Kid going on a field trip? Generally gotta have a name tag. I suppose that if you’re in school, disposable name tags, while spendy and wasteful, are easy enough to dish out, but they’re certainly not green. And we’re homeschoolers, so buying an entire package of disposable name tag stickers just for the couple of field trips a year that require them is just silly. Instead of buying disposable name tags, or, I don’t know, writing our names on notebook paper and taping them to our shirts, my kiddos and I make reusable name tags. These name tags can be made almost entirely by a kid with just a little adult help, and can be used until any of the information changes–if a kid made one of these in kindergarten, and used it until she headed off for middle school, that’s probably worth an entire package of disposable name tag stickers right there, and if the whole class did it, that’s a good effort towards helping a school go green.
- To begin, cut any light-colored cotton-based fabric to size. I used a notecard as a template for one kid’s name tag, and my younger daughter free-handed hers. Zig-zaggy scissors are fun, and will keep the fabric from fraying.
- I iron fusible interfacing to the back of the name tag fabric just to stiffen it so that it’s easy to write on–this is an adult’s job in my house, because in my house only the adults are careful enough not to get the iron sticky. Of course, you could also use starch to stiffen the fabric (and a kid could do that one), or these natural fabric stiffeners for a greener project. 3. Write your information directly on the name tag fabric. We like Tee Juice markers, but Sharpies or any other permanent markers will also work well for this project. Kids can also take this opportunity to decorate their name tags and make them really special (and less likely to be groused about when it’s time to wear them).
- To add even more support to the name tag, back it with the kid’s choice of wool felt, trimming the wool felt about 1/2″ wider than the name tag on all sides to show off the pretty color of felt that the kid has chosen. Kids can also free-hand this one, especially if they want to make the felt a silly shape!
- Stitch around the edges of the name tag to secure it to the wool felt backing. Since the stitching just needs to hold the name tag to the felt, not be…I don’t know? Competent?…this is another great chance for a kid to take control and do the sewing herself. Two easy ways to attach this name tag to a kid are to 1) use a safety pin to pin it to a shirt or jacket or to 2) punch a hole at the two top corners and attach a cord to hang the name tag around a kid’s neck. Either way, you’re all set for Children’s Day at the local farm!
