When I was trying to think up some new and interesting activity bags recently, I remembered a couple posts I had seen about shower curtain playmats. They are so cool! I first heard about them through Jen (I think?), who had linked over to Filth Wizardry’s excellent how-to post about this. I still have yet to actually do it for my girls, since the activity bags were for other people this time, but I am definitely still planning to!
Part of the intrigue of course is the HUGE size, but for the sake of activity bags I cut them down to about 2′ by 2′. Not quite the same, but still fun and a lot more portable. I bought an “eco-friendly” PVC-free shower curtain (at Fred Meyers, for PNW-ers) because I’m nervous about the offgassy regular ones. It was a couple bucks more but still really cheap! Then you take some permanent markers and have at it!
Here is my first playmat. I copied the idea from Filth Wizardry for the road-making tool — taping two markers to a larger marker (for the larger ones I think she used a juice bottle). I taped the edges when I was drawing to keep it from moving around. It was a little nerve-wracking just jumping in freehand, especially since I was giving these away and not just keeping it for myself! Sorry the images are not great — I don’t know how to take good pics of this kind of thing!
Playmat number two was a bit more detailed:
Once you are done (or while you are working, ha ha) the kids can color the playmat with crayons or permanent markers. We’ll be sticking the the crayons here, unless the babies are in bed! In the activity bags I added a couple matchbox type cars (though what I really wanted were some even smaller ones), some free people that I got from a toystore giveaway thing, and some little plastic animals.
My kids were really interested in it and Emma helped a lot with ideas for the second one, but we have no action shots yet, since these were both packed up for other people. I’ll post pictures of ours when we finally do it here, which will be soon because Emma keeps asking about it!
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I think that you’d make an awesome illustrator – those playmats look fabulous!
I love these! Great idea and I agree with Laura, your illustrations are wonderful!
I think these look great! I just love these activity bag ideas.
Hi there! Just came across your blog thru Jamie’s at Steady Days and fell in love with the toddler activity bags! Then I saw that you had multiples. We have 19mo old triplets and we also live in Vancouver, WA! So know all about the zoo you visited with your Mom! How fun is that?!! Any who, some of your toddler activities are a little old for my kiddos. Or I’ve been reluctant to give them playdough and dyed pasta. What age did you start with your twins? Come check out our blog and say Hi! I’m following yours now and want to check out more of your old posts on planning your days and such! Keep the great ideas coming!
You could SOOO Etsy these! Wait, is Etsy a verb yet, like Google?
Ha ha, I think it is a verb, Momma Jorje! I have actually thought about Etsy-ing activity bag sets, but I do not have enough hours in the day! Someday, maybe!
I’m over here scouting for activity bag ideas for the swap, and I think I’m too chicken to try this out for giving away just yet — but, oh, what a wonderful idea! I even know a good source for cheap, non-offgassy shower curtains (or liners, at least) — Ikea. I think I’ll have to try making one for us and see how it goes!
I got my liners at Fred Meyers in Burien, Lauren, though Ikea sounds great (and maybe cheaper!).! I forget how much it cost, but it wasn’t too bad. One can cut up into a lot of littler squares. But, they do take a lot of time to draw out!
[...] Mini Play Mat and Cars [...]
What a fun idea! I bet my 20 month old will love this. Thanks for sharing!
Shower curtains that are made from synthetic fibers are great too and they are less expensive compared to natural fibers. ..*;;
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Shower curtains that are made from polypropylene are the best. .
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