I sometimes find it hard to keep my older grandchildren occupied while I am busy with the younger children. One day I found some free kids printables online and printed a few things out for them to do.....things like dot to dots, hidden pictures and mazes. Soon, they were finishing them before I could get the next one printed out. That could get expensive fast not to mention it was becoming wasteful.
I printed out several different activities in a variety of skill levels and marked each level by number, with a #1 being the easiest. Then, I put them into protective plastic sleeves and placed them all in a binder. Armed with a washable marker the kids can find an activity for their skill level, complete the activity, and then the markers will wipe off for the page to be used again. No more wasted paper and printer ink, no more keeping grandma running to the computer to print one more thing.
Our binder has grown to over 100 sheets now with educational activities added too; pages for practicing writing and number skills, tic tac toe games, etc. The binder could be divided up into individual activities or skill levels with tabs; though this Gramma has yet to find the time for that. It's nice for the kids to be able to take it outside on a quilt to work on, or to use while sitting quietly when Gramma is busy or just needs quiet time (or to finish a blog post ;) It will pack up nice for car trips too.
Here's a good place to get started with your activity binder printables. Do you have any suggestions for additional activities I can add to my Activities Binder?
I link at these parties.
I have had a lot of content theft lately. If you are reading this post anywhere else but at Family Home and Life then it was used without permission! Copyright© Family Home and Life 2012 All Rights Reserved
That's a really great idea! I wonder about printing out directions for a simple origami project and then filling one plastic pocket with the paper to try it out? (older kids)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think kids would feel really important getting the book and deciding on a page to do...great idea with the numbers, too!
I love the binder idea. I am going to make one of the art work my grand daughter did over the years. I have saved representative. I will give it to her when she goes off to art school!
ReplyDeleteGreat Idea!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea and I'm sure the kids do too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSharon
Connie this is great! Especially if you have more than one grandchild and needed to remember the different skill levels! Very cool!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea, Connie. And before this year is out I will be starting my own MawMaw binder. I love that you have designated ages. Thank you for sharing your idea!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea and I got a chuckle. A few months ago I had purchased a book with a set of dry erase / washable markers. This would be Brent's introduction to tracing over letters, first little mazes, etc
ReplyDeleteSo? He smells them and wrinkles up his nose, sticks one in his mouth and tells me they taste bad, and he did not want to use them. HUH! Well...he's a little older now; I'll have to try again :)
This is a super great activity! I think this would be a great 'traveling with kid' idea
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. I'm a grandmother too of 5 going on 6 grandbabies. I like the washable marker idea.
ReplyDeleteWe may have met by chance...but we become friends by choice.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
Thanks once again for sharing on of your awesome crafts!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea Connie ~ You are incredibly crafty!
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking with Raising Imperfection. Please come back Friday to see if you were featured!
Hope you enetered to be our co-host! You get an entry just for linking up!
Lanaya
www.raising-reagan.com
This is a fantastic idea, I think I might have to start a binder for my daughter for when she is ready for activities like this!
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking to Raising Imperfection!
Leslie
www.violetimperfection.com
Such a great idea! I found your project next to mine at the Dedicated House link party. :) Megan
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I've heard of laminating activity pages, but those sheets are expensive, so page protectors is brilliant. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe used to do this exact same thing when I was a coordinator for the local children's literacy center. I never considered doing it for the grandkids, but that's a mighty smart idea. Will have to pull out some of the page protectors I still have in a box in the garage. Thank you for the idea...and for linking to the GRAND Social.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, Connie! I have a 3 yr old who would love this :) Thank you for sharing at All my Bloggy Friends this week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Thanks for linking up to Frugal Crafty Home!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing it at the Show and Tell this week!
ReplyDeleteThis is a super idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to Mom's Library.
Julie @ Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk
Dank je voor het idee/thanks for the idea. great - I love it and I think my son also.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea!
ReplyDeleteKC
What a great idea! You are so talented!! We would like to invite you to a blog hop! We are co-hosting with Adorned From Above. We would love to have you link up. The party is live and will run through Sunday. You can link up at thebusybhive.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHope to see you there!
Thanks
Joye & Myrna
The Busy Bee's
This is a great idea! It would be good for road trips and such as well. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteYou can do the same thing with workbook pages and/or coloring activity books (get them at Wallyworld, K-mart, Dollar store, etc) You'd be surprised at how many kids like filling out workbook type pages - when they don't HAVE to do so. lol
ReplyDeleteGo to school/homeschool sites and look for free activity pages/printables there too. Also look for "Activity center" projects on these pages. Some math workbooks/pages comes with a coloring page. You have to solve some math problems to get the correct color to color in the page (color by number pages).
Also, give them a package of candy/little foam pieces/anything really that has different size/style/color pieces, etc and have them sort them into groups and then graft the resultant categories. They tend to love doing that.
If you have more than 2 kids, include some packets of game cards - fish, old maid, memory cards, etc. (or just have a deck of regular playing cards and teach them how to play these games with that deck).
Look up "quiet book" activities. A lot of those are sewn/glued pages, but they last a long time and have fun activities on them.
Also, paper doll patterns or make felt shapes and a little felted board out of a small slate (have the slate on one side and cover the other side with felt. Include shapes - circles, clouds, trees, people, animals, etc. (stuff to use to tell stories with) and then some chalk and an eraser for the other side.
From a former homeschooling mom who's kids are now grown.
Oh, yeah. Some magazines for kids (the old Jack and Jill - if it's still around) was a fun magazine for kids. Put the pages in a binder and they can be reused. I used to put the "Friend" magazine (LDS)activity pages in a binder. Anything that needed cutting out (sometimes there's a game in there), I'd cut out and cover with contact paper (clear) or laminate. (they last longer)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. Love how it is reusable and for all ages.
ReplyDeleteYou have lots of practical tips and fun ideas on here.
Just letting you know that I've nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award. You can find out more about it here: http://controllingcraziness.blogspot.com/2012/12/liebster-blog-award.html
Such a great idea. I can tell you are an awesome grandma! The type I will be someday, I hope. (The hope is on the awesomeness...not the being a grandma thing. At least not anytime SOON! LOL!)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. Using the washable markers is so smart. Saves on paper as well as grandma running to the computer. thanks for sharing with Share Your Cup.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jann
Pssst, you are featured today!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.violetimperfection.com/
Great idea!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous idea! You are so creative. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Thank you so much for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Kathy
Clever idea!! Thank you for linking up with the Clever Chicks this week; I hope you’ll join us again!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
Great idea, you are very organized!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at the Adorned From Above Blog Hop.
Adorned From Above,
Debi.
The Busy Bee's,
Myrna and Joye.
I love the idea! Hope you get a chance to pop by & link up this week. PS. I have two giveaways going on right now feel free to enter! @ DearCreatives.com
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I have a board of free printable activities on Pinterest. I like the tracing activities. Thanks for sharing at Mom's Library!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea!! Thanks for sharing at Romance on a dime last Tuesday!!
ReplyDeletethis is such a great idea. I love this. Thanks so much for sharing at Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop. This weeks party is live. I hope to see you there.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/12/7-recipes-and-wednesdays-adorned-from.html
Debi @ Adorned From Above
Joye and Myrna @ The Busy Bee's
Linda @ With A Blast
My older sisters used to do something like this for me. I used to love it. Particularly the stickers they put on my page when I did a good job, even if they were just stickers from the local courier company!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great idea, I love that you can reuse it! I showed you off this morning!
ReplyDeleteCarlee
www.ladybirdln.com
This is such a great idea! I think I'm going to make some for my kids for the Dr's office! I have so many appointments and if they don't have schoolwork to bring along (we homeschool), they are always struggling to find something to bring/do. This would be so simple to put together and the reusable factor just makes it that much better. Thanks!!
ReplyDelete