Free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah greeting cards

We're so fortunate in the US, to have so many rich and varied holiday traditions and cultural observances in which to participate: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Here are free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah color your own greeting cards to share.  Free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah greeting cards

World War I Books and movies for Armistice Day and WWI 100th anniversary films

Veteran's Day remembers the World War I armistice (truce) on November 11, 1918. Though no WWI was a poignant and pivotal epoch in history. Remembrance Day 2014 is especially solemn, said the Christian Science Monitor November 11. It's the 100th anniversary of the year the war began in Europe.



Hailed the Great War to "end all wars" it didn't. A global conflict broke out not 20 years later thanks to inadequate resolution of WWI. The first mechanized, non-Napoleonic war, WWI soldiers experienced horrors unheard of in their fathers' wars--aerial dogfights, chemical and biological warfare, land mines and machine guns. Big Bertha and Minnie (minenwerfer), tanks and trenches, weapons of mass destruction.



Teachers, here are literature-based films to help students experience and understand WWI. Show in civics, social studies, current affairs and history (middle school or older).  World War I books and movies for Armistice Day and WWI 100th anniversary films 

Free Printable Greek Mythology Coloring Pages and Lesson Plans

I love exploring mythology. All ancient religions impact our modern lives, but none so widely as Greek and Roman. The Greco-Roman pantheon is a family tree. At the top are Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Heaven) who begat Titans Cronus, Oceanus, Hyperion, Coeus, Cronus (Saturn in Roman mythology), Crius, Lapetus and the female Titanides Mnemosyne, Tethys, Theia, Rhea, Phoebe and Themis. The reigning 12 Olympians (aka Immortals) descended from Titans Cronus and Rhea (yes siblings, ick) then overthrew their forebears to rule Olympus.  Do love learning about mythology? Then here are Free Printable Greek Mythology Coloring Pages and Lesson Plans

Free Printable Frankenweenie, Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline Coloring Pages

Tim Burton is an enigmatic director. He's given us some wild rides in fantasy. In 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas gave audiences a whole new vision of Halloween and Christmas. The Nightmare Before Christmas and Jack Skellington gained cult following. Then Tim Burton brought Roald Dahl's children's classic James and the Giant Peach to the screen. In 2005, came another cartoon operatic horror comedy, The Corpse Bride. My personal favorite Tim Burton cartoon is from Neil Gaiman's book "Coraline." Here are printable Tim Burton coloring pages from favorite books.   Free Printable Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline Coloring Pages

9-11 Lesson Plans to Teach Kids About September 11 World Trade Center Attacks

September 11, 2001--dubbed 9/11 for the atrocity of terrorist attacks that occurred -is a day no adult American can forget. But how can we teach children about the World Trade Center, Flight 93 and Pentagon attacks in ways they can understand? How do you explain war and terrorism to kids? How do you commemorate what they never experienced? Here are free lesson plans to help.  9/11 Lesson Plans to Teach Kids About September 11 World Trade Center Attacks - Bubblews

Free Printable Murder Mystery Games, Detective Games

Do you love murder mysteries? Read detective novels? Do you love gathering clues, analyzing data, questioning suspects? If you love playing detective check out these links for free printable murder mystery downloads. Perfect for your next murder mystery weekend party!

Great educational activities for classroom and homeschool. Murder mystery and detective games help students learn problem-solving, deductive and inductive reasoning, distinguishing fact from opinion, categorizing details, gathering data, research and much more.   Click for murder mystery games and murder mystery party printables. For more free printable activities and free, safe online games visit me at www.freesafekidsgames.blogspot.com. Happy Sleuthing.

Free Printable Magic Tricks, Magician Themed Birthday Party Printables

Hey kids! Do you like to play tricks on people? Are you an aspiring magician? Would you like free printable magic tricks to show your audience? Maybe you'd like to have a magic themed birthday party? Here are free printable magic tricks and sleight- of-hand how-to demonstrations for my budding illusionist readers. Free Printable Magic Tricks, Magician Themed Birthday Party Printables

Best Historical Fiction Books for Tween, Teen Girls

 Historical fiction is becoming increasingly popular genre with school-aged girls. I've compiled a list from my 20+ year teacher career, highlighting the best historical fiction for tween and teenage girls. You'll note I didn't add American Girls. Those books are excellent, but written for slightly younger girls. But older girls can certainly enjoy them! This list isn't exclusively for girls, but most books have female protagonists so girls may be more drawn to them. Best Historical Fiction Books for Tween and Teenage Girls

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Free Printable Puppets and Preschool Themed Mini Books to Act Out

When I taught summer enrichment, one class that always went over big was puppetry. Here are free printable finger puppets, stick puppets, paper bag puppets and 3D play sets (to use like puppets). Many have accompanying mini booklets kids can read and act out with their puppets. There are Bible, animal, people, Disney character, monster and other puppet themes. Perfect for Vacation Bible School, summer school, daycare and rainy day fun!  Free Printable Disney, Animal, Bible Finger Puppets

Challenged, Censored Banned Books Arouse Love of Reading in Tweens, Teens

Want to teach kids to love reading? Tell them a book has been banned, censored or challenged by adults. Nothing sends a reluctant reader to the bookshelf quicker than thinking he's doing something verboten! Especially tweens and teens who love flouting authority anyway! Often students who most hate reading speak loudest against censorship and in solidarity with authors. God love them for that. So without further ado, my adolescent friends, here are the Most Banned Books? Authors of Teen, Children's Literature. Now get thee to a library!

Free Printable Christian Bible Craft Activities

Looking for Bible based coloring pages and Christian crafts? Look no further. In this article I've linked to websites with free printable Judeo-Christian themed craft activities. Use for Sunday School, Religious Education, CCD, VBS, Christian School or homeschool. Jews might use Old Testament Bible crafts for Hebrew shul or Torah lessons. Free printable paper crafts extend learning. Crafts take Bible lessons beyond ho-hum reading and memorization to interactive. Children get to cut, assemble, paste, color and fold. All these activities are hands-on and lots of fun.  Free Printable Bible Craft Activities

Free Printable Memorial Day Worksheets, Literature and History Based Crafts, Games

Memorial Day is the last Monday in May--May 26, 2014. As Remembrance Day, we honor veterans and those lost in U.S. wars. It's also Decoration Day, when we commemorate loved ones lost by putting flowers on graves. Teachers, homeschoolers, scout leaders and parents, here are free printable lesson plans, worksheets, crafts and games to teach kids about this national holiday. Activities are literature and history based. Kids might memorize "In Flanders Field" (link found in article) for a family Memorial Day recitation. Very moving and evocative of the day.  Free Printable Memorial Day Worksheets, Crafts, Games

Free Printable Spider-Man, Marvel Comic Book Superhero Coloring Pages

Hey kids, want free printable Amazing Spider-Man 3 coloring pages? I found some you're going to love (keep reading past the grown-up chatter and click the link at the end). Adults, you might quibble over whether cartoons, comic books and graphic novels qualify as literature. I say at least kids are reading. Pictures and illustrations provide context clues and help children learn to read. When they're ready, they'll start reading more challenging books. But you never outgrow your childhood favorites. I loved comics (still do). In that spirit, here are free printable the afore-promised. Free Printable Spider-Man Coloring Pages

Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Lesson Plans, Mexican History Worksheets

Want to know more about Cinco de Mayo? It's not just about tacos and pinatas. It's not the Mexican Independence Day (Sept. 16). Cinco de Mayo celebrates an epic battle between a tiny, outnumbered Mexican army and a superior French war machine. It's adventure, edge of your seat action, a story of courageous, clever heroes and swashbuckling deeds of daring-do! If you love military strategy, sieges, and battle drama, read more. Forget the fantasy and anime--read a real thriller! Click here to do so Free Printable Cinco de Mayo Lesson Plans on Mexican History

Free Endangered Species Coloring Book for Earth Day

The Environmental Protection Agency- EPA has developed a free printable 28-page activity and coloring book entitled Save Our Species. This free printable resource, perfect for Earth Day, has been developed and provided to the public as an educational information guide. On Earth Day, students can explore endangered species in the United States, by coloring the animals, plants and habitats.   Free Printable Earth Day Endangered Species Coloring Activity Booklet 

Free Printable Peter Rabbit, Velveteen Rabbit, Easter Bunny Crafts

Secular Easter is a child-friendly holiday. Baskets, candy, egg decorating, bunnies, baby animals, spring--things kids love. Here are free printable Easter bunny crafts, plus printables based on my two favorite bunnies in children's literature-- Peter Rabbit and the Velveteen Rabbit. Those books have been dear to me since I was a toddler. Parents and teachers, you'll want these for preschool classroom fun.  Free Printable Easter Bunny Crafts for Preschool

Preschool Animal Alphabet Themed Snacks with Printable ABC Animal Activities from A-Z

Teachers, want to make ABCs fun? Here are healthy animal alphabet-themed snacks from A-Z. Use Alpha-Bits cereal, letter pretzels, cookies for letter shape. Then follow these recipes to create educational snack crafts that teach reading. I've included free printable animal alphabet coloring pages and activities.
Preschool Animal Alphabet Themed Snacks From A-Z

Great Books for Boys, The Return of the Twelves

I've taught reading for several decades.My husband and sons love to read, but that's not the norm. It's not gender-biased to say boys more than girls tend to be reluctant readers. I made it my mission to find books boys would like. If they hated to read when they started my class, I made sure they loved it when they left. Here's a book boys will love  The Return of the Twelves, Boy Book Pick

Free Printable Craft Stencils For Book Themed Crafts

 Okay, raise your hand if you're sick of winter. Yep, we're fed up. Spring is but a few short days away, but Mother Nature seems oblivious. What say we ignore that old battleaxe and make our own spring fun? As March is National Reading Month, here are free printable stencils to use in a book themed party! Free Printable Craft Stencils, Holiday Patterns and Templates

Disney's 'Frozen' Party Treat Recipes, Winter-Themed Snacks

If you see one movie this winter, make it "Frozen." It's an arctic adventure like Hans Christian Andersen's "Fairy Snow Queen." Disney's Frozen is a perfect theme for a winter birthday or just-because party. Here's a menu of Frozen-inspired snacks kids will love.  Disney's 'Frozen' Party Treat Recipes, Winter-Themed Snacks for Kids

Harry the Dirty Dog Game, Craft, Snack, Printables

Are your kids going winter stir-crazy? Too cold to play outside long. Snow too deep for little one. Well, you need a craft afternoon. I learned as a teacher/homeschool mom to make lesson plans hands-on. So my craft parties include an interactive story and snack and lots of free printable book-based activities.
One of my husband's favorite children's literature characters is Harry the Dog, created by Gene Zion and drawn by Margaret Bloy Graham. My mom described a yarn bush she made for the birds and it reminded me of Harry. Here are activities based on "No Roses for Harry."   No Roses for Harry Recycled Yarn Craft, Snack, Printables

Book Crafts, Printables, Snacks, Games, Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?

2014 is going to down as the Winter of Infamy. But don't worry, parents of bored kids, teacher-mama has more children's literature activities. Hands-on lesson plans with story, game, craft and snack. Today's is on "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?" and appropriately for this arctic season-- "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" Both of these wonderful stories come courtesy of Bill Martin and Eric Carle. My oldest could read this entire books at three, thanks to the repetitive verse. Book Activities from Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Free Printable Harry the Dirty Dog Activities

Are your kids going winter stir-crazy? You need a craft afternoon. I learned as a teacher/homeschool mom to make lesson plans hands-on. So my craft parties include an interactive story and snack and lots of free printable book-based activities.   No Roses for Harry Recycled Yarn Craft, Snack, Printables

Best Childrens Literature for Black History Month

February celebrates Black History Month in U.S. history. In schools, students learn about significant people and events in the African American timeline. As a teacher and homeschool mom, I've designed and taught black history throughout the curriculum. Here's my preschool-second grade recommended reading list for Black History Month with free printable lesson plans. Some may disagree with my suggestion for Little Black Sambo to be included. But read on for my defense.  Best Pre-K-Grade 2 Kids' Books for Black History Month

Adventure Mystery Book Series for Boys--The Three Investigators

Do you have trouble getting your son to read? Boys are more often reluctant readers than girls. I'm a teacher and it's not gender-biased to say that. So how to get them to develop a love of reading? Find books they like. Might I suggest, for tween boys mystery, action, adventure, horror, historical fiction, sci-fi, tech, graphic novels, how-to? Just make sure it isn't boring.

And get them hooked on a series. That will keep them coming back for more. Our family favorite is one I read as a kid in the early 1970s--The Three Investigators. Three boys, Pete, Jupe and Bob solve mysteries as a home business. Jupe's uncle owns a salvage yard (HOW cool is that?) In exchange for work, they get junk (a boy's dream come true!). Their office-workshop is a salvaged trailer buried under yard scrap (does it get any better?) Yep it does. It's equipped with dark room, laboratory, private phone, intercom, periscope, microfiche and other spy-fi 60s gadgets. It's only accessible by secret passages and code words. Now do I have your attention, gentlemen? Oh you want to know where to lay your hands on these tales? Read on!  Adventure Mystery Book Series for Tween Boys--The Three Investigators

Why Yom HaShoah Jewish World Holocaust Remembrance Day?

January 27 marks Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, Jews around the world honor those lost in the Nazi genocide of World War Two. And we join them in commemorating this profound loss. The depth and width and breadth of Germany's Third Reich killing machine is too much to imagine.

And to think some deny the Holocaust happened. Those people I won't even think about. That monstrous egotism is beyond help. But then some basically loving people ask why Jews get to use the term Holocaust? Like it's a privilege? These people then cite other genocides of which sadly there are many.  It's petty, but there's hope of reaching these. So I explain Why Yom HaShoah Jewish World Holocaust Remembrance Day?

2014 Chinese New Year of the Horse Crafts, Printables

Chinese New Year begins early in western calendar January 31, 2014. This year, we celebrate the Year of the Horse. It's also called the Spring Festival and concludes with a Lantern Festival. I'd love to visit China--all that festivity! The theme is Good Fortune and the expression is "Gong Hay Fat Choy!" wishes luck for the coming year.
Speaking of luck, I happened upon a cute site I thought I'd share with parents: Activity Village. It's one I've used a lot over my career writing about educational printables. But they seem to have improved site loads and content. There are crafts, games, puzzles, coloring sheets and worksheets for kids on CNY (Chinese New Year). There are recipes, game and party ideas. Read on.  2014 Chinese New Year of the Horse Crafts for Kids

Creating Friend Maps to Learn Geography, Social Studies

When I was a little girl, my parents took me to visit big churches. The minister would ask if there were visitors and how far they'd come. It's one of the ways I developed my passion for world travel. Since I started writing online, I've done kind of the same thing. Writers come from around the globe. So I keep a mental map of places my friends hail from. You know, like those maps where you stick a pin in your location? You might attach a string to show how far you traveled to get there.  This is a great geography and social studies activity. My Bubblews World Friend Map, Where Should I Put Your Pin?