DIY Montessori Match the Object
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Last year we ordered my son a Montessori insect-themed match-the-object set that included 12 miniature insects & the 12 matching flashcards that identified the insects. My son really enjoyed this matching work, so I decided I wanted to get more.
Since I always appreciate the opportunity to be thrifty alongside the opportunity to do a little crafting (come on Momma, we all need a moment to ourselves), I decided to make my own Human Body themed matching set for him as a stocking stuffer.
Want to know the best part? I doubled up & used it as an opportunity to make two different toys! Instead of making flashcards on paper, I used water slide transfer paper to put the images on wood-crafting squares. I prepared two sets of the flashcard wooden pieces, so now I can use the wood squares as a memory match game (see my blog post on DIY Memory Match Games) & we can use it as a Match The Object game too! #momhack
The item I was considering purchasing was $45 on Etsy. The Memory Match game that I was able to double up with was $37 online. I was able to make this memory game duo for a little over $21. Who can be mad about saving $61? Not this Momma!
Supplies
2-inch or 3-inch will both work fine. I wanted my game to be a little more compact, so I went with the 2-inch. Since there are 50 in a pack, you can actually make 2 sets out of this option.
Water Slide Paper
This paper allows you to print your own images & then place them on lots of different surfaces. For this project make sure you select a clear paper. If you purchase the white paper, there will be a white border around your image. It is also important to select the paper according to the type of printer that you will be using.
You will only need 1-2 pages for this project, but there are lots of other great uses for the water slide paper that you can check out here.
If you don’t have a printer or don’t want to purchase an entire pack of water slide paper, you can purchase a single set of images here and have them mailed to you directly.
Images
You can download my water slide image sheets from the digital store.
For identifying the body systems, there is a male & female option, so you can do whichever sex you prefer, or even include both. There aren’t objects to match to the body systems (muscular, skeletal, etc.), but I still wanted them to be included so that we could talk about & identify the different systems as my kiddos play with the game.
A soft cloth
Roughly 1 hour of your time
After I printed my file my time was spent accordingly:
15 minutes cutting (sometimes I get a little OCD, so you could likely trim some time here)
45 minutes applying images
5 minutes applying clear coat
Now that you have collected all of your supplies, you are ready to get started.
Assembly Directions
Download the print page that you will be using to your computer.
Save the file somewhere that you can easily find it.
Load your water slide paper so that your print will end up on the glossy side.
If you aren’t sure about your printer, I would recommend printing a sample so that you don’t end up wasting any water slide paper. Grab a sheet of plain paper & write on it to identify which side you put facing up in the tray. Then print your sample page on that paper.
Cut your images out of the paper.
Place your wood squares, a bowl of water, and your printed cutouts on a work table.
Working with one cutout at a time, soak it in the water for 20-30 seconds. Then remove it from the water & place it on your wooden square. Once you have placed it on the wood square & adjusted it to the perfect location, carefully slide the white sheet out from below the image.
Use a soft cloth to wipe the excess water off of the square. Apply light pressure to the entire image to remove any water or air bubbles from underneath the image.
Allow the wooden squares to dry for 3-4 hours.
Use the clear finish spray paint to add a protective layer over the image
This is optional, but if you are making this game for a child, extra protection from wear & tear is advisable.
Congratulations! You now have 2 Montessori forms of work for your children & you saved a ton of money!
Tips & Tricks
I had some difficulty sliding the white backing paper out from behind the image. My solution was to partially slide the image off of the backing before I placed it. That would give me a place to hold the image steady while I slid the rest of the backing out.
One time I used my hand to apply pressure instead of the cloth. The image stuck to my hand, so DON’T do that.
If your image gets misaligned when you are sliding the backing out, quickly dip the entire wood square into your bowl. This allows your image to move more freely. Be sure to dab off all of the moisture
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