Exploring the recreational family bucket list activity each week is sure to get your 2025 fun goals accomplished. Our family loves to try new things and learn all things. We may not be good at them, but we at least can say we tried. I always ask “thumbs up, or thumbs down” when we are done. They of course vote and I write it on our bucket list or cross it off for the next year.
Sometimes activities like napkin folding take the spotlight. It is a neat activity that is free, (except for the napkins) fun, and easy to do. Youtube is a big help, and makes learning easy, but there are books to take this activity to a further level. Who doesn’t want to try something new and impress everyone at the next family dinner? I’m not trying to impress family our napkin folding skills, but it would be fun for the kids to set the table with a decorative fold.
Here are a few tips on how to accomplish this activity:
Why Teach Napkin Folding
It is fun! I love it when we enter a hotel room and see the towels folded in an elephant, seashell or something else. Maybe I are weird, but I take a picture of it. The fold tells me this person takes the time for the extra comfort and enjoyment a guest will incur when they enter the room. It also tells me they have taken the time to learn something new. Both of which I appreciate and photograph for memories of the vacation or outing.
Napkin folding is an art. Not an easy art either. Believe it or not, preschoolers can even learn simple napkin folding. On the list of essential skills this is one of them. Why? Because it enhanced their hand-eye coordination, as well as their fine motor skills. Napkin folding is sure to be a fun learning experience.
Easy Folds to Teach
Classic Triangle:
First, fold a square dinner napkin in half. Then, fold it into a triangle. Place the folded napkin neatly next to the plate. This one is really easy to do, and a great one to try with preschoolers.
Simple Pocket Fold:
Form a rectangle. Fold the bottom half up to make a smaller rectangle. Place the napkin alongside the plate neatly elongated so the rectangle is aligned with the plate. Yet again, this one is easy for everyone. Lay the utensils on it carefully, and finish setting the table.
Bunny Ears:
Fold into a long rectangle, then fold again into a smaller long rectangle. Wrap a pink or white bow around the middle. Tie into a bow, neatly. Finally, fluff and arrange into ears.
These are easy folds to teach children. I have a video on Instagram demonstrating how to fold each fold. My kids are the ones in the video doing the folding. Next year at Thanksgiving we will show off their newly acquired napkin folding skills.
Recreational Family Napkin Folding Activity
Turn this activity into even more fun with stickers, adding or subtracting ribbons. Racing games to see who can do the quickest napkin fold. Let the kids choose what kind of pattern for a napkin they want to use. Just about anything can be added to make this even more fun.
Inviting over some friends for dinner is always fun, and this time have the table set with decorative napkins displayed. Try some harder folds when the kids feel confident enough with these three. The best part is cloth napkins are reusable. Frugal families folding napkins together saving money and waste on paper napkins has to make the recreational family bucket list next year.
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