OK Homeschoolers and Teachers, What Do I Do With This Panel??
 

I found this panel at a garage sale and really want to put it to use. I home school my two little girls, and this would be perfect to use. However, I don't have the wall space to hang it up. The red panel across the bottom has cut outs for arrows that say, "I've been here before" and "I would like to visit here" and things like that. I was thinking that I could use velcro on all of the states and then on the backs of all of the cut outs. But, I can't use it for a wall hanging, so what do I use it as? A floor mat?

My DD has this hanging in her kids playroom, but since you have no extra wall space a 'rug' or 'mat' would be the ticket. I would just free motion quilt it to a heavier backing (not cotton, but something a little firmer) just to keep it flat because the kids are going to want to crawl over it and sit on it while pointing out the states. I think this is a great tool for kids. I know I could use it because I just don't know where the central states are myself. Give me the shape of the state by itself and I can usually figure it out, but point out a state in the center and ask me to show you where it is, forget it LOL......

You could make it more of a pinable board with Timtex and a fusible or Peltex.

I would make it so you can roll it up and tie it...like a puzzle mat. Maybe use firm pellon instead of batting. That would make it easy to store as well as to use.

You could also as a variation on the game, make felt cutouts of the states for them to match and place on the mat and as they get proficient with that, try to put together without the mat. Multi-function learning tool.

NICE! Hmmm make it into a small quilt with warm and natural. Outline quilt the states. Cut off the arrow stuff and don't use it. Let them write with a fine point permanent marker where they have been or where family lives etc.Lay it on the couch to be used as a lap quilt or floor quilt.

You could make it into a type of table topper & use it for an I Spy type of game for the girls, such as "I'm thinking of a state that's known for oranges, Disney World, and is surrounded by water on three sides. What do you think it is?" If you just make a backing & put it on a table, use a larger sheet of clear vinyl & it could be used by the whole family during dinner. Talk about states you've seen on the news, or states you'd like to visit on vacation. Lots of possibilities here, your imagination is the ticket! :-)

I meant to say, cover the whole table with the clear vinyl with the map underneath. Sorry for the confusion!

I'd go for the table-topper game as well.