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Zoo Playmat to Make

Items needed: 

  • Vinyl placemat, square or rectangle. We bought our at the Dollar store. Make sure one side is a solid color.
  • Sticky-back foam sheets
  • Scissors
  • Thin cardboard or discarded file folders to make animal fences.

Instructions: 

  1. Cut various sized squares and rectangles from chosen colors of sticky-back foam.  As you cut one piece, set it on the mat and lay out other pieces, leaving some space between squares/rectangles. One of our mats has earth colors in greens and browns and another has colors in shades of blue and purple.  Let the kids help decide which colors they want.
  2. Remove backings, one at a time, and press in place.
  3. Make fences, i.e. cages, by cutting strip of cardboard/file folder about a half inch longer than each side of square or rectangle you want to fence in.  Make slits halfway to center, about a half inch from each end.  Fit fence together, by sliding short end of fencing into a long end, then add the 2 remaining sections.
  4. For one of your fence sections, make a tall arch, cutting out center, so this can serve as your ZOO entrance.  Write ZOO at top of arch, using a permanent marker.