I recently discovered some fun games and activities that I can make at home for my little girl.
They are called File Folder Games.
There are tons of free templates for File Folder Games on the Internet but this particular one I made is a pattern matching game.
File Folder Games are so easy to make!
I found the Heart Pattern Match Up Game at Preschool Printables. I just printed the pages on my color printer and cut them out. Take a look at their sidebar for lots of other fun File Folder Games you can make.
I attached one set of patterned hearts to the file folder which serves as the game board and kept the other set of matching hearts loose.
You don’t have to laminate the pieces but I know how rough my kids are so laminate is my friend. Office supply stores can laminate but I found a good deal for large laminating at a local school supply store. They can put all of the folders and little game pieces in the laminate and have it ready for me in just a few minutes while I wait.
The hardest part of making File Folder Games is cutting out all of the little pieces from the laminate.
One the game pieces are cut out you could present the game to your child as is and just let them place the matching piece in the correct spot.
Or if your kids are like mine and have a weird obsession with velcro, you can add a little piece of velcro to your game board and matching piece so the kids can have fun pulling the pieces on and off.
And don’t think that File Folder Games are just for toddlers. My older son loved using this American Sign Language File Folder Game from File Folder Fun to learn to sign the alphabet.
Here are some other great sites for free templates for File Folder Games:
About Kim
Great selection – I need to make some more of these and freshen up my supply!
What lovely ideas. I haven’t tried (or heard of) file folder games before but they look great.
Made several for my daughter to use for her children a few years ago. One comment – if you plan to use them as quiet activities during church or something like that, then don’t use the velcro. It does make a noise and is disturbing to others close to you. I used magnets and that seems to be quiet, but helps the pieces to hold together.
I really love the sign language example above. I think it may be time to make some more of these!
I love file folder games–you’re right, they’re so simple.
Thanks for sharing!
I love file folder games. We have several free templates on our blog. I used them all the time when I taught K-3. They are so simple and portable and can be tweaked to teach so many great skills. This one is adorable!
You can buy clear/see-through Velcro dots on Amazon…we love it for our file folders because they don’t block the image.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ASD850/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1327161389&sr=8-1
I make design file folder games and offer them free at http://www.filefolderfarm.com
When my oldest daughter was little I made a bunch of file folder games. They’re great. I love the sign language one. I’ve been thinking about starting my girls in learning sign language and using file folder games would be a fun way to encourage learning.
-Veronica
I am wondering if you did anything to attach the velcro so that it does not come off. Mine never stays stuck to the lamination. Thanks.
I make a ton of these, and don’t make them fancy. I have taken to making pockets out of a cut envelope. I made a food group game using three envelopes and index cards cut in half and that week’s grocery ads and one file folder. I cut two envelopes in fourths, the last I cut in half and two fourths. Then I cut and pasted pictures of foods we eat from the ads onto the half-cards I put the quarter envelopes in the folder labeled with the food groups, and the half-envelope is the storage pocket. I have several simple ones I did up in an hour or so for various skills. My preschool girls love their “school games!”
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