
Felt Shapes Activity - Use the free pattern to cut the felt shapes for this activity
Felt Board Activities to Promote Cognitive Development in Toddlers
Felt board activities can also be used to promote cognitive development in toddlers. For example, ask your toddler to place different shapes on the felt board in a specific pattern or sequence, helping them to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Shape Matching Game
This game is about choosing the shape, placing it in the correct outline, and aligning the shape as per the outline. To create this game, use a black fabric marker to draw the outlines of each shape. The outline becomes a guide to help your toddler stick and sort the shapes back onto the felt. If you prefer, you can use paper instead of felt as a base for the outlines.
Felt Shape Puzzle Activity
You can split the felt shape into pieces and create a puzzle activity. For smaller kids, you cut up to a maximum of four pieces. Let your kid grab the felt pieces and recreate the felt shape.
Christmas Tree Shape Activity
The Christmas tree shape activity is a fun and creative way to get into the festive spirit. It involves using triangles and a rectangle to construct a Christmas tree shape and then adding decorations using circles, diamonds, ovals, etc. This activity is great for kids as it encourages them to use their imagination, and improve their fine-motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Making the Christmas tree from shapes also helps kids learn about shapes and their properties in a playful and interactive way. Once the tree is built, the decoration stage can begin, where kids can use their creativity to add as many decorations as they like. The activity can be done individually or as a group, making it a great way to bond with friends, classmates, and family during the festive season. This Christmas tree shape activity is a great way to spread joy and creativity, while also educating kids about shapes and improving their fine motor skills.
Find the free template Christmas Tree Felt Shapes Activity in the Free Downloads Vault - to download the file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password and link to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault.
Ways to play with the Christmas tree activity:
Talk about the shapes while building the Christmas tree.
Play “find the shape” where toddler points at shapes you call out. You can also count how many of these shapes are on the tree.
Call out shapes and have your kid find that shape and add it to the tree.
Or practice colors by doing any of the above activities, but substituting colors instead. You could even make all circle ornaments, making them each a different color.
You can also play with sizes, asking which shape is bigger, smaller, etc.
You can also find other felt shapes in DIY Felt Gingerbread house felt board.
Christmas tree shape activity - use the free pattern to cut the felt shapes
Christmas tree shape activity with free pattern
Pizza Felt Shape Activity
The pizza shape activity is a fun game for little cooks. This activity uses circles to make the pizza base and then available shapes to add toppings. It encourages creativity and imagination while learning many other concepts.
Free template Pizza Felt Shapes Activity available in the Free Downloads Vault - to download the file, subscribe to the FunClothCrafts newsletter. In the newsletter, you find a password and link to the subscriber's Free Downloads Vault.
Free play - leave all the felt pieces on the table and let kids make their own pizza freely. My kids did that when they saw the felt pizza on the table. They followed by
Making pizza based on an order - kids are asking what ingredients you want to include.
Making pizza based on a given set of instructions; can be shapes, colors, numbers, and sizes. For example, you could ask for 3 circle toppings, 1 red topping, and 1 small topping.
Find DIY felt pizza flannel board with tomatoes, olives, basil leaves, etc. in felt board patterns.
Pizza felt shape activity with free pattern
Create Abstract Art with Felt Shapes
You can use felt shapes to encourage your preschooler to make abstract art. They can become the next Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky or Robert Delaunay. Introduce the abstract art artist to your kid, show them the art and let them create their own abstract art pieces.
Books to Support Shapes Learning in Toddlers and Preschoolers
My First Shapes with Frank Lloyd Wright - Ages: baby - 2 years
This Is a Book of Shapes - Ages: baby - 2 years
My Very First Book of Shapes - Ages: 1 - 3 years
Shape by Shape - Ages: 1 - 5 years
Mouse Shapes - Ages: 2 - 4 years
Big Box of Shapes (Basic Concepts) - Ages: 3 - 5 years
Shapes Are Everywhere! (My Little School House) - Ages: 4 - 7 years
A Trapezoid Is Not a Dinosaur - Ages: 5 - 8 years
Other FunClothCrafts Felt Board Sets
Free Felt Board Set Patterns:
Paid Felt Board Set Patterns:
DIY Felt Shape Activities Conclusion
Finishing this article, I can't believe how many great felt shape activities you can do with your toddler and preschooler. Choose the activity according to the age and capabilities of your kid. DIY felt shapes provide endless opportunities for learning, creativity, and imagination, helping to promote cognitive development and early learning activities. With just a few simple materials and a little bit of creativity, you can create a fun and engaging activity that your toddler and preschooler will love!
Thank you for crafting with me! I would love to see your felt shapes activities. So if you like to share it, please send me your pictures or tag me #funclothcrafts or @funclothcrafts on IG or FB. I welcome any feedback, as it is important to improve my products. Don’t hesitate to contact me with your suggestions at anna@funclothcrafts.com.
Be sure to visit more on this website for free embroidery and sewing tips and tricks to help you out as you stitch my patterns. For free felt patterns, visit my Freebies page.
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XO, Anna