Tablecloths to Use With Children's Crafts

Having the right tablecloth to use with children's crafts can make the difference between keeping stains off your table or not. It's best to assume children will make a mess, says Disney's Family Fun website, so plan in advance. Both you and the children will enjoy the time you spend with the craft if you are not worried about the mess.

Vinyl

Vinyl tablecloths are inexpensive and a good covering for your table for children's crafts.

Vinyl tablecloths are waterproof. This makes them suitable for crafts involving paint, water and glue. They are inexpensive enough that when you're done with the craft, you can just roll up the tablecloth and throw away the whole mess. To keep the tablecloth from moving around and creating wrinkles, which can interfere with craft making, tape the corners of the table to the sides of the tablecloth.

Vinyl With Fleece Backing

A vinyl tablecloth with fleece backing is waterproof and fairly durable. What sets it apart from a plain vinyl tablecloth is its fleece backing. This added protection gives your table a cushion from any hard objects that may bang against it during the children's craft. This special backing also helps to prevent the cloth from sliding or wrinkling on the tabletop.

Elasticized Vinyl

The vinyl material in elasticized vinyl tablecloths makes it easy to clean up with a wet cloth. It has a fleece backing that protects your table. A third feature is elastic on the corners for quick coverage of the table. In addition, some brands come with adhesive strips to apply to the sides of the tablecloth. This gives it a clean look.

Oil

Oil tablecloths are vinyl on one side and cotton on the other. This type of table cloth is durable. Therefore, you can use it many times. It wipes clean with a wet cloth and is wrinkle resistant and waterproof. It is ideal for all kinds of children's crafts.

Clear Plastic

A clear plastic tablecloth gives you full waterproof protection. It is made in three different thickness measurements. Light weight is gauge four, medium weight is gauge eight and heavy weight is gauge 12. You can cut it to the size of your table. Find it in most fabric stores.

Newspaper

Use newspaper as a tablecloth covering for children's crafts.

Another type of tablecloth you can use to protect your table during a child's craft is plain newspaper. This works just fine and is very common. Tape the newspaper sheets together so you do not leave an opening for glue or paint to spill on the table. Apply several layers of newspaper to absorb any potential liquid spills while the children are making crafts.