File Folder Fun

I had never even heard of a "file folder game" until the Relief Society at church started this latest humanitarian project. Social Services in Iowa said that they are in need of baby quilts and file folder games, so everyone is pitching in so we can donate hundreds of each. I would have LOVED to make a quilt, but I haven't gotten around to taking a sewing class yet (my sister-in-law, Aby, would whip up a gorgeous one in no time, but I don't have that talent unfortunately. Oh, and my friend Angie would have just knitted something completely stunning without even thinking about it...I need to learn how to be more crafty!) But I still wanted to participate, so I had to learn what a file folder game was and how to make one. Really, they are just matching games that you laminate inside a manilla folder, and they are very easy to create. There are many websites that have file folder game templates that you can just print and cut out. Then it's just a matter of buying some matching craft paper for the background, getting everything laminated, and adding some Velcro. I ended up making two file folder games. The first one is a game where kids can match the front half of a farm animal to the back half, or they can mix and match parts to make silly animal combinations. The second one is a matching game where kids count the cherries on a cupcake and match it up with the correct number. We weren't allowed to make any games that included words because they need games that children of any ethnicity can play, but it got me thinking about all the different games I could make for Topher. It also reminded me how much I love things that are laminated and now I want my own laminating machine. :) Fun project! --KC