Handwoven Paper Placemats

A first weaving project using soft paper strips — perfect for little hands learning over-under patterns.

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Ages 3-610 min prep

Paper weaving is the activity I set out when we have twenty minutes to fill and nothing prepared. Colored paper and scissors, that is the whole basket.

For my 6 year old, cutting his own strips is half the fun. For my 3 year old, I pre-cut everything and she just pushes the strips through. Same activity, two completely different levels.

We turn the finished ones into placemats for dinner, and they are ridiculously proud to eat on something they made.

Bright strips and a slotted base ready to weave

Finished woven mats in cheerful checkerboards

Halfway through the weaving, the rest of the strips waiting

What you'll need

One sheet of thick colored paper (the loom base)
Pastel construction paper strips, about 2 cm wide (the weft)
Child-safe scissors
A glue stick
A pencil and a ruler (adult prep)

How to make it

1
Adult prep: fold the base sheet in half. From the folded edge, draw straight pencil lines about 2 cm apart, stopping 2 cm before the open edge.
2
Cut along the pencil lines through the fold, then open the paper flat — you'll have a loom with slits.
3
Sit with your child and choose 6-8 pastel strips in a color pattern they like.
4
Show them how to weave the first strip: over one, under one, over one, all the way across.
5
The next strip goes the opposite way: under one, over one, under one. Push it up snug against the first strip.
6
Keep alternating strips, celebrating each row. Little hands love the rhythm.
7
When the loom is full, dab a bit of glue on the ends of every strip so nothing slides out.
8
Trim any long ends and display the placemat under a snack plate for lunch.

Tip

For 3-year-olds, pre-cut wider strips (3 cm) and pre-slit the loom — the joy is in the over-under motion, not the cutting.