This is a pretty straight forward project, really the hardest thing is getting the board and cutting it!

I love projects that allow my daughter to create whatever her imagination can come up with. She can make her own little world, and it really is amazing to see what she comes up with!

These boards are really easy. In fact I made one for her when she was really little, just a small one made from rigid cardboard, but she likes them so much I decided to make something a little bigger with more options and a little sturdier.

The base of the felt boards (I made 2) is brown wall panel that I got from Lowes, it comes in 4×8 ft sheets. My main purpose for purchasing it was to make a full back for a cube bookshelf that my daughter uses as a dollhouse, that took a large amount of it. The nice guys that work at Lowes cut the piece down for me, and I came home home happy with my extra piece that I made into the felt boards. If you don’t want to cut the pieces for the felt board yourself, they would probably cut them at the store for you.

To cut the extra piece myself I used a straight edge ruler and a very sharp box knife. (Also, make sure you protect your floor!) Just hold the straight edge very tight (it will want to move) and be very careful and slowly cut along the edge with the box knife. After a few passes you will have a groove for the blade to go into and that will make it easier. I honestly do not remember how many passes I made with the knife, I am thinking 20-ish. eventually it will cut through the bottom. Or if you are really close you can break it. After that I took scissors and trimmed the edge and was ready to adhere the felt.

I cut the felt to fit the board, the board above I tried a water scene – the other was straight green. I did half the board at a time, which made it easier – I used Aleene’s tacky glue, lots of tacky glue! I actually poured the glue all over the board and used my finger to smooth it over the area making sure I got the edges, then slowly smoothing the felt over it. I did cut the felt a tad bigger then trimmed it when it was dry. I am going to warn you – THE GLUE IS STINKY- not like overly “oh my goodness I’m gonna die from fumes” but stinky in its own right. I did ours in our dinning room that has windows on three sides, left them open with a fan on and it took a couple days to get the stink gone. Sooo, you will want to do this and leave it in an area that has good ventilation. The good thing is, it is pretty quick to do. I think I did both in less then 30 minutes.

So after all the stinky stuff is done the fun part starts, and that’s cutting the felt into shapes! And if possible get your kids to help. My daughter decided she wanted a house so we made a house, she also cut extra shapes and flowers, and a couple “frogs”.

I did add buttons to a few piece just for a little variety. And the mermaid, turtle, and octopus I glues the pieces together.

And to make it so those little piece didn’t end up everywhere – I glued a manilla envelope to the back (yes, more glue – but not a lot!) and the pieces fit in it nicely. It also makes it so when she want to take it somewhere all she has to do it get the board and all the pieces are with it.

She has really enjoyed having a couple new boards to play with – and I hope you all enjoy this project.

Have a good day!

– D