Lights, Camera, Action! Felt Productions Dazzle Preschoolers

by Susan Franklin

Reprint from Suite101.com

Early Learning at Home, October 2000

We sat in awe as we watched throngs of people walking across the desert following a cloud. As nighttime fell, the cloud became a pillar of fire, the very representation of the presence of Jehovah-God, the Holy One of Israel. A scene from Cecil B. Demille's  Ten Commandments? No. This vivid recollection was the production of one dedicated Sunday School teacher moving colorful flannel graph figures on a flannel board in the basement of a small church in rural Minnesota before an audience of four children. 

Flannel boards have come a long way since then. And they're not just for Sunday School anymore. Felt and flannel boards are used by storytellers, teachers, homeschoolers and parents who wish to provide a colorful, versatile, often artistic, and multi-sensory tool for fun and learning.

If you are frugal or crafty, you can use instructions in links below to create your own inexpensive boards and figures using such materials as discarded wallpaper sample books, sturdy cardboard, foam board, poster frames, and old flannel shirts or purchased flannel or felt. 

If you need a home-based business you can sell felt boards, figures, and related items through The Storyteller. 

Why the felt board as a learning tool? First of all, it is visual and colorful. When a young child moves the pieces around a board he uses large muscle groups, thereby increasing the learning benefits and the child's confidence level. A child can explore his own creativity and use his imagination by telling and re-telling stories while manipulating felt figures. 

Felt is extremely versatile. Felt boards can be made small enough for a toddler to carry on outings or large enough visualize stories told to larger groups of children. With the links in this article you will find ideas to teach basic math, reading readiness, tell stories, enhance favorite songs, play games, teach time, the calendar, and much more. 

Another advantage is that anyone can create a felt or flannel board using common household items. Look at Cathy Ivins instructions in Flannelboard Basics for detailed instructions to make your own inexpensive flannel board and flannel board figures. Or check out Shawn's article with instructions to make felt boards out of discarded wallpaper sample books in the Stuff To Do With Kids Who Are Two department of her website, Abecederian Academy. 

Do a search on the words "felt" or "flannel" at Family.com's craft finder and you'll find more ideas. My favorite one, though, was a room decorating trick. Adhesive-backed felt mounted on a child's room wall can be part of a fantastically fun interactive design incorporating a whole wall or walls. S

Use the following links to find more resources to use a felt or flannel board to delight and educate your early learners:

You can subscribe to an email newsletter  LearningWithFelt@egroups.com
 

Copyright 2000-2001 Susan Franklin

All rights reserved - used with permission