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 ( I use washable instead of dry erase because dry erase rubs off onto hands then onto my house) 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 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 ( I use washable instead of dry erase because dry erase rubs off onto hands then onto my house) 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?
First published at Family Home and Life. Copyright © 2013 by Hill House Homestead ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I liked this idea the first time I saw it at FHL but now it's more relevant because my grandkids are getting old enough to do these kinds of activities. I think even kids who are too young would join in too, thinking they are "all that" even though they just scribble! But what Grandma is going to make a fuss over that, right Connie?
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