Design your own Picnic Blanket

5/18/2023

Design your Own Picnic Blanket

Summer is the perfect time to go outdoors for a picnic with preschoolers. To make the experience even more special for your preschoolers, why not involve them in designing their own picnic blanket? This simple and creative craft project combines fabric and fabric markers to add a splash of color and personal touch to your outdoor adventures. A perfect addition to your Picnic theme that will engage your preschoolers' creativity and bring joy to your picnics!

Creating a picnic blanket with your preschooler is a fantastic way to foster their creativity, engage their senses, and personalize your picnics. Picnic tablecloths also make great keepsake for parents or loved ones. Take a look at the tutorial below.

Materials:

Create a Picnic Tablecloth Craft for Preschoolers

Plain white or light-colored fabric (choose a fabric that does not fray or you can use masking tape along the edges or if you are handy with a sewing machine serge the edges) OR plain white sheet
Fabric markers in various colors
Pencil or fabric chalk (optional, for sketching designs)
Painter's tape (optional, for taping down the fabric)

*Size of fabric is completely dependent on your needs. You can also invite each preschooler to make their own or make a classroom blanket.

Directions:

Before you jump into designing your own picnic blanket, talk to your preschoolers about picnic-themed design ideas so they can start to plan what they want to draw. Such as fruits, flowers, picnic baskets, or outdoor scenes.

We also recommend having your fabric already cut and planned out before you introduce the activity to preschoolers.

We recommend talking about the difference in fabric markers and regular markers and how coloring on fabric is much different than paper.

Before starting on the actual cloth, provide a piece of scrap fabric for preschoolers to practice on. This allows them to familiarize themselves with the markers, practice their drawing skills, and gain confidence before working on the final piece.
Fabric markers feel a little different than regular markers but they allow preschoolers to explore different textures and materials. They can feel the smoothness of the marker against the fabric and observe how the colors interact with the surface.

Let their creativity shine as they fill in their drawings with vibrant colors. Encourage them to experiment with patterns, and even mixing colors to make their designs pop.

For younger children who may need assistance, guide them in tracing their designs or help them fill in larger areas. The best part about creating your own picnic tablecloth is there are no guidelines into what your preschoolers can design.

To make it easier for preschoolers, you can also provide stencils or outlines for them to trace onto the fabric. This gives them a starting point and helps with hand-eye coordination.

You can add little details like polka dots or borders to add to your blanket. Remember, to enjoy the process with this activity and let your preschoolers creativity come to life.

Creating their own picnic blanket gives preschoolers a sense of accomplishment. As they see their artwork come to life, they gain confidence in their abilities and develop a positive self-image. Displaying their finished blanket and receiving praise and appreciation for their work boosts their self-esteem and adds to the excitement of the project.

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and example, we can't wait to see your finished products.