DIY Thanksgiving Leaf Placemats

Ok, so we may be kinda locked-in this Thanksgiving, but that’s 2020 for you. Arguably, this year, there’s a lot to be thankful for. There’s always a silver lining. Well, in this case, it’s an autumn leaf lining, but that’s pretty cool too. 

Making your own DIY leaf placemats is a great way to teach adults with special needs about color, texture, and nature. We’ve not tried this one with natural leaves, but that could be a great variation if you used a lot of Modge Podge to create a protective barrier or ironed leaves in between two pieces of wax paper. Here’s how you make DIY Thanksgiving leaf placemats using fake leaves. 

You will need:

• A hot glue gun
• A sponge brush
• Artificial autumn leaves
• Cardboard 
• A weight/heavy books to make the placemats lay flat

Instructions

1. Cut a round piece of cardboard to the size of the top of the plate you're going to use. Alternatively, you can cut a round piece to 2 inches smaller than the size that you want your finished placemat to be.
2. If you're making a collection of placemats, you can use the first circle as a template for the others.
3. Get your glue gun ready by heating it up. Keep an eye on this because you don’t want people burning themselves. 
4. Take a rogue piece of cardboard or a plate and place it under the hot glue gun to catch any excess glue. 
5. Squeeze a dab of glue onto the edge of the board where you’ll be placing your first leaf. 
6. Press your first artificial leaf onto the glue so that the stem is facing the middle of the disc and the top of the leaf hangs over the edge by 2 inches. 
7. Repeat step 6, turning the board each time so that you can place one leaf next to the other. Create a slight overlap between each leaf so that you’re not seeing any cardboard come through the gaps.
8. Continue layering leaves, working into the middle of the board.
9. Let cool. 
10. Set the table and have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

About Stephen’s Place

Stephen’s Place is an independent apartment community for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, located in Vancouver, WA (7 minutes from Portland, OR).

If you have a loved one with developmental or intellectual disabilities, who is looking for a community to live in, please contact us for more information. 

Stephen’s Place is a private-pay apartment community due to our state-of-the-art amenities and programs. We are a nonprofit and do not profit from our community. We are private pay because we spend more than some housing communities to ensure that our residents are comfortable and can safely live their lives with independence and dignity.