Free Printable Jigsaw Puzzles and Puzzle Generators

Do you love puzzles like I do? I've been working jigsaw puzzles since I was very young. I love crossword puzzles, Sudoku, word searches, cryptograms, mazes and word games. I called myself the "puzzle genius" (confident, if a bit bombastic, was me). Back in the olden days, aka when I was a kid, you had to ask mom or dad to buy you a puzzle book or jigsaw. You redid your old puzzles, over and over again. In this digital generation we're lucky to have online or free printable puzzles. Indulge your inner puzzle lover with free online puzzles. Use puzzle generator software to create and print jigsaw puzzle templates. Then carefully cut pieces apart and store in a Ziploc bag. Print hundreds of word games and puzzles from your home printer. Use for day care, Sunday School, homeschool, party games and crafts.

Free Printable Jigsaw Puzzles and Puzzles Generator

Free Printable Preschool Board Games, Learning Activities

I'm a certified special needs teacher for CI (cognitively impaired) students. I always write interactive lesson plans. Hands-on activities, like games, make content relevant, approachable and understandable for both general and special education students. Preschool kids particularly need multi-sensory learning activities. Happily, there are many free printable preschool games available online. Free Printable Preschool Board Games, Learning Activities

Free Printable Educational Crafts

Summer is an excellent time to explore the wonderful world of free printable craft projects. Cut and paste activities are perfect for day care, kids at home, road trips, rainy day fun and summer craft camps. During the summer, teachers and homeschoolers have an opportunity to make educational games and activities for their classrooms. Free printable activities are the perfect resource for educational games.  Free Printable Educational Cut and Paste Projects and Activities

Free Printable File Folder Games

 File folder games are one of the most popular types of educational games. File folder games are made using manila tag-board file folders. The game board is printed on the inside of the file folder. In necessary, a spinner is designed on the folder to replace dice. Any cards or game pieces are kept in a zippered plastic bag or pocket attached to the inside of the folder. The file folder stores upright in any filing cabinet or drawer. File folder games can be created to teach any subject or content area in school. File folder games are perfect for homeschool families, day care, tutoring and preschool centers also. File folder games work especially well with special needs students. Teachers print and make this summer for fall lesson plans! Free Printable File Folder Games

Free Printable Harvest Crafts, Plant Science Activities

This article is part of a series of six articles comprising six lessons in a science unit on plants. It has applications and adaptations for grades K-10 and addresses biology, math, social studies, writing (research and creative writing), literature, art, music and physical activities. The lessons are interactive and multisensory. You'll find lessons, printables, games, projects, web resources and literature connections. This article covers lesson one in our science unit; we will explore overall plant structure of the plant. Each section might take a week or two depending upon how much of the lesson you use. I've listed the content area that each lesson addresses. As always I'll begin with unit scope and sequence. Lots of "green" crafts! Read more...Gardening, Plant Science Unit - Plant Structure

Free Printable Winter Crafts

As the winter holidays wind to a close and the New Year approaches, kids will be going back to school. Now is the time that winter can get long. Why not celebrate the season with free printable winter crafts, snowflake patterns, coloring pages, party decorations, greeting cards and cut and paste? Click here

How to Make a Gourd Birdhouse

How to Make a Gourd Bird House- Easy Green Nature Craft
On a family visit to a local apple orchard and pumpkin patch, I discovered a great 'green' nature craft: Gourd bird house made from a Mexican bottle gourd. Gourd bird houses are easy, inexpensive, eco-friendly crafts, perfect for classroom or homeschool. Read More

Recycled Thanksgiving Paper Bag Native American Indian Vest and Headband Crafts

Many schools teach Native American history around Thanksgiving, but spring is a popular time for American Indian crafts as so many tribes host pow wows at that time. March is the time for the Navajo Morning Chant ritual, a holy period which marks the transition of seasons. It happens at the end of the thunderstorms but before the spring winds come. Here is a cross-curricular social studies unit with Native American Indian crafts, and homemade tribal costumes from paper bags. These Indian crafts are perfect for tribal costumes for Halloween and homeschool social studies lessons. This articles includes links for free printables of native American patterns to decorate Indian crafts.

Students' tribal costumes will require one large paper grocery bag each. From one bag, you will make a native American vest and headband. Draw circles on the sides of the paper bag, a few inches from the bottom (closed end) of the bag. Draw a line around the top open end of the bag, about two inches from the edge.Make the holes plenty large as these will be the arm holes. Draw a line up the center of the paper bag. Older students can measure and draw their own lines. Teachers should draw lines for younger preschool children. Younger students can practice scissor skills, cutting along these lines to make arm holes and a front opening for their vest. Next kids should cut off the flat bottom piece that the bag rests on. Cut along the folds that form the rectangle bottom. Last cut along bottom edge line and save cut off piece for headband.

When all cutting is done, turn paper bag inside out so that students can decorate tribal costumes on the blank side. Next wrap the headband piece around the child's head to size his Native American Indian headband. Use the leftover piece from the strip to make Native American Indian arm band or wrist cuff bracelet. Along the new bottom edge of the paper bag vest, draw vertical lines from the bottom up several inches. Children will cut along these lines to make a fringed edge for their Native American vest.

ECSE (early childhood special education), preschool and kindergarten teachers may want to cut and fold the paper bag American Indians vest for students and let them do the decorating. This craft does provide good scissors skills practice, however, so if you think your students will be able to do it without getting too frustrated, let them. Folding the bag inside out can be tricky, though. Teachers might assist.

To decorate the Native American Indian crafts and tribal costumes, use markers or crayons. Students can follow printables of native American designs or draw their own. If you have some feathers, give each child one or two to add to his headband. Feathers are a special possession in native American Indian clans. You could take children on a feather finding hunt for social studies and science connections. If the child uses his own feathers in his Indian crafts, this will tie in very nicely with the native way of doing things. Visit these sites for free printable native design templates and printables. This site has free printables of Native American Indian patterns for social studies. This article has free printables of Native American Indian masks for social studies

Free Printable Toy Story 3 Craft Activities and Party Supplies

Free Printable Toy Story 3 Coloring Crafts, Toys and Activities
Raise your hand if you can't wait until June 18, 2010. Why? Because that's when Disney Pixar's Toy Story 3 hits the big screen, in 3D. Can't wait to see Woody, Buzz all your Toy Story friends? Here are free printable Toy Story craft activities Read More

Father's Day Gift Coupon Ideas to Make With Children

Fathers Day Gift Coupons: Lesson Plans and Activities Gift coupons or love coupons make perfect gifts from children to parents. Here's a language arts lesson plan for homeschool or classroom use. Design and write love coupons for Father's Day as a writing, spelling and punctuation lesson plan. Read More

Jiffy Professional Greenhouse Seed Starter Kit: Fun, Easy, Inexpensive Green

Green Earth Day Garden Starter Kit: Jiffy Professional Greenhouse In northern temperate zones, gardeners often start seeds indoors to prevent late frost destruction. There are many green, recycled ways to do this, but lacking adequate space, I tried a seed starter. Jiffy Professional Greenhouse kit. Read More

Free Printable Earth Day Coloring Pages and Green Crafts

Free Printable Earth Day Coloring Activities
April 22 celebrates Earth Day, formerly called Arbor Day. Need free printable Earth Day lessons and activities for your science classroom, homeschool, 4H club or scout troop? Here are links for free printable environmental science activities.
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Free Printable 4th of July Paper Cutting Crafts

Free Printable Patriotic Projects and Activities These free printable patriotic crafts and activities might be used as lesson plans for school or homeschool. Hands-on activities liven up any lesson! Use these activities for American history, Government, Civics and Social Studies.Decorative and fun! Read on

Free Printable 4th of July Party Activities with U.S. History Ideas

Free Printable 4th of July Crafts Easy Kids' 4th of July Party Planner with U.S. History Ideas Games, crafts, menu, recipes for 4th of July fun. Includes some US history activities. Free printable 4th of July crafts

Craft Projects and Toys from the Recycle Bin

Rainy Day Toys and Games from Your Recycle Bin Your recycle bin is a veritable 'green' treasure trove for DIYer and earth-friendly fun. Here are 10 easy, green craft project toys and games from your recycle bin. Perfect for summer fun, rainy day fun, day care, scout troops, summer camp and homeschoolers! Read on

Free Printable Educational Paper Cutting Crafts and Activities

Free Printable Educational Paper Cutting Crafts Projects and Activities
Cut and paste activities are perfect for summer day care, VBS, road trips, rainy day fun and more. These free printable games and projects will help kids retain what they've learned in school. www.printables4kids.com. Read on

Beach Toys and Garden Tools from Milk Jugs

Green Crafts:Beach and Sand Toys or Gardening Tools from Recycled Milk Jugs Want to have a day of fun with only a milk jug? Here's a guide to make beach toys, sand toys and gardening tools from a recycled milk jug a pail, strainer/sifter, funnel, mold, garden rake, hoe and spade for the beach or garden using recycled milk jug. Perfect green crafts! Click here for details

Lent/ Easter Jelly Bean Craft and Devotional Activity

Lent and Easter craft using jelly beans. Devotional object lesson craft. Great way to use leftover jelly beans at Easter time. Inexpensive, educational, green craft. Great learning activity! Read more

Stations of the Cross Art Forms

Stations of the Cross Art Projects using different art media: Clay, watercolors, pastels, carving, mosaics. Perfect green craft for the Lenten and Easter season. Read more

Diorama Crafts from Recycled Materials

Free Diorama Craft Projects: Lesson Plan and Recycled Crafts Use recycled materials for a totally awesome diorama for classroom, school project, Sunday school, 4H club, day care, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, history club, model train club or anywhere! Cheap, free, fun, easy, creative and totally cool! Use this tool for any subject or content area! View more »