Make a Thanksgiving Place Mat ... For Your Pet Dog or Cat

Soon everyone will be celebrating Thanksgiving and being thankful for their loved ones, which of course includes their four-legged loved ones: Pets. But do the pets get to celebrate? I decided to show thankfulness for my pet with a special Thanksgiving place mat made just for Sir Pooch. I even decided to have my favorite kids help me.

Buy No-Slip Plastic for a Pet Place Mat for Thanksgiving

No-slip plastic bath mats from a discount store are not only easy to wipe off, they have a no-slip backing that stays put, even though Sir Pooch and Fluffy would rather be scooting it all over the hardwood floors or the kitchen tile. Yet the plastic is porous enough so kids can use safe acrylic paints or magic markers to decorate it. It's easy and fun, and your pets will feel so special! Well, actually your pets only care about the food that goes in the bowl that goes on the place mat. But everybody else will know how special your pets are to you. And the children can show off their Thanksgiving handiwork to your Thanksgiving guests.

Get Autumn Colors In Permanent Magic Markers for Your Pet Place Mat

Actually the kids can use any colors they like, even pink for Fluffy the kitten. But if you want to tie the pet place mat into your Thanksgiving décor, choose gold, brown and red tones of autumn for your markers and paint.

Bring out the Ball Point Pens for Pet Place Mat Design

Have the children draw a circle in the center of the mat. They can trace the dog's food bowl (empty of course) or a dinner plate . Then draw a big fork on one side of the circle and a big spoon on the other side. When it's all colored, it will look like Sir Pooch has his own place setting! After that, the kids can add little outlines of leaves, dog bones, or turkeys on the plastic.

Now Bring the Pet Place Mat to Life with Thanksgiving Colors.

The center circle, which should look kind of like a dinner plate, can be painted with acrylic paint in the color of choice. Or if your kids are really artistic, let them copy the pattern of the china you'll be using at Thanksgiving, or make up their own pattern.

Write a Thanksgiving Message on the Pet Place Mat

Happy Thanksgiving, Sir Pooch! Or "A Feast for Fluffy." "Turkey Time!" or "Doggy Dinner Served Here!" The kids can come up with something fun to write on the pet place mat. Pencil it in on the mat first, then use the black or dark red marker to write on the plastic. Of course, if you want to use the pet place mat after the holiday, the kids can write a generic message on it.

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