Color Tablet Instructions

Materials (to make 15 kits)
271 Popsicle or craft sticks
Mod Podge - the small bottle is plenty.  I used Matte
Sponge brush
9 sheets construction paper - red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black, white, grey, purple
exact-o knife
masking tape
15 snack size ziploc baggies

Directions

1. Take out 30 craft sticks and line them up next to each other.  This is easiest if you put a notebook or pan above them so that you can push the sticks up to the pan to line them up.  Once you've got them lined up, put masking tape all the way across them, sticky side to the sticks.
2. Turn the sticks over.  You may need to use that pan or notebook as support now.
3. Cut a rectangle out of your construction paper xx" by xx".  Do this with every color.
4. Put a layer of mod podge down on the craft sticks, coating the whole surface.  
5. Lay your construction paper rectangle down on top of the mod podge.  There should be a tiny bit hanging off on both sides.
6. Put another layer of mod podge on top the contruction paper and craft sticks, making sure to coat the whole surface. Allow to dry and then remove the masking tape from the back.
7. Use 1 craft stick as a guide to cut between the sticks.  Cut all the way through the construction paper.  I found it easiest to cut from the front.
8. Repeat the process for the other 8 colors.
9. Place 2 of each color in a snack sized ziploc baggie.  You will wind up with 15 bags, each with 18 color tablets.

Alternative:  You can make only 3 colors, but include 6 of each in each bag.  This is less Montessori but has more pattern making possibilities.

Uses
These can be used several ways.

• Children can find matches.
• They can be turned upside down and used to play memory.
• They can be used to make patterns.
• They can be used to make shapes.
• Small children can practice fine motor skills by putting them in piles one by one.