Make the most of your printables!

So now you have your favourite printables, maybe these ones or theseones or ones of your own.  Printing these off for every child you see is unrealistic (and expensive)! 

Here are some great ideas to make the most of your printables so you can use them over and over again with one child or multiple children. Each of these options involves using a dry-erase marker to write which can then be wiped clean with a tissue.  I use an alcohol wipe when I notice my "page" needs extra cleaning. 

Try these ideas to make the most from your printables!

1. Laminate each page. - Laminators are a great investment if you are intending to do a lot of laminating. Fantastic way to protect printables as well as visual schedules, reward charts, reference sheets, certificates or anything else you may want to protect.  Laminating a page instantly turns your printable into a dry-erase board or playdough mat.

2. Laminate a "window" - Laminating every single printable you have can be time consuming and expensive too! I have made a laminated "window" which allows me to slip in a piece of paper to use.  The "window" is made from a frame of coloured paper and this helps visually to draw your child's attention to the page. I join two laminated "frames" together to make my "window".  I carry my "laminated window" in my therapy bag and it allows me to use it with multiple children in a day using different printables. Sometimes I will laminate a "window" to give to teachers or parents so they can use some of the printables that I suggest.

3. An empty CD case makes an excellent dry-erase board. They work perfectly with the Connect Puzzle printables by Your Therapy Source that I wrote about last week.  CD cases are light and compact.  I clip my "connect puzzles" to the CD case with a large bull-dog clip and it is so easy to transport.  Kids love the novelty of writing on the CD cover too!

4. A plastic photo frame also makes a great dry-erase board.  I have used them with visual schedules at home as well as printables such as Alphabet letter roads. These plastic picture frames were purchased from IKEA.

Have you turned your printables into dry-erase boards? What is your favourite idea?

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