Image Credit: Rod Kay
Now that the excitement of back to school shopping is over, and we’re settling into a routine, I’m constantly on the lookout for things that are fun and different, something to shake-up the every-day and make learning exciting; making school special as a homeschooler.
At this age, my kids don’t need fancy expensive text books. In fact, we get most of our homeschool worksheets online for free and just print them out. My oldest is six and entering the first grade, so easy math, handwriting practice and things like color by number, connect the dots, etc to improve his coordination and motor skills are something we need a lot of. We’re working on counting money, learning to tell time on an analog clock, and writing sentences. I’m finding so many free printable worksheets online and bookmarking sites left and right!
Free Printable Math Worksheets
HomeschoolMath.net is a great resource for all age levels. Right now I’m using a lot of the first grade worksheets, but I’m really excited to know they have the years ahead covered! HomeschoolMath.net is well organized so you can sort by grade, then by addition, subtraction, money, clocks, etc.
Education.com also has a really great selection of printable math worksheets for all ages. I like that some of theirs are colorful, and they have more than just the standard numbers, symbols and lines. My son enjoys the picture math where he counts stacks of objects, writes the numbers, then adds the numbers. It’s a break from the boring black and white worksheets I normally print to save ink. Education.com has a free version that allows you to download or print 10 sheets a week, or you can purchase a subscription for unlimited. I save the downloadable PDFs to my computer so I can print additional copies of the same downloads!
Math-Drills.com has worksheets divided by number. So you can get a worksheet for Adding 4’s or Multiplying by 5’s. I think these will be especially helpful when we get to multiplication cause I can use those sheets to help with memorization.
Printable Handwriting Worksheets
Handwriting can be a boring subject. And for a perfectionist child like my oldest, very frustrating. He gets upset when his letters aren’t perfect, or when I switch sizes of ruled paper on him. He much prefers writing sentences, or using his penmanship practice to also memorize a verse or the days of the week than to sit and trace letters. I’ve even personalized some of his sheets and bought fun Transformers pencils with colorful erasers to make things more fun. Angela goes a step further and Customizes her son’s Composition Notebook Covers with #ScotchExpressions Tapes!
Education.com also has handwriting practice sheets, activities and crafts that help with handwriting. I like that there are some really fun options, disguised as fun crafts, and not just lined paper with sentences to copy. Education.com has a free version that allows you to download or print 10 sheets a week, or you can purchase a subscription for unlimited. I save the downloadable PDF’s to my computer so I can print additional copies of the same downloads!
HandwritingPractice.net is by far my favorite, because I control what goes on the page. If we’re working on learning our home address and mom’s phone number, or writing his full name, I can type those in and print them out and my son gets the handwriting practice and memorization of important info all rolled into one. This is also wonderful for memory verses, sentences and short stories. You use Sentence Practice and tell it to repeat the same thing on each line, or use the Paragraph Practice to fill the whole page with a story or verse. They have six styles of worksheets for print and cursive writing! If you register and login, you can save worksheets to print later so you don’t have to recreate them each time.
Connect the Dot Printables
Connect-The-Dots.info organizes their sheets by the highest number on the sheet. I like this because it grows with my children. My oldest has no problem with the Up to 100 sheets, but younger kids would be overwhelmed by that and may want to start with Up to 30.
Coloring.ws divides their dot-to-dot printables by difficulty; letters, numbers, and skip counting! I love dot-to-dot for teaching sequences. My son loves that the picture is a mystery until he solves it by connecting the dots.
BigActivities.com has dot-to-dot worksheets divided by occasion. They also have printable math and handwriting practice sheets, so be sure to check those out!
More Back to School Resources
- Free Preschool Activity and Educational Websites
- DIY Reading Flashcards for Meeting Your Child’s Individual Needs
- Best Free Printable Chore Charts for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Creating a Personalized Homework or School Supply Station
