Creating File Folder Games for Young Children

What are File Folder Games?
File Folder Games are easy, inexpensive educational games made in a file folder.  You can use regular manila file folders or color file folders.  File folder games are fun activities for young children to do during Sacrament Meeting, Stake Conference, waiting at the Doctor's office, or long car trips.

How do you make File Folder Games?

Step 1: Copy or Print the pages that are for the inside of the file folder game onto regular weight paper.  They will seal better when laminated than if they are copied onto cardstock.  The playing pieces should be copied or printed onto heavier cardstock.  The cardstock will increase the life of these visuals.

 

Step 2:   Color using watercolor markers, colored pencils, or pastel chalks.  The markers give bright, vivid color and the pencils and pastels give the softer values you may need with some pictures.  Be careful if you use crayons.  They will melt when laminating and could spread beyond the coloring lines. Or print an all ready colored version from a CD or Download.   

 

Step 3:  Cut out and glue inside pages onto the file folder.

 

Step 4:  Laminate all cards, games and folders.  This will prevent anything from smearing or ruining your visual.  This will also make your game more durable.

 

Step 5:  Trim laminated file folder leaving about 1/4" of lamination around the file folder to keep the seal.  Cut out individual laminated pieces. 

Step 6:  Attach "sticky-back" velcro to game pieces to hold them on the file folder game in the positions they will be attached.  This makes the individual games and activities easy to manipulate and play.  "Sticky-back" velcro can be purchased at any fabric or craft store.

 

Where can you get File Folder Games?
Finch Family Games has several options for you to get your File Folder Games.  These file folder games are educational games and many of them also review a gospel lesson.  There are THREE options for getting your File Folder Games.

 First, you can purchase a Finch Family Games File Folder Fun Book.  In each of these four volumes you get 12 to 15 different file folder games for Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade Levels.  These books are designed for you to make copies of the black and white pages and color each game.  Also available for younger children is the Busy Book For Tiny Tots which has file folder games for preschool aged children.

Second, you can purchase the Finch Family Games JUMBO File Folder Fun Book with CD.  This book is the size of 2 Volumes and has 21 different file folder games for Preschoolers, Kindergartners, or 1st Graders.  In the book you will get the file folder games in black and white designed for you to copy each page and color them yourself.  The CD contains the same file folder games and provides you with both a Black & White Version and a Color Version of the file folder games.  These are available for you to print from your computer using our Finch Family Games Project Browser Software (on the CD) which catalogs and organizes your file folder games alphabetically and allows you to view and print each page of the file folder games.

Third, you can instantly download individual file folder games available in a Black & White Version for you to print from your computer and color yourself or a Color Version to save time and simply print out and move on to the assembling steps.  These file folder downloads can be found at Finch Family Games File Folder Downloads.