Activity Tablecloth

Here's my little Emma ready to go - 

It is much less expensive to keep your furniture looking new as long as possible so you don't have to replace it as often. One way to keep your table looking nice and new is to purchase a flannel backed plastic tablecloth when you can find it on clearance. My kids have learned that when they want to color, paint, or play with playdough the tablecloth has to be put on the table first. Activity aprons or paint shirts can fill the same purpose so the kids' clothing lasts longer.

So whether you are a mom with younger children or a grandma with kids coming to visit often, check out the clearance racks after every major holiday. You can usually find these tablecloths marked down to $2-3. We us the same one for a few years at a time.