Toddler Matching Game- Shapes & Numbers

Now that we’re quarantined and can’t leave the house, we’ve been looking for activities to keep Hailey busy. She’s been getting a LOT of screen time, so I wanted to make something for her that was fun, easy and educational. Also, bonus points for something that didn’t contain 3,000 pieces for her to throw on the floor and for me to pick up! That’s when I came up with the idea for this felt educational mat- a toddler matching game, if you will. I knew we could teach Hailey her numbers and shapes, but she could also play with it on her own while we cooked or just relaxed. It was perfect timing when Cricut sent me their new Cricut Joy machine, which I’ve been eyeing since they released it! Whether you’ve got a small hobby room or even just a craft cart in the corner, this machine is perfect for you! And, there are SO many projects that you can make with it. If you’ve been on the fence about getting the Cricut Joy, here is the universe telling you- it’s time. Get it now, and see how many amazing things you can make! You won’t regret it.

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Free Template (here)
Cricut Joy (here or get the bundle here)
Cricut EasyPress 2 (here)
Cricut Smart Iron-On Vinyl (here, I used white)
Cricut Joy StandardGrip Mat (here)
Cricut Starter Tool Set (here)
Cricut EasyPress Mat 12 x 12 (here)
Felt pieces for the shapes (similar here)
Thick Felt (Stiff or Double Thick)
Felt glue (here)
Velcro (here)
Glitter paper (similar here)
Ruler or T-Square (similar here)
Tailor’s chalk (similar here)

Directions:

This project has a lot of small steps, but is simple to make. So, I split each part up into smaller pieces so that it’s less overwhelming of a blog post.

Prepping To Make Your Toddler Matching Game:

1. Open the template on Cricut Design Space. The template is free to use and can be found here.

2. Cut your paper template using cardstock. I took one page and cut it in half, and ran each one through the Cricut Joy on the StandardGrip Mat. This paper template is for the felt matching shapes.

3. Load your vinyl into the Cricut Joy. I used Cricut Smart Iron-On Vinyl (here, I used white), which means I didn’t need a cutting mat.

4. A couple of notes when cutting vinyl: When using an Iron On, always go shiny side down. And, remember that you want to cut the numbers backwards so that they are mirrored. I’ve already done this on the template, so you don’t need to worry about it!

5. Weed your vinyl using your weeding tool, then carefully cut out the shapes individually. You’ll want to leave the protective (shiny) layer on so that you can iron it.

To Make The Toddler Matching Game Mat:

1. Arrange the vinyl shapes on your felt. Try to keep them centered on the mat and lined up.

2. Once you’ve arranged your shapes, use a ruler to make sure they’re straight. I did this by placing a T-square under the first shape and then lining up the rest of them along the ruler’s edge.

3. Set up your Cricut EasyPress 2 to the appropriate settings. You can use their handy Heat Guide but for this project, you’ll use 280 degrees for 30 seconds with light pressure.

4. Put your felt on the Cricut EasyPress Mat, and use your Cricut EasyPress 2 to iron on the vinyl.

5. Once your vinyl has cooled, carefully peel off the protective (shiny) layer.

To Make The Shapes For Your Toddler Matching Game:

1. Pick out your felt colors. I used 4 colors and figured out which shape should get which color by using pom poms. This ensured that each color wasn’t too close together. 

2. Take your cardstock shape templates that you had cut out and arrange them on the corresponding felt colors. Make sure that you have plenty of space around each shape so that you can cut it out afterwards.

3. Slip your vinyl numbers under the template and ensure (once again!) that you have enough room for each shape.

4. Use your Cricut EasyPress 2 again to iron your numbers. Note: You can also use the EasyPress Mini for this! Especially if you’re using scrap pieces of felt, where the larger EasyPress would just be too big. Let cool and carefully peel. You’ll now be left with a sheet of felt with a few numbers on it.

5. Place your shape templates back on the vinyl to ensure that your number is centered in the shape. Trace around your shapes with chalk. Then, cut them out.

To Make The Envelope For Your Toddler Matching Game:

1. Cut out your envelope pieces from felt. I used a rectangle that was 5 x 2.5 (aka, smaller rectangle) and then a second piece that was approx 5 x 7.5 (aka, the house side).

2. Take your larger 5 x 7.5 felt rectangle. Fold the two top corners into the center to meet at a point and then cut at the folds. This will create your point at the top while still keeping it nicely centered. Hence, the nickname “the house side”!

3. Take your “house side” of felt and put felt glue along the two side edges. Then, place your 5 x 2.5 smaller rectangle on top. See the pics for reference on how to make the envelope since it’s a bit funky!

4. Turn your envelope over and put glue on your envelope as shown in the picture. Then, press it down on your felt mat and wait for it to dry.

5. For the heart, I used my heart punch but you could just as easily cut one using the Cricut Joy with the Light Grip Mat.

6. Glue your heart onto the tip of your envelope point. Then, add a piece of velcro to seal it.

I’m happy to say that Hailey LOVED playing with this matching game! She hasn’t quite gotten the hang of matching the shapes and numbers, but she loves to play with the felt shapes and put them on top of the vinyl on the mat. She’s gone back to it every day, and has even put down her iPad to fiddle with this! It makes a momma so happy. 

Although this project has a few steps, it’s really fun to make and quite simple. It keeps Hailey busy and it’s pretty to look at! And, it all tucks away nicely into the envelope to make clean-up a breeze. I leave this out on the coffee table to she can have easy access when she gets bored. I can’t wait to make more projects like this using my Cricut Joy!

Starting today through 4/25, Cricut is launching their Spring Cleaning Flash Sale, featuring 40% off select materials and accessories, and Explore Air 2 Machines at their lowest price ever of $179.99! In addition, snag a Maker Machine for $329 or a BrightPad for $49!

Explore Air 2 Machines at Their Lowest Price Ever - As Low as $179.99! Valid through 4/25 

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Cricut.com is offering Free Economy Shipping on orders $99+ with code SHIPAPR or APRSHIP, and Cricut Access Members receive free shipping on orders through 4/30. Head over to their website and load up your cart girlfriend- let’s get crafting!

25+ Easter Egg Fillers (That Aren’t Total Crap)

Now that I'm a mom, I see how toys can accumulate REAL QUICK. The worst ones are the useless crap that no one wants. You know... the stuff that kids play with for 2.5 seconds and then abandon forever. Easter is definitely a holiday where this plays out, particularly when it comes to filling up Easter eggs. I mean.... they're so small! What can you really put inside that's worthwhile? With the sheer volume of disposable junk we put into the environment, I wanted to highlight some ideas for easter egg fillers that aren’t total crap. Instead of candy and awful little toys, try these ideas for fillers that both you and the kids will LOVE. 

Easter Egg Fillers

Rings- You can DIY a bunch of rings really easily using some supplies you have around the house! You can also make rings using gemstones and metal rings. Kids love playing dress up, and they're sure to use these gems to play princess. Or, teach them how to make their own shop and "sell" them to their stuffed toys- or each other!

Stickers- Not sure what it is about kids and stickers but they love 'em. I still have my collection from when I was young! Do a mix of Easter stickers and ordinary pastels to keep the theme, but also make them actually usable outside of Easter. This is also great for encouraging trading amongst the kids!

Activities- It's a fact- people prefer experiences over material possessions! Fill the eggs with clues for your activity plans, and watch the kids guess. You can take them to a movie, go bowling, visit a local museum, etc.

Easter books- While these won't fit in the eggs, you can give books as prizes for Easter egg hunts! Include a print-out in the egg to show the kids what they get. If you have multiple families, this is also a great way to get rid of excess books, or shift around your collection to introduce some new books!

Movies- Encourage them to work together! Add letters for a movie title to each egg (like H-O-P) for a DVD they can all watch together. If you do this more than once, color-code the letters so they know which letters go to which word. And, keep a list for yourself to reference in case you forget what's what!

Chalk- You can DIY some egg shaped chalk that fits perfectly into your eggs, or break up some pieces to fit. Toss a chalkboard into their Easter basket, and they'll be entertained until Christmas! Or, at least until the end of the month.

Snack tickets- Have a basket with their fave fruit snacks, chips, goldfish crackers, etc and let them choose one for each ticket. This is super affordable AND useful! Kids love their snacks and hey- I do too!

Seeds- This is super easy, affordable, and seasonal! Give the kids a packet of seeds that they can plant and watch grow. You can get individual packets, or buy a larger pack and create smaller envelopes for the seeds using card stock.

DIY Kits- Make use of that craft stash! Put in embroidery floss or a bead kit so they can make their own bracelets. If they're too young for that, try pre-made bracelets.

Puzzles- Break up a puzzle into several eggs and have the kids come together to make it. Have a special puzzle piece with a sticker on the back to decide who gets to keep it at the end!

DIY paper clips- This is a great idea for older kids or those who use planners, need a bookmark, etc. Make some cute paper clips using pom poms or felt cutouts. You can also make some cute tassel ones!

Pom poms- these are perfect for young kids and can be used to make crafts or even to d some learning exercises, like matching colors or practicing fine motor skills. And best of all they're super affordable!

Magnets- kids love magnets and it’s a great way to keep them entertained! You can get letter magnets, animals, fruit… pretty much anything!

Coins- This is great for older kids- and a great way to get rid of all your coins! I remember that any money as a kid was AMAZING to receive. Throw in a few rolled up dollar bills, and the kids are sure to love the hunt!

Washi Tape- A fun way for kids to decorate their eggs, tape up their artwork, and more! You can get large packs of these at Michael’s, Amazon, or even at your local dollar store!

Hair bows- Here’s a super useful filler! They’re small and affordable, plus you can totally DIY some if you want too!

Cars- Depending on the age of your kids, you can probably grab some cars they haven’t played with in a while to stuff the eggs! You can also make them a track using tape on the floor or draw it on a poster board. Then they won’t mind getting some of their old toys back!

Legos or Lego people- This is a great way to spread one useful item across many different eggs.

Band Aids- Like stickers, kids love band aids. Add some fun printed ones and they’ll be ecstatic!

Pebbles- My daughter has a thing with pebbles that I don’t quite understand. Grab some from the yard to fill your eggs, or get some fancy ones in pretty colors.

Plastic animals- These are prefect for playing and adding to dollhouses or playsets. I like to paint my animals to be pretty, but you could also add some fun embellishments like a tutu or a sweater.

Fruit snacks- Pop a pack of fruit snacks or puffs into an egg for a fun and nutritious snack!

Crayons- kids love to draw, so pop some crayons into the eggs and let the kids color after they finish their hunt! Stick a coloring book into their Easter basket and you’re good to go.

Finger Puppets- These are so small and you can get them in all sorts of designs. You could even DIY some too!

Game Pieces- Throw a few pieces of their favorite games into the eggs and gather together to play once you’re done!

A prize bucket- Make coupons for your kids to pick their own prizes! You can write something like "prize ticket" for larger items that won’t fit into the eggs like pencils.

Once you've got all your egg fillers, don’t forget to make bunny ear headbands for all the kids! These are easy to whip up and can be customized in any style. And as a bonus, they’re no sew!

I hope these ideas were helpful, but I've gotta know- what do you put into your Easter eggs?!

Free Printable Easter Egg Prize Tickets

I've always loved doing Easter egg hunts. I remember that one year, my aunt hid the eggs for us to find. We found them super fast, so then we traded- my sister and I hid the eggs for my aunt and younger cousin to find. After a while, he was complaining because there were SO many eggs to find and we had hidden them really well! We hid empty eggs just for fun, but I think part of the fun for kids is getting a prize at the end.

Psst: If you’re looking for Toddler Basket ideas, check out this post!

The usual tradition is to put candy or junky little toys inside, but I figured there had to be a different solution. I wanted to share these cute coupons! You can print these out on white cardstock and cut them out easily using scissors. I cut around each ticket individually, but to make it MUCH easier, I recommend getting a paper cutter and cutting around each one and leaving a white border.

Using these coupons is simple- fill your eggs with a coupon or two, and then have your kids trade them in for prizes! You can use them 1:1 (aka 1 ticket = 1 prize) or set up an arcade system where you can pool tickets for larger prizes. As for the printouts, I've got several options- tickets that say what they're for, tickets that only have a picture on them, and blank tickets that you can label yourself. Use them all however you'd like!

Once you've got all your egg fillers, don’t forget to make bunny ear headbands for all the kids! These are easy to whip up and can be customized in any style.

I hope these ideas were helpful, but I've gotta know- what do you put into your Easter eggs?!