My kids love to play with water. Any activity seems like more fun if there is water involved. This week I decided to change up our patterning activity and do water patterns.
Using colored water and a medicine dropper, I had my daughter create an ABA pattern. This activity not only helps with pattern recognition, but also helps strengthen those finger muscles which will help with writing and other fine-motor skill tasks.
First we did a dropper full of each color in the correct spot. I would have her tell me what color was coming next.
Then I had her go back and try to fill in the whole spot with the colored water. Her finger muscles got a great workout! 
This activity was a big hit and she worked at this for quite awhile. Then little sister came along and knocked over one of the water bowls (I knew it would happen—something like that always does.) But no worries here—the totally awesome black dish drying mat I placed the activity on absorbed all the water! It seriously sucked it all up. It wasn’t a dripping mess either, like wet towels can be. It worked so much better than a tray or a plastic mat where water just rolls. I aired it out (it dried quickly) and the mat was good as new. This is my new must-use-when-doing-water-activities mat! It would work well as an activity presentation mat for many other learning activities too. It’s portable and easy to store since I can fold or roll it up and put in a drawer.
I know you want one too, don’t you?
Yes, they work awesome for dishes too! I was happy to toss out our gross plastic dish drainer and use my pretty red dish mat. Just toss in the wash to clean!
Are you interested in winning one of these dish mats? You’ve got plenty of chances! I’m giving 3 of these dish mats away in coastal blue. Yes, 3 of you will win one coastal blue dish mat! ( You can check out the swatch colors by visiting Envision Home’s website.)
GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please make sure there is a way I can contact you.
Mandatory: 1. Leave a comment below: If you won, who would get this dish mat and why?
2. Tweet about this giveaway: Get your #dishmat @SpellOutloud http://bit.ly/dL6qFD
3. If you follow or subscribe to Spell Outloud give yourself an extra entry.
RULES: Spell Outloud’s prizes are open to continental U.S. residents only. Must be 18 yrs or older. Giveaway ends on Thursday, October 20, 2011. Rules must be followed. Winner is selected using Random.org and will be notified via email and given 72 hours to respond. In the event of no response, prize will be forfeited. By entering this event, you agree to have read these rules.
But wait—there is a whole group of bloggers each offering a different color dish mat and showcasing different uses for the mat. If you don’t want blue, check out the list below and enter the giveaways at the corresponding blogs:
A Slob Comes Clean –Coastal Blue
Spell Outloud — Coastal Blue
Many Little Blessings –Sage Green
Finding Joy — Sage Green
Jimmie’s Collage – Gray
Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers – Gray
Raising Arrows –Red
Crispy Not Crunchy – Black
Feels Like Home –Red
An Oregon Cottage – Cream
Mama’s Learning Corner — Black
DISCLOSURE: I received free dish mats for this review and was compensated financially for my time. The experience and opinions are 100% mine.
I would love this! I hate my plastic one too!!! I would admit — this would be for ME!!!! kevinkaylaarrowood123 at yahoo dot com
Tweeted here (https://twitter.com/#!/TheArrowoodZoo/status/124919766451363840)
kevinkaylaarrowood123 at yahoo dot com
I follow you on GFC… kevinkaylaarrowood123 at yahoo dot com
My kids LOOOVE water activities too! I would give this blue one to my oldest whose favorite color is blue. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I subscribe. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I would get it if I won! No sharing on this awesome product!
This dishmat would be for our household, too. Our dish drainer is funky and the pots don't fit in it anyway
Thank you for the opportunity. onthego4ply@yahoo.com
I would love to try this mat for my dishes. There always seems to be dishes!
I would definitely be keeping this for myself… I need the counter space this would free up!
Tweeted it: http://twitter.com/#!/tiffanyblitz/status/124941678841823232
It would be for everyone that does the dishes in our house!
Following you with GFC
I would use it for drying dishes and for veggies and fruit. What a great idea.
I tweeted about the giveaway at http://twitter.com/#!/blessedmumof9/status/124941917120245760
I also am a new subscriber. Thank you so much!
I tweeted about it: http://twitter.com/#!/KDozeman/status/124942904371326977
I follow you with GFC!
This mat would be for me
. We have a dishwasher but I also handwash a lot of dishes so a dish drying mat would come in really handy 
.
I have had to throw away not one but two really pretty hand embroidered dishcloths because they kept getting soaked from being used as drying mats and couldn't dry fast enough. These look great!
I would use it for my dishes. I use dish towels and they become a sopping mess! Great giveaway!
If I won this dish mat I would use it for my dishes! I hand wash all of the dishes here. Oh and I would toss out my dish drainer!
Michele
Magerells@comcast.net
I love this! I would keep it! I do not like dish drainers, this would look so much nicer and it sounds like work better too. Thanks for the chance to win!
Bonnie.l.adams at gmail dot com
I would use this on my counter for dishes instead of a dish drainer. Then it goes into the drawer when it has finished its job!
I would love one for my counter!
bergfam@atlanticbb.net
I would love to use this to dry dishes.
sonyahosick at aol dot com
i would love this for drying my dishes.
I love the color! Matches my dishes!
Thanks!
kristina_pc at mac dot com
I would love to use this in the kitchen. Also to dry toys. Thanks for the chance.
Becky
boernerb at fuse dot net
I subscribe to your blog. Thanks again.
Becky
boernerb at fuse dot net
I would keep the mat. I would use the mat for drying dishes. I have been leaving my dishes out to dry on a dish towel and it doesn't work that great.
I tweeted about this giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/rangersbraves/status/124989169926815744
I'd keep it for myself to use in our Montessori classroom for practical life activities involving water. It sounds great!
thegirlwhopaintedtrees at gmail dot com
This mat would be for me of course
These dish mats sound wonderful. I would use it at home.
I would keep the mat for myself! lol I have a LOT of dishes!
I would get this because I do all the dishes
I'd love to replace the ugly plastic tray under my dish drainer! Actually, I have a two tier dish drainer that I love since I can stack twice as many cups/dishes (no dishwasher), but I don't love all the water that collects in that tray. this would be nice. higherground2000(at)gmail(dot)com
I have to say that I would keep this dish mat for myself. I currently use a towel under my dish drainer and would LOVE to have this mat instead!
I would actually use it for dishes, because our family of 8 lives in a house without a dishwasher!! So all dishes are done by hand!
ladymadelon at yahoo.com
I have one and love it! If I won, I would keep is for myself.
I tweeted about it too!
Finally, I subscribe to you too!
If I won we would immediately use it to dry our dishes on. Thank you for the generous giveaway.
These are soo cool!! Would definately use in my dinky, no-dishwasher kitchen!! A welcome addition!!
I would use it for myself
I would love it for the counter to dry my dishes, freeing up half my sink. Thanks for the giveaway!
It would be for me because I don't use ANY mat now and there are always pools of water on my counter. I would love this!
I subscribe!
I would use this mat just for this reason, water play.
Thank so much,
Caterina
I would use it for defrosting meat packages.
I would keep it for myself to use in the kitchen and homeschooling. I haven't seen this before and they look like great gifts for Christmas.
Nancy at mom2jebj@gmail.com
I'm a subscriber by email to Spell Outloud.
Nancy at mom2jebj@gmail.com
*I* would get the drying mat! Why?
I milk goats. I wash milking equipment. I don't have a dishwasher. The combination of these facts means I often have breakfast dishes to wash while milking stuff is air drying in the dish drainer. Do i leave the breakfast dishes 'til later? (NO!!! I can't STAND sinks filled with dirty dishes!! My one nod to OCD.) Do I put away the milking stuff before it is fully dried? A FAR from ideal plan… Do I wash my milking things onto a drying mat, leaving them to sit undisturbed until fully dry? Sounds like an EXCELLENT plan! If only I had a drying mat….
I would love to win this dish mat. Our plastic drainer is not very sturdy; it frequently becomes unbalanced and tips dishes back into the sink. This seems like a great solution!
I just subscribed to your blog on Google Reader, as well. It looks like you have some great tips!
We hand wash our dishes since the dishwasher purchase is way down on my list in this new house ~ so yes, this would be for me and my DDs! Thank you so much!
I would love this for our dishes especially since we don't have a dishwasher. I would use it daily myself.
This would be a fantastic thing for our house, with 5 of us cooking from scratch- we have a lot of dishes with little counter space!
I would love to take back my counter! 
My email address for shoppmk is cshopp@marykay.com
I could totally use one of these! I would use it for dishes that don't fit in the strainer, as a holding place for washed fruits and veggies, and I could really use one in our camper since we don't even have a strainer.
karla@westernesse.com
I tweeted! karla@westernesse.com
I think I deserve the mat since I wash the dishes.
reneealam@verizon.net
I'm an email subscriber.
dsmoore1 @ centurytel.net
I tried to comment before but didn't see it, if this is a duplicate, sorry! I would keep it for myself.
dsmoore1 @ centurytel.net
If I won this wonderful dish mat I would give it to my daughter who has blue accents in her kitchen plus she has my 2 sweet but messy little granddaughters too!
I'm an email subscriber and I follow your blog via GFC. Thank you.
vinter AT warwick DOT net
i would keep it if i won because i hand wash all of the dishes for our family of 7!
new gfc follower
http://twitter.com/#!/neenee_is_me/status/125303747705442304
I'd keep the first one for myself … to use primarily in the kitchen to replace the 5 or 6 dish towels we spread all over the kitchen table each night to dry dishes.
But if I got a second one – I'll give it to my totally awesome MIL for Christmas.
Tweeted
following in Google Reader
If I were to win this giveaway, I would probably keep it for myself. I have been enjoying washing dishes lately I think it has to do with that I am home now and am here for my family.
I will be following this blog in my reader!
I would use this to dry my babies bottles
I found your blog through "A Slob Comes Clean". If I win, I would get it, because I'd much rather just toss one of these into the washer to clean than take a dollar-store toothbrush to the plastic dish rack. Ugh!
can you believe this? but we do not have a dishwasher– sad, I know. So when I fill my drainer with dishes, they always seem to overflow, so I use a dish towel to the side– talk about ineffective! I would totally use this in place of that wet dish towel! !(I also heard of someone using it near the bath tub with little ones– yeah, I would probably also try that too!)
I would get the dish mat. The blue would be perfect for my kitchen. I'd probably need 10 of these, though, because I don't have a dishwasher.
Ami
http://www.walkingbytheway.com
I would love to get one of these for the overflow of dishes washed.
Sally: kstensaas at gmail dot com
I'm a subscriber. Thanks for the giveaway.
kstensaas at gmail dot com
This is the most original idea I have seen yet with this giveaway. I am excited to have found your blog and plan to become a follower! Yay! I have a lot of children (6) and homeschool so I can see your blog being very useful to me. OH, and the mat. Now I have even more reasons for wanting one, but my original thought was a better way of drying those pesky hand wash knives and my baby bottles that I always seem to end up hand washing.
I subscribed to your blog. Thanks, I love it and would love a mat!
If I won, I would get the dishmat! I don't have a dishwasher and this would be a huge help in keeping towels around so we can dry our hands.
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/leigh_owens/status/125403820686721024
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
I follow via Google Reader.
clowens9144 at yahoo dot com
If I won this magic mat, I would use with my 3 year old for her water activities and experiments. There is so much potential for this thing!
Thank you for the opportunity!
I subscribe to Spell OutLoud via e-mail.
I would love to use this in the kitchen. Also to dry toys. Thanks for the chance.
cherisek23@gmail.com
This would definitely be for me. With limited counter space I have been reluctant to get a dish drainer. This would be great to use instead. No more soggy dish towels!
Pam in Missouri
qcaller at gmail dot com
I subscribe via Google Reader
Pam
qcaller at gmail
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/Qcaller/status/125461208810799105
qcaller at gmail
I absolutely hate my plastic dish drainer!
I would keep it because it's a great way to dry dishes! =)
-Michelle
samc3dp at yahoo dot com
Following Spell Outloud! =)
-Michelle
samc3dp at yahoo dot com
I would use it myself for dishes, dishes, and more dishes!
Elyse
tehachapispeechtherapy at yahoo dot com
Subscribed to Spell Outloud
Elyse
tehachapispeechtherapy at yahoo dot com
Um, yeah…I would totally keep this for myself b/c I'm selfish like that.
I would love to have one of these in my kitchen.
They don't make dish drainers big enough to hold the clean dishes of a family of eight….even if you wash dishes more than once a day. I've gotten desperate enough to use a rack out of our unusable dishwasher, but it took up more of our counter top than the one foot high stacks I make on an old bath towel.
with our family of 8 we would definatly use it for dishes. altho also use it for canning, veggies, fruit, those tubtoys and water activities and tea parties
If I won this, I would use it for my dishes, I usually stack them in the dishwasher to dry (if it is empty) or stack them on the stove (probably not a real good idea).
If I won I would keep it and use it under my dish rack or for my pots. We do all our dishes by hand. No dishwasher here, LOL!
~Kimberlee
SpunkyDiva at live.com
I would use it to replace my dish rack. And probably for my veggies too =)
Karen
desotok@bellsouth.net
I would use it under my crock pot aas well as a drying tool!
I would use it myself. We currently use towels and this would be so much better
I followed your blog
We've never had a dishwasher (other than the eat us-out-of-house-and-home kind), and my dish drain is 20 years old. (They don't make the kind I need anymore!) I would LOVE to get rid of my stained old plastic drain and replace it with a sanitary, neat dish mat! Yes, it would be for me, in my efforts at keeping a neater house. Thanks for the chance to win one!
Loralee
aplus_lady@hotmail.com
I'd love one of these for my dishes! (diane at speedkin dot com)
I just followed you, too.
(diane at speedkin dot com)
I would keep it! I have wanted to say farewell to the dish drainer for years! This does sound like a hot little item that will be on my Christmas gift list for family and friends, though… so they will eventually share in the drainer-free joy.
In my excitement, I forgot my email in my post – OCTOBER 19, 2011 2:46 PM by Anonymous – mills1095 at gmail dot com
I actually found your site through this giveaway and am SOOOO glad that i did…..
I would use mine to air dry dishes. The rental we are living in has a huge marble island and the hard water dripping off our dishes is staining it
I now follow you and am excited to get to printing your preschool printables….
This looks amazing….I would be entirely selfish and use it myself. camomus at gmail dot com
I love this product! I saw you at Muncie MOPS today! Loved all your ideas! I would use it for water play!
Oooh! I have to admit, I think it would be for us! Old dishcloths just don't cut it as well for drying dishes.
Thanks for the chance!
wishbone317 at yahoo dot com
I'm also an e-mail subscriber as of today. So glad to have found your site (through MOPS)!
wishbone317 at yahoo dot com