Homemade Child’s Placemat

Homemade Child's Placemat

Last week during a few of Joey’s naps I made a few placemats for his eating dishes. I like them and they were really simple to make. I just traced the dishes and silverware on a plain piece of cardstock, cut them out, glued them to an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock, and then laminated them.

I used self-laminating sheets, which aren’t the most durable, so we’ll see how long these last. I choose solid colors rather than something with a design, so Joey could focus eating rather than what’s on the  mat. It was hard though….I had to reign in the scrapbooker in me. 😉

Orange & Green for Fall

To tell you the truth though, I haven’t started using them yet. I’m a little nervous, because I know Joey’s first reaction will be to throw the dishes. As of now, we don’t set his bowl and/or plate on his tray. Since he’s eating so many finger foods we just set them straight on the tray. I’d like to change this, but I’m just not ready to be cleaning up broken dishes along with bread crumbs.

I’ll probably start with his plastic dishes and introduce him to it on a mat rather than amidst eating time. I don’t except him to keep the dishes exactly on each outline. I just want to get him to the point where he’s not throwing the dishes or picking up the placemat and folding or throwing it.

I’d really like to have him eat at the table with us with the tray on his high chair. By this I mean, just pulling up his chair to the table. But I also don’t want to ruin every tablecloth I have with so many food spills.

Little by little we’ll get there.