Fruit Patterning using Printables from Playing House (Photo from Fun with Mama)
Whether you use Montessori education or a more traditional form of teaching or homeschooling, free printables are invaluable for saving time and creating attractive, professional-looking activities.
Creating Montessori-Inspired Activity Trays
I already have a post with free Montessori materials online with links to many fantastic Montessori printables. Montessori printables are generally created for hand-on learning. Montessori activities are arranged attractively in baskets or trays on low shelves where preschoolers can easily choose their own activities.
Other printables can generally be made into Montessori-inspired activity trays with hands-on learning, too. Often small objects can be added to the activity or you can think of how the activity can be made reusable. Many times, the pieces can be cut apart and laminated. Remember, the younger your child is, the more important hands-on learning is.
Thank you to the bloggers who so generously share their free printables. There are so many great sites offering free printables. I’ll be focusing especially on sites that have lots of printables available in color. Here are some sites with lovely printables that can often be made into hands-on activity trays (listed in alphabetical order according to my computer):
Sites with Free Preschool Printables That Work Well for Activity Trays
1+1+1=1 Kindergarten Printables (containing specific kindergarten skills)
1+1+1=1 Pocket Chart Printables
1+1+1=1 Preschool Packs (themed printables similar to the tot packs but with added skills for ages 3-5)
Pom Pom Numbers (Photo from 1+1+1=1)
1+1+1=1 Preschool Printables (including a section of Montessori printables) Photo from Pom Pom Numbers at 1+1+1=1.
1+1+1=1 Tot Books and Tot Packs (themed printables)
1+1+1=1 Tot School Printables (with a general target age of 2)
ABC Teach (Some printables are only available with membership, but many printables are free, including some Montessori printables)
Christian Preschool Printables
M is for Mouse Puzzle and Magnet Work using Printable from Developing a Heart for Home (Photo from 1+1+1=1)
Developing a Heart for Home (Photo from 1+1+1=1)
Enchanted Learning (has a membership section but also has free printables)
Homeschool Creations Before 5 in a Row (BFIAR) (literature-based studies)
Homeschool Creations Preschool Packs (themed printables)
Homeschool Creations Preschool Printables (includes non-themed printables)
Homeschool Share Before 5 in a Row Resources (Check out the other printables at Homeschool Share, too!)
Itsy Bitsy Learners (free printables along with printables available for purchase)
KidSparkz (has a membership section but also has free printables)
KidsSoup (has a membership section but also has free printables)
A is for Apples Activity Tray using Printable from Making Learning Fun (Photo from Jada Roo Can Do)
Making Learning Fun (Photo from Jada Roo Can Do)
Mrs. Miner’s Kindergarten Monkey Business
Elephant Cards and Peanuts Cards and Counters using Printable from Our Country Road (Photo from Our Country Road)
Our Country Road (often has photos of the activities on trays, such as the elephant and peanut cards and counters)
Playing House (often has photos of the activities on trays) Photo at Top of Post from Fun with Mama.
Feed the Chickens Activity Tray using Printable from PreKinders (Photo from Counting Coconuts)
PreKinders (PreKinders Grid Game with photo from Counting Coconuts)
Teachers Pay Teachers (Teachers Pay Teachers has printables for all levels, both free and to purchase. There are over 2,000 free printables for preschoolers. You have to register to download printables, but it’s free and the weekly newsletter has links to free resources each Sunday.)
Teacher’s Pet (a UK site, so look for Foundation Stage activities for ages 3-5)
Fruity Cheerios Sorting Tray (Photo from The Princess and the Tot)
The Daycare Resource ConnectionThe Christian Home School Hub has unlimited downloads for $1 per year membership to access the site. (Here’s a link to an example of foreign language printables available through the site.)
The Princess and the Tot (photo of Fruity Cheerios Sorting)
Totally Tots (thematic posts with links to printables from sites listed here)
Do you have a favorite site or sites for printables that you use for activity trays?
Please “like” the Living Montessori Now Facebook page for daily links to additional posts and activities beyond what’s here on the blog!
I'm Deb Chitwood. My header photo models are my children, Christina, at 1 1/2, my son, Will, at 3, and Christina again at 16. Christina is now 22, and Will is 27. Please see the 
Thank you for all the links!
Thanks for your comment, Carine! I had fun checking out all the sites!
Deb recently posted..Montessori Monday – Table Setting
Thank you for including us on the list!! And thank you for the list, there are some on here that I havent heard of!
Our Country Road recently posted..Pinterest Tuesday-Nesting Edition
My pleasure … and thanks for all the printables and activities you share!
Deb recently posted..Montessori Monday – Table Setting
Thanks Deb,
As always you are most helpful. Love it
Jessica recently posted..Shapes and Colour Sensory Box
Thanks for your kind comment, Jessica! I’m so glad it helps!
Deb recently posted..Montessori Monday – Table Setting
What a fab list of places to get printables. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Lulu! I hope you find some printables that work perfectly for you!
Deb recently posted..Grace and Courtesy Games at Home or School
wow thank you so much deb . honestly i don’t know how one could possibly manage over 100 emails a day , with three kids all needing their mama all waking hours . i started subscribing to posts looking for ideas , printable s ,… for a while now i am considering unsubscribe to almost all and just follow you . you are keeping us updated of all what is happening in blog word and montessori . i think following your blog is more than enough .
What a sweet thing to say, Viv! I’m lucky that my kids are grown as far as online time is concerned, but it’s definitely difficult to balance the needs of young children with computer time. Actually, I can’t balance it all as an empty nester! I’m so glad my posts are helpful for you!
Deb recently posted..Montessori Monday – Building a Flashlight and Pipe Building
What a great resource. I’ll have to come back and visit this post often
Jackie recently posted..Three Billy Goats Fluff: Exploring Descriptive Language
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Jackie! I love that so many sites share such wonderful printables … makes it so much easier to create activity trays. I had to make everything by hand when I taught, so I really appreciate that there’s so much that can just be downloaded and printed out now!
Deb recently posted..Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
I love the pom pom activities!
Thanks for your comment, JDaniel4′s Mom! I think those are great, too – simple to prepare but fun and educational!
Deb recently posted..Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
Thanks for adding 3 Dinosaurs!
Cassie recently posted..Southwick Zoo Trip Review
I am overwhelmed! There are so many resources listed and I don’t even know where to begin (I guess this is a good problem to have). I have a kiddo who’s five years old and has a diagnosis of Asperger’s. I also have a 3 yr. old and 1 yr. old. To make matters worse I’m disorganized and a perfectionist–help! I’ve created 3 solid one to one correspondence activities and my little one (5 yr. old) is responding well. Also, she’s a visual-spatial learner and she learned to read 45 sight words with the aid of “Meet the Sight Words” (yes, it’s a video, but I was panicking about her not knowing how to read and was clueless about how to teach her). We are now going to get into phonics; she knows letter sounds, but doesn’t quite understand how they make words. Part of her issue is that abstract concepts present challenges for her. She gets big pictures (like putting together jigsaw puzzles–it’s amazing to watch her put together a 100 piece puzzle starting in the middle and all over the place, but somehow, she finishes in record time…), but smaller concepts go over her head. Teaching her to count objects seemed an insurmountable task and she eventually got the hang of it with lots of practice and clapping. I’m not sure how to progress and simply feel lost. Thanks for reading this novel if you did. Please feel free to email me any suggestions you may have. I appreciate it sincerely.
Wow this is a great list of links!