DIY Fidget Mat

If you have lots of $$$ in your therapy department budget, let this post pass you by.

However, if you're interested in experimenting with economical ways for you and other team members to make enticingly-textured fidget mats for students who need to have something quiet to do with their hands while they learn, then read on.

Step One:  Go to a friend's yard sale and buy a whole pack of soft, pre-cut fleecy-material for 25 cents.

Next, pick the color that matches your student's personality and tastes, then find two suitable slide-y things to insert in the future fidget mat:

Fold the fabric in half, like a book:

Sew the outside edges together with a straight stitch:

Once the three edges are sewn, leaving about 2" open on one end for inserting your slide-y thing(s), start sewing your maze:

Insert the slide-y thing(s), sew up the opening and zig-zag the edges you sewed.

The handsewn fidget mat is the blue one on the left.  It works just as well as the one the right, but doesn't look quite so polished.  My adult test subjects loved the feel of both of them. 

*12-3-2014:  Little note--so far I've had two adults softly shriek and almost run away when they tested the fidget mats--they can't stand anything that feels like velvet!  Who knew that was possible?????  I guess I'm just not an empathetic person.  So--never assume, right?

Try making some!  Adjust the material and slide-y things according to the needs of your student, especially their safety if they put things in their mouth.