{& Big Family Friday link-up}
Welcome back to day five in our current series 10 Days of Homeschooling for Free & Frugal.
(<— Click on the above link if you’ve missed a post)
You also may want to follow my Homeschooling for Free Pinterest board too.
Today my friend Tabitha shares
The internet offers an abundance of free printables perfect for homeschooling, but sometimes I just cannot find what I want. So, when I get an idea in my head and I cannot find it online, I create my own printables.
If you are sitting there and thinking, “I could never do that. Just looks too hard. Too time-consuming…” let me give you some tips that will help put your anxiety to rest.
Software for Making Printables
If you are wondering if you need special software to create printables, the answer is “no.” You can use almost any document software to create printables as long as it allows page formatting and supports the use of clip art.
I use Microsoft Word
Choosing Clip Art for Printables
If you are using your printables at home and will not be distributing them past your front door, images are easy to find. However, if you plan to post your printables on a blog or use them in your co-op, please make sure that they are royalty-free or public domain. You do not want to be stepping on anyone’s copyright. And, be kind… disclose where you got your images so the artist gets the credit they deserve.
Personally, I use the images within Microsoft Word or from their online library. If I cannot find what I want there, one of my favorite hang-outs is at MyCuteGraphics.com. I used her cute clip art almost exclusively for my Multiplication Printables with Visual Cues.
Page Formatting Your Printables
When I am creating a printable document, I set the margins to zero all the way around the page and do not use a header or footer. I want the entire page to be my canvas. However, you have to keep in mind that printers have their own set of margins and each printer can be different. So as you lay out your worksheet, keep in mind that images which go to the edge may be cut.
If you are going to be creating multiple printables of a similar style, save yourself some time and create a template. Once you set up your text boxes and place your images, save the file. Then, each time you use this template to build a slightly different variation, you can click to “save as…” and give it a new file name, keeping your template intact.
Now, sometimes, your images or text boxes will try to jump around on the page. Here is a tip: Set the text wrapping on all text boxes and clip art to “square.” Then, you can drag them all over the page. If you need to overlap your images, choose either “behind text” or “in front of text.” Then, you can use the “send to back” or “bring to front” options to layer them in the order you prefer.
Practice Makes Perfect
The more time you spend with your software, the easier making your own printables will become, but if you feel your anxiety level rising, walk away. Check your library for a manual on your software, look online for tutorials (at a website like YouTube where you can see what they are doing), or take a community class that focuses on how to use your particular software.
As you grow in confidence, you will find that creating your own homeschool printables becomes easier and easier. Then, you will have exactly what you need, when you need it, and the only cost is your time.
Saved by grace, Tabitha Philen (also known as “Penny” to her readers) is a homeschooling, coupon clipping, frugal living wife to one terrific husband and mom to four amazing kids, ages eight and under. You can learn more about her at MeetPenny.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Lamp Post Homeschool Store sells discounted homeschool products. As a bonus to the readers of this series when you sign-up to receive Holy Spirit-led Homeschooling in your email or reader, you’ll find on the bottom of the posts for the next week an additional 5% off coupon code that is good until the end of April. (If you already subscribe check the bottom of your post!)
- Don’t forget to enter the Spring Blessing Giveaway for your chance to win $360 in paypal cash!
- This month I’m offering a limited-time freebie for ‘likers” of my Facebook community! (If you don’t Facebook, but subscribe via email, just email me and I’ll send you a copy
)
………………………………………
The 10 Days Series is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutually beneficial projects. Visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. And of course, click the image below to visit all the 10 Days posts from these homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network.
You’ll be blessed with tips on how to handle bad days, cultivating curiosity, teaching with Legos, and much much more!
………………………………………
I am so thankful for you! I am just now considering homeschooling for my two boys and I feel completely overwhelmed like a fish out of water. You have so much helpful advice, wisdom, encouragement and resources. You are such a blessing! THANK YOU!! Blessings, Kelly
Kelly, I’m so thankful for you and all of your healthy living tips! Let me know any homeschool questions. I live & love this life.
I’ve just started to create some printables…. thanks for the tips! I’m enjoying this series!
Thanks for this great tutorial! And thanks also for hosting Big Family Friday.
We are in the process of completing our licensing to become a Foster Home. The Lord just keeps bringing me to websites such as yours, over and over again!! I’m finding some very helpful information here, and I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this site! THANK YOU!!!
It’s nice to meet you, Christi! We’ve been foster parents too.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great info…now if can only convince myself to follow thru! LOL We are not big into worksheets, but they definitely have their place. I can see where this could come in handy. I see lots of practicing in my future.
Our online resource, Time4Learning, has printables for lots of our lessons, and we also use the printables at Spelling City. I am all for them being done for me.
Joyfully,
Jackie
My Attempt at Blogging
Quaint Scribbles and 3 D Learners
oh thank you!! I have made some printables but the few tips you shared here will help me a TON from here on out! thanks so much!
How funny! I was just looking up some printable “how-tos” and your site came up on the search engine. This is helpful – I pinned it so I can come back later!
Hey, that’s great..go Google juice
awesome post! I love making printables
these are great! Wish I’d had this tutorial when I began trying to make them lol- it was touch and go there for awhile 
Thanks for this post. I’ve made a few printables, but like some of the tips here. We already own publisher, so I’ve asked my daughter to create the printable that’s in my mind. Maybe I can find time to make some more.
Thanks for publishing these articles (I’m too disorganized to run a website, but I like to add comments.) Here is a suggestion for Open Office. I use it for a combination of penmanship & spelling. To make a worksheet, first I made a background image, white with light blue lines, in Paint, and downloaded & installed my cursive font, Crayon L, which is free. You just have to use trial & error to get the spacing of the lines right. I made it so it could tile, then I used the background section of the Format Page command in O.O. to add it. Then I added frames to put the words in, & made the text light gray so it could be traced, & 110 pts tall for a first grader, & saved the blank sheet. There’s space for name, date, & 8 words total each 8 letters or so long, front & back. Now, I give my daughter spelling words from the Blue-Backed Speller (also free to download) & she types them, & I explain to her any corrections. The next day I print it (very professional look) & she traces the letters.
This is perfect advice for Open Office, thank you!
Thank you, we have open office and I haven’t used it much so I am sure this will help!
Your website has been HUGE in our homeschool journey since January. Thank you for following the Holy Spirit and sharing so freely!
Bless your family!!!