First Day of School Signs Set PreK-12th Plus College and Adult!

I love when the first day of homeschooling rolls around! The first day of school is usually sometime at the end of August at my house, and we do some light schoolwork during the summer as well. My kids know that when the first official day rolls around, it's time for the photo of them holding their "first day" signs.

Now, it looks a little different now since I have two kids left homeschooling and three adult kids. It's not so easy to get all five of them together to hold their signs and smile for the smartphone. Plus their ages are 14+ and this means they are kind of "over it." Still, they'll do it for me if I beg them enough 😂

Lately I might have a photo of my two youngest, another of my adult son who has a career now, and then another of my two who are in college. (I created a "First Day at KU" sign for one of my sons for this fall, but it's just for us since I'm sure the logo is protected.) 

Likewise, your homeschool might look different each year. Maybe you have a couple at home, a couple in public school, and your oldest in a private Christian school. 

I got tired of trying to find these signs every year online, figuring out if they were free and if they were easily printable (you know when you download something, but the size is all wrong and you can't make it work?). So I decided to make my own set of 21 First Day of School Signs and sell it in my Etsy shop. That's how I seem to do a lot of things in my entrepreneurial mind: write non-fiction books I need (writing markets, cookbooks, etc.), create signs I need every year, create printable lists and planners I will use myself and then realize others might also find them useful — you should try it! I bet you have some great ideas for products you could sell on Etsy or TeachersPayTeachers, etc.

I pray that your school year is amazing and full of friendships, fellowship, faith-filled adventures, and lots of fun and learning!

P.S. Please let me know if you have suggestions for signs I could add to the set of 21 (and I'll keep the price the same). I don't want to leave out the babies and the in-the-womb little ones, and everyone deserves a "first day of" sign.

Pastel Printable Multiplication Table

In third grade, I had no choice but to memorize multiplication facts using flash cards. My parents would practice with me at home, I would practice at school, then I would get tested by the teacher on how well I knew them. I had to learn one set before moving to the next. I remember the 8s and 9s kicking my butt. I also remember my mom giving me a little prize, like a book, after I'd mastered the harder ones.

These days I notice that public and private school kids alike don't know their facts. I remember trying to do it with Joel and failing miserably. Kids in school have a handy dandy multiplication facts table like the one below that I created. I think the reasoning is that they will learn them this way if they have to look them up over and over, and I've found it to be a really helpful resource.

I created a cute multiplication table in my Etsy shop for just $1.00 and would love for you to come over and check it out.

Happy mathing!

3 Printable Activities to Encourage a Growth Mindset

Looking for a non-screen activity to do with your child that’s still education? We’ve got you covered!

The world is a turbulent place, so it’s more important than ever to encourage them to effectively solve

problems and adapt to change. 

No one likes their kids to feel discouraged (especially in school and life), but being challenged is an

important part of growth. To help you teach problem-solving in the comfort of your own home, the

folks at Tommy John created three printable activities to help kids develop a growth mindset. 

These printable activities act as a useful resource for helping teach your kids to be more self-aware

and confident. The best part is that they’re easy to do anytime, whether it’s driving in the car or at the

dinner table. The more quality time you spend at home with your kids, the more opportunities you’ll

have for teachable moments. Let’s get started!