Saint Patrick’s Day Neighbor Gift + Printable

February 16, 2017 by Keri Houchin

Share a little luck with your neighbors this spring with a fun and easy Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I also created a cute printable tag that reads, “Our neighborhood is lucky to have you!”

I love the idea of a little leprechaun sneaking around leaving pots of gold on porches on St. Patrick’s Day. This is such a cute and fun way to surprise your neighbors.

You need just a few craft supplies and this free Saint Patrick’s Day printable to make this Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I made three versions of the tag – neighborhood, school, and blank so you can write your own message.

Supplies

paper mache pot (I found mine at JoAnns for $1.49.)
black chalk paint
paintbrush
black pipe cleaner
hot glue gun & glue
2 green ribbons, each about 24 inches long
St. Patrick’s Day printable (click to download)
chocolate coins or other candy

Directions

I started by painting the pot with the chalk paint. I painted two coats about halfway down the inside and all of the outside. Follow the directions on your paint.

Mine needed to dry an hour between coats and I let it dry completely overnight. I used an empty toilet paper tube to hold it up off of the newspaper while it dried.

Next, I used the hot glue to attach the pipe cleaner on the inside for a handle. This only needed to dry for a minute.

I cut the thin green ribbon and tied it to one end of the handle. I looped it through the tag, then wrapped the rest of it around the handle and tied it at the other end.

I then tied the thick green ribbon in a bow opposite from the tag and filled the pot with candy.

Don’t forget to add some treasure to your Saint Patrick’s Day neighbor gift. I found these chocolate coins at JoAnn too. If you have trouble finding them, rainbow candy like Skittles would be fun or anything wrapped in gold foil, like Rolos or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

If you don’t want to fill the whole container with candy, ball up some black tissue paper to fit in the bottom of the pot.

Download Printable HERE

Here are a few more spring printables you’ll love:

Printable spring bucket list

Printable spring break journal

Spring print and color bookmarks

Printable Teacher Valentine Gift Card Holder

January 9, 2017 by Keri Houchin

I received compensation for the links in this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Gift cards make the best teacher gifts. Let your child’s teacher know that you appreciate all they do with this simple printable teacher valentine gift card holder. Add a card to your teacher’s favorite coffee shop for the perfect gift.

I wanted to make this printable cute and thoughtful and something a teacher would really enjoy. I know teachers don’t love getting weird Pinterest-inspired gifts and I think we’re all guilty of doing that at one time or another. (*Raising my hand*)

Teachers work so hard and they definitely deserve a treat every now and then. One of the best gifts for teachers is a gift card. If your child’s teacher loves coffee, this valentine is sure to hit the spot!

And for my kids’ teachers, I think coffee is probably a necessity as much as a treat.

Teacher valentine gift card holder

This printable card says “I like you a latte, Valentine!” and has a cute little cappuccino with a foam heart.

This would also make a fun valentine idea for a coach, a girlfriend, or anyone else that you want to do something sweet for. In fact, this would even make a fun surprise for your spouse that you could turn into a date night.

Click to download the printable: Teacher Valentine

This Valentine’s Day card prints on regular 8-1/2 inch by 11-inch paper and trims to 6 by 9 inches. I recommend printing it on card stock for durability. You could also slip the cards inside an envelope, of course. Or, get professional help to order custom gift card sleeves. You can put anything on them, and store them away to use for other teachers.

Attach a Starbucks gift card {or your favorite local coffee shop} with washi tape for a cute finish or hide some double-sided tape on the back. There’s a bit of blank space if you want to add a signature.

This is a nice and inexpensive way to give a practical gift you know they’ll use, but still making it something cute and personal!

Here are a few more Valentine’s Day ideas you’ll love:

Printable Watercolor Valentines

Printable Fruity Valentines

Valentine’s Day Treat Poppers

Printable New Year’s Eve Countdown

December 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

Celebrating New Year’s Eve doesn’t need to stop when you have kids. Plan a special night at home with fun games and food while you wait for midnight. Use this Printable New Year’s Eve Countdown to space the fun out all night.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve as a family is lots of fun, especially when the kids are old enough to stay awake until midnight, but young enough to think that it’s a special treat. Spread out the fun activities all night with a special surprise to open and do each hour. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

6:30 p.m. – Supper time!

Start the evening with a meal that everyone loves. I usually let the kids pick out their favorite junk food that we don’t eat the rest of the year, like pizza bagels or mozzarella sticks.

7:30 p.m. – Play a game together.

Play a board game or card game together. If the kids are younger, they can be on “teams” with parents.

8:30 p.m. – Dessert.

What’s a party without dessert? It can be as simple at store bakery cookies or as fancy as a build-your-own sundae bar.

9:30 p.m. – Play another game.

Choose something different from the earlier one. Go on a scavenger hunt around the house, play 20 Questions, or tic-tac-toe.

10:30 p.m. – Make resolutions for next year.

Take turns telling stories about the best memories from the past year. Choose something you want to do better or something new for this year.

11:30 p.m. – Get ready to countdown to midnight.

Gather drinks for toasting, noise-makers, and party whistles, and keep your eyes on the clock.

Click to download the printable: Printable New Year’s Eve Countdown

It includes:

Happy New Year sign – trims to 8″x10″
Set of 6 “Open at” cards
Set of 2 blank cards for writing

You’ll also need envelopes, bags, or something to put your surprise messages in. Plus, of course, supplies for whatever your celebration plans include.

I printed my New Year’s Eve countdown on regular 8-1/2”x11” cardstock and cut out each countdown piece, then used some Glue Dots on the corners to attach them to the envelopes. The cards to go inside the envelopes are blank so you can write in whatever you want to do for the surprise is at the hour.

I love the ombre-like fading from dark purple to bright pink! These printables are so fun and will go great with and gold and sparkly accessories you want to add to your New Year’s Eve celebration.

Here are a few more things you’ll need for a fun New Year’s Eve party:

Go Fish + more printable games

NYE Printable for Kids

New Year’s Goal Printable for Adults

Printable Student Binder Covers

August 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

This post is sponsored. All opinions are mine alone. Thank you for supporting our site so we can continue to bring you great content!

School supply lists seem to get more specific every year. Sometimes that mile-long list doesn’t come with a lot of opportunities for personalization. Add these printable student binder covers to the front of a clear binder for a pop of color and fun. Add these printable student binder covers to the front of a clear binder for a pop of color and fun.

Is your family getting ready for school to start again soon? If you’re like me {and most other parents I know}, you saw that school supply list and winced a little. It seems every year the list gets longer, more expensive, and more detailed so I thought I’d make a little freebie to share.

Every bit counts, right? Now you can buy the cheap plain binders and use these fun printables!

When I was in middle school, Lisa Frank was the coolest school supply brand you could possibly have. Every Lisa Frank product – binders, spirals, folders, pencils, etc. – was the craziest bright colors. It was also covered in rainbows and unicorns and other fantastic animals.

The only way to be any cooler was to have a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper.

I think a lot of adults are nostalgic about the era of neon puppies and four-colored pens. Of course, trends usually come back around. I saw a girl with a side ponytail and a tie-dye shirt on a hoverboard last week.

If your child is all about rainbows and unicorns, they’re going to love these printable binder covers. They’re not quite as bright as Lisa Frank, but they’re pretty cute and appeal to a pretty wide age range.

I made four printable binder cover pages: a rainbow, a unicorn, a turtle, and a dolphin.

The backgrounds are cheerful pastel patterns and there’s space to write in your student’s name and the subject.

Click to download:

Print the pages on regular 8-1/2”x11” paper. Use one or all four, depending on what you need for school this year. These printable student binder covers are sure to make your child’s binders stand out.

For more back to school printables:

Printable student planner

Printable Star Wars lunch box notes

Printable after school snack list

Printable Doughnut Tic Tac Toe Game

July 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

If you need a “sweet” activity for your next party or just something to keep the kids entertained any day, this printable doughnut tic tac toe is just what you need. This simple and familiar game is one that everyone can enjoy.

My family loves playing games together. There are plenty of new ones we enjoy and of course, technology has given my kids tons of opportunities for educational games that I adore. And hey, I also love to zone out and play a little TETRIS on my phone every now and then!

There’s something I just love about classic games, though. We still play card games like Go Fish and Jenga.

Tic tac toe is one of those classic games that I think never goes out of style. It simple, but at my house, it can also get pretty competitive. I love that tic tac toe appeals to all ages. If you have kids in a wide age range, this is something that preschoolers up through teens can both play together.

This doughnut tic tac toe game is pretty simple. There are two pages: the board and the doughnut pieces. I made the doughnuts in two contrasting colors – pink and chocolate brown – instead of the traditional Xs and Os. There are 5 of each doughnut, giving you plenty of pieces.

Click to download: Doughnut Tic Tac Toe

Print the game on regular 8-1/2”x11” card stock. Cut out all of the doughnuts. If you have a 2-inch punch, you could use that to make it a little faster.

I didn’t cut out the center of my doughnuts, but you could.

Just like the original version, players take turns putting a piece on the board and trying to get 3 in a row.

For more fun summer activities to print:

Printable Tangrams + Challenge Cards

Printable Summer BINGO

Printable Ocean Coloring Pages

Printable Summer Bingo Game

June 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

Summer break from school is all fun and games – until the kids say those dreaded words “I’m bored.” For a fun party game or activity for any day, print this cute summer bingo game. It’s fun for a group of elementary-aged children.

There’s been a lot of nostalgia about the old-fashioned lazy days of summer going around. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of my summer time playing outdoors with my brothers, sister, and neighbors.

We also spent a lot of time indoors playing board games.

Of course, there were often battles about who was cheating at Monopoly, but we had a lot of fun. I think one of the best benefits of board games is that the kids are learning.

Board games are a great way to avoid the “summer slide” by practicing reading and math skills. Playing games with others also teaches kids to be fair, follow rules, and win or lose graciously.

These are definitely skills I want my own kids to keep practicing!

On my own blog, One Mama’s Daily Drama, I’ll be doing a Christmas in July feature with a free printable kids’ game every Wednesday throughout the month of July. Today for Busy Mom’s Helper readers, I want to share a fun printable summer bingo game.

This printable summer bingo game includes 4 bingo boards and 24 cards. I’ve also included the instructions on a cover page.

Traditional bingo has one person being the caller, who picks the numbers out of a tumbler. For this version, the cards are placed face down and one person flips over the top card.

All of the words have a summer theme. They’re appropriate for elementary readers, but older kids may enjoy playing too.

Click to download: Summer Bingo Game

Print the game on regular 8-1/2”x11” card stock. Cut out the boards and cards. You can print extra boards if you’ve got more than four players.

We used M&Ms for playing pieces, but anything small that won’t roll away will work. Use buttons, mancala marbles, or pieces from another game.

For more fun summer activities to print:

Printable LEGO Play Mat

LEGO Guess Who Board Game

Printable Summer Vacation Journal

Printable Star Wars Mother’s Day Card

April 24, 2016 by Keri Houchin

Mother’s Day is coming up and it’s time to show the geeky moms in your life what they mean to you. Moms are a lot like Jedi and it takes some serious skills to do all that they do. This printable Star Wars Mother’s Day card is the perfect way to says thanks.

If you think about it, Star Wars has a lot of awfully cool and strong moms.

Anakin’s mom, Shmi Skywalker, raised him by herself. She worked insanely hard to give him the best life she could, despite their circumstances. When the time came, she also made the difficult choice of letting him go because she knew that could give him a better life too.

Luke and Leia’s mom, Padme Amidala, might not have had the opportunity to show off her momming skills, but there’s no denying that she would’ve been a good mom. She fought for the rights of people everywhere and wasn’t one to back down even when the odds were against her.

Luke’s Aunt Beru raised him and taught him the value of hard work. He had to finish his breakfast and get his chores done before he could go hang out with his friends. That’s pretty much how it works in my house too.

We don’t know anything at all about Rey’s mom, but I believe that whatever happened to her, she must have made those choices to protect her daughter.

As a mom, I sometimes feel like I need Jedi skills to get everything on my to-do list done and still keep my younglings happy. I made this printable Star Wars Mother’s Day card to reflect that.

On the front, it says “The force is strong in my family.”

On the inside, “I got it from my mom. Happy Mother’s Day!”

Click to download: Star Wars Mother’s Day Card

Print your card on regular 8-1/2”x11” card stock. There’s no need to trim it. Just fold the card in half with the pictures and text facing outward. Fold it in half again with the front and back covers on the outside.

I like to use a wooden ruler to smooth the edges so that’s they’re really crisp.

If you want to DiY a gift for a Jedi Mom to go with your Star Wars Mother’s Day card, you might like these projects:

Star Wars rebel bleach tee

Star Wars lightsaber skirt

DiY mini Death Star

Printable Star Wars Banner {full alphabet + icons}

April 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

Perfect for celebrating Star Wars Day or a Jedi birthday party, this printable Star Wars banner includes all 26 letters of the alphabet, plus four cute character icons.

Star Wars is super popular right now and it isn’t going away anytime soon. We might be between movies, but May the fourth is always a big geeky celebration. It originated with a pun (May the fourth be with you) but now every year geeks worldwide celebrate.

In my house, I usually make something fun for supper that I can rename to pretend it’s from Star Wars. We watch one of the films as a family and maybe let the kids stay up a bit past bedtime.

Since The Force Awakens came out, my family has been in love with the new little droid BB-8. He’s pretty cute, so I had to include him in this printable.

Decorate for a party or use this banner as a fun photo backdrop.

I made the banner to simply say “Star Wars” and include four different character icons. If you want to say something else, there is also an extra set that includes the whole alphabet. That set also has an exclamation point and a blank square, just in case.

Click to download: Star Wars Banner with character icons OR full Star Wars alphabet

The characters included are Darth Vader, Boba Fett, R2D2, and BB-8. I wanted an even mix of bad guys and good guys. I guess so there would be balance…?

I recommend printing the banner pages on regular 8-1/2”x11” card stock. Cut out each of the flag pieces on the black lines and then use a single-hole punch to make holes in the top two corners of each flag.

Use ribbon or string to run through the holes and hang up the banner. Mine is two pieces that are each about 4 feet long. A single ribbon should work too, but you might need to use more tape.

I just stuck mine up with Scotch tape. It’s nice and light, plus I can move it around without messing up the walls.

For the perfect Star Wars party, you might also need these:

Star Wars Cupcakes + Printable Cupcake Toppers {that match this banner!}

Star Wars Activity Book

DiY Star Wars Rebel Tee

Sunshine Printable

March 12, 2016 by Lynn Driver

Need a little sunshine?

I’ve got some for you today in the form of a free SUNSHINE PRINTABLE! 🙂

Lynn here, from Riggstown Road, and nothing motivates me more than sunshine. Whether I’m doing house work, yard work, or school work, it just makes everything a little happier, ya know?

Speaking of school work, I teach my children at home, and they luuuuuv art projects. I decided I wanted to do a project with them and share it with you. I told the girls I wanted a painting of sunshine and asked for a volunteer. Taking the paint out equals immediate interest. 😉

My daughter, Elizabeth, chose to do this project and she painted the brightest, happiest sunshine I’ve ever seen, using her choice of colors and style, and I LOVE how it turned out. (In her words, it had to be perfectly imperfect. Wonder where she gets ideas like that?) I took the simple little painting and added some simple little words to it and created this printable art.

I love how it’s something we did together. And I love that it’s sunshine. Didn’t I mention that I am partial to sunshine? And, just like the real thing, I love how this printable version can brighten your day by brightening your space. Add it to your spring vignettes, or hang it on your own little “sunshine’s” wall. You’re sure to smile every time you look at it…at least I do. 🙂 I like the white space, but if you trim it off, the graphic is designed to fit nicely into a 5×7 frame. Perfect for someone’s desktop!

To get the free printable, click here: YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE FREE PRINTABLE

(*Printable is for personal use only.)

Be sure to share where you plan to add our little bit of sunshine to your home. My students would love to know! And if you’re feeling inspired, pull out the paints and create some one-of-a-kind artwork with your little artists. 😉

Want more easy wall art, ideas, or printables? Check out these posts:

Using Décor to Make Each Child Feel Special

Printable Chalkboard Art

Printable Menu Planner

Printable fruit coloring page for kids & adults

February 24, 2016 by Keri Houchin

This printable fruit coloring page has a pattern of apples, oranges, and bananas. It’s simple enough that kids will have fun with it, but detailed enough to be a great adult coloring page too.

Who doesn’t love to color? It’s such a relaxing activity, no matter what your age is. It also has tons of other benefits.

Practice fine motor skills
Learn the names of colors
Create patterns
Try new art techniques
Clear your mind and de-stress

The great thing about coloring is that there are no rules. Color outside the lines if you want to!

You could use traditional crayons or colored pencils on this printable. This would also be a fun activity to branch out into watercolors, pastels, or even paint (if you print this on something a little thicker, like card stock).

I think that maybe the neatest part of this is that apples and bananas come in lots of colors. Oranges are pretty much orange, though. That means you can use a whole lot more than just classic red, orange, and yellow.

These are pretty simple icons, so you can imagine that the apples are granny smiths, red delicious, or even pink ladies.

My 9-year-old has a silly rhyme about bananas being like stoplights:

Green means slow, yellow means go, and red means… Where did you get that banana??

We thought that was pretty true until we discovered that there is a species of banana that is red. It’s smaller than a regular banana and grows in Australia.

Now that you’ve learned your weird-but-true fact of the day, grab your printable. To download your free printable fruit coloring page, click HERE.

This fits on regular 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper. It’s also light on the ink, so print as many pages as you like.

Looking for more printable coloring pages?

Print and color bookmarks with trees

Spring print and color bookmarks

Printable Mother’s Day coloring card

Print and Color Bookmarks with trees

February 9, 2016 by Keri Houchin

This printable combines two classic kids’ activities: coloring and reading. These print and color bookmarks feature cute little trees to color. They’ll also encourage reading and have space for personalizing.

Although they have very different interests, both of my kids love to read. My son might bury his nose in a graphic novel or read a nonfiction book about space or technology.

My daughter, on the other hand, can usually be found with a fiction book (or three) that weigh enough to make her backpack awfully heavy.

There’s one thing they both have in common. Neither one of them can keep up with bookmarks. Dozens come into the house from school or the library, and I’ve even bought a few. Somehow, they always disappear, though.

I imagine that they are hiding with a handful of odd socks and that one Tupperware lid.

If your child is like mine, you’ll love these print and color bookmarks. You can print as many pages as you need, anytime.

There are four bookmark designs and each one has trees and text to color. The print and color bookmarks are on one 8-1/2 by 11-inch page.

I recommend printing on card stock so they are sturdy. Although I didn’t do this, you could even laminate each one after you color and cut it out.

Click to download: print and color bookmarks

Of course, these aren’t just for kids. I love all the new adult coloring pages and books available. I don’t always have time to finish the most detailed pages, though. I have to admit, I also feel like I should be making something useful.

That makes these perfect because you could color them in a short time and then use them in your books. Plus, it’s a great excuse to set aside time for relaxing and coloring or reading.

Looking for more printables to color?

Spring bookmarks to print and color

LEGO story builder

Ultimate list of free printable coloring pages

Printable Chalkboard Art: Bright Sunshin’ Day

August 13, 2015 by Angela Paris

Printable Chalkboard Art makes a great addition to any room! This “It’s Gonna Be A Bright Sunshin’ Day” really makes a wonderful DIY gift for any occasion, too.

Printable Chalkboard Art

I love creating my own wall art, especially chalkboard themed. I am super excited to share this printable chalkboard art with you today. It’s such a simple but fun design, and you can’t beat the sentiment! Don’t you think this would be lovely in a nursery, living room, or even classroom or a cubicle? Anywhere you need a little mental pick-me-up. When I’m having a rough day, sometimes stopping for a moment to concentrate on a positive thought can help me turn it around.

This printable makes a great gift for birthdays, teacher appreciation, housewarming, or just because. It would also be a sweet gift for someone struggling with a chronic illness or disease. It’s a thoughtful little something that is sure to make the recipient smile.

For the best quality, take it to your local copy center to be printed. It’s pretty affordable depending on the quality of paper you select. And this way you don’t use up all your black ink. Then just pick up a pretty but inexpensive frame for the finishing touch. For chalkboard printables, I love a simple white frame, but a buttery yellow would be lovely with this, too.

Sometimes we all need to remember the importance of sunshine and a positive attitude! Download this fun free Bright Sunshin’ Day chalkboard printable art today.

D O W N L O A D > > >

Note: These graphics are property of Juggling Act Mama. These graphic file is for personal use only and cannot be sold or republished. Please see our Copy Right Notice for more information.