I'm a teacher and getting new kids in 2 weeks. It is much easier to clean up at lunch when everyone has a place mat. For summer camp we made laminated ones. I had the kids draw on construction paper and laminated them. I was thinking for the fall of making fabric ones and embroidering each kids name on them. Does anyone have any idea on patterns to use? I want to do scrappy with bright colors. Also, how do I prevent them from fighting over the ones they want? I just think fabric is easier to clean and will last longer. Our laminated ones are ruined and it has only been 7 weeks !

I am hoping to get them started now so that I don't get bogged down that is why I ask for ideas on them not getting mad about which one they get.

Thanks for your help :)
Nikki

Here is a idea. http://www.modabakeshop.com/2010/12/...placemats.html

We have a saying in my house -- you get what you get and you don't get upset!

Good luck and have fun!!

looks like the perfect solution - use the same fabric on all but mix up placement of squares. Maybe you can let the kids choose a color for their name.

I think that I would go to the fabric store and pick out some of the new plastic covered fabric. I would cut them into rectangles and sew an edge all around. You can just wipe them with a bacteria killing wipe after lunch. You could also just buy some placemats at the $ store. A fabric placemat would have to be washed after every lunch and if you have food allergies in the class, it would not be a good idea. JMHO

My mom would say, "you don't have to marry it!"

Do you have a washing machine in your class? You'd really need to clean fabric ones every day, which might be too much wear and tear. Are you near a Walmart? They have laminated placemats that hold up pretty decently. The placemats are Sesame Street brand and are educational (colors, shapes, counting, letters, etc.).

Like someone else said, reusing the placemats would be an allergy risk. The Walmart ones can easily be wiped down either in a sink full of hot soapy water or with a wipe.

How about using some vinyl or something that would wipe up & hold up well? I know it isn't fabric, but there are a lot of weights & colors of vinyl available. You could stencil their names on them or have them decorate them with sharpies.

Thanks for the help. I will look for some vinyl :)

There are quite a few sites to go on, and some of them have already been listed.
The fairest and easiet way to distribute them is to put numbers (how many children you will have in the class) in a bag and have each child pick a number. Place the placemats in something big where they cannot see them have them reach in and take one, starting from whoever has number one. Then what they get, is what they get.

I would think for sanitary purposes, you would want all vinyl. Little hands are not always that clean... :D:D:D