So … what do you think about worksheets? As a teacher, I wasn’t a big fan, and at home I try to do a lot of hands-on activities with my kids. But occasionally they ask for them. Last week, my Four was disappointed that all the activity books we’ve been given are out of pages at his level. He asked for more. So since I had just bought this transportation clip art from Pink Pueblo, I created a set of transportation worksheets for preschool.
So, what’s the lowdown on worksheets, anyway? As a former teacher and now a mom with four kiddos, here’s my opinion:
1) A steady diet of worksheets is bad. Worksheets don’t really teach. They assess. If we’re just giving our kids worksheets, we’re checking to see if they know things we haven’t really taught them.
2) Young kids learn best through exploring and experiencing. Worksheets don’t allow much of either.
3) The best way to teach kids to read? Read to them. The best way to teach kids math? Let them sort, count, and manipulate real objects.
And yet… I think it’s a mistake to outlaw worksheets entirely.
4) Worksheets can reinforce skills kids have already learned — identifying letters and beginning sounds, practicing rhyming skills, matching, completing patterns… you get the idea.
5) Worksheets can give helpful fine motor practice as well as give kids the chance to follow directions and follow through on a structured learning activity.
6) Some kids like worksheets. If it’s what they enjoy, and you’re not skimping on authentic learning experiences, it’s not going to hurt them!
In the literacy pack you’ll find
- 4 beginning sounds worksheets
- 1 ending sounds worksheet
- 1 picture / word matching worksheet
- 1 rhyming worksheet
The worksheets are for different ability levels — ranging from about age 4-6, although your 3-year-old might be ready for some of them.
My kids liked using these dot markers to complete some of the pages.
Get the free literacy pack HERE.
Print in grayscale if you’d like – color isn’t necessary.
In the math pack you’ll find
- 1 worksheet of counting 1-5 objects
- 1 worksheet counting 1-10 objects
- 3 “which picture doesn’t belong?” worksheets (3 levels)
- 1 “find the biggest” worksheet
- 1 “find the smallest” worksheet
- 2 “complete the pattern” worksheets (2 levels)
- 2 addition worksheets (2 levels)
- 2 subtraction worksheets (2 levels)
Again, you’ll find that the worksheets are appropriate for different ability levels – from kids in about the age 4-6 range.
If you’d like to be able to use some of the worksheets again, you can have your child use magnets to cover the correct answer.
Get the math pack HERE.
Again, print in grayscale if you’d like – color isn’t necessary.
I hope your preschooler or kindergartner enjoys these transportation worksheets!
Find many more free printables…
© 2013 – 2018, Anna G. All rights reserved.
Niki says
Thanks again for sharing.
annageig says
You’re welcome, Niki – as always, thanks for stopping by!
Angela @ Teaching Mama says
Wow, Anna! You are so generous!! These looks awesome–thank you! Off to pin!
annageig says
Hope you can use them, Angela! They were fun to make. 🙂
Teacher@Home says
This looks fantastic. You produce some awesome resources. Thank you.
annageig says
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you can use them.
Katie @ Gift of Curiosity says
I love your discussion of the pros and cons of worksheets, and I wholeheartedly agree. I, too, create printable worksheets for kids, but I would in no way advocate that printable worksheets be the main focus of learning.
annageig says
I appreciate your comment, Katie!
Debbie @ http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.com/ says
Great pack! Thanks for sharing at TGIF! Pinned it!
annageig says
Thanks for the pin, Debbie!
Kirstylee says
These pages are amazing. My kids love all things car and truck so I am sure they would love learning from a pack like this. I love that you use dot markers and those magnets for the different pages. Sometimes my kids do get sick of dot markers and it is nice to have an alternative.
annageig says
Thanks so much, Kirstylee! I hope your kids enjoy them.
Jana @ HowToRunAHomeDaycare says
These worksheets will be just the thing for my four year old son. Thanks for the magnet idea so we can re-use them!
annageig says
You’re welcome, Jana! Thanks so much for stopping by.
meghan says
Wow- thank you so much! I totally agree, worksheets have a time and place.
My daughter will love the beginning letter sound sheets! And, why have I not thought to use our dot paints for worksheets?! How FUN!
Thank you so much for sharing. =)
annageig says
I’m so glad you stopped by, Meghan! I hope you can use them.
Betty @ Home Educator Mom says
I love all your worksheet and all other resources. Thank you for linking up with me at Home Educator Mom.
annageig says
You’re welcome, Becky! Thanks so much for stopping by and hosting a link up!
Renae says
Thank you so much for sharing the printable set. They will definitely be used in this house!
annageig says
So glad to hear it, Renae! I visited your site — what dedicated parents you and your husband are! Blessings to you!
Beth says
What a fun pack! I featured this at TGIF today – http://www.123homeschool4me.com/2013/05/tgif-linky-party-76.html! Thanks for linking up and sharing your creativity with all of us!
Feel free to grab an I was featured button if you like and I hope to see you linked up again today!
Have a great weekend,
Beth =)
annageig says
Thank you so much for the feature, Beth! I love your linky party.
Carrie says
Great thoughts on worksheets! Your pack looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
annageig says
Thanks so much for visiting, Carrie!
annageig says
Thanks so much for the pin, Rebecca!
Carrie says
Thank you so much for sharing these! These are some specific skills that I’ve been wanting to work on with my two sons. 🙂
annageig says
So glad you can use them, Carrie!
Sheri says
My kids and I love all of your transportation printables. Thank you so much for these. They are fantastic. Please keep creating more!!!! Also, do you have any transportation handwriting or tracing worksheets? Thanks again.
annageig says
Hello, Sheri! I’m afraid I do NOT have transportation handwriting or tracing worksheets. I love making printables, although worksheets are not something I make a lot of. Some great sites with worksheets by theme are 1+1+1=1, 123homeschool4me, and 3dinosaurs. You might be able to find what you’re looking for there – or they could point you in the right direction!
Sheri says
Thanks for the reply. I will check those out. I always love finding new resources! I appreciate it!
Sally de Wijn says
Hello,
I am trying to download the Transportation Literacy Worksheet Pack, as well as the Printable pattern cards, I am wondering if you can please email these to me. As well as anything else you may think it helpful,
I am an Occupational Therapist and work with children aged 3 – 8, I love your worksheets and am so glad I found them!!
thanks
Mo says
Thank you so much for your perspective on worksheets. I have a bunch of printable packets and workbooks and was coming to download yours. I have just started K with my oldest son. I haven’t managed to print off many of the sheets I have saved or to get him to do the worksheet books we have. My son hates worksheets so I haven’t been motivated to make him and was feeling very guilty about it! I love looking at them as useful tools for evaluation and not stressing about making him do them regularly for learning Thank you for taking one more “should” off my mom/teacher list! 🙂 (I’m still going to download these, just in case ;))
Anna Geiger says
Yes, I definitely don’t recommend worksheets for kids who don’t like them 🙂 I think it’s valuable to do paper and pencil work at times, but stacks of worksheets don’t have to be the way to accomplish that 🙂 Have a great year teaching kindergarten – I hope you find lots of resources here!
Yesenia says
These are really nice. I am especially grateful they are black and white friendly!
Anna Geiger says
Thanks for commenting, Yesenia! In the future when I make worksheet packs I think I’ll offer them in both color and black and white to make it even simpler. That printer ink gets swallowed up way too quickly!
Mia says
Thank you so much! Very beautiful job.
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Mia!
Jessica says
I teach preschool and use worksheets like this in plastic pockets so they can be reused. You are so right in that it teacher fine motor skills. Thanks for the cute stuff!!
Anna Geiger says
That’s a great idea, Jessica! So glad you can use them!
mariano says
Thank you very much for sharing this cute and useful activities.
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome!
Teacher says
Hi, would like to know how can i print these worksheets?
Anna Geiger says
Click on the word HERE where it says, Get the math pack HERE.
kim says
Do you have information to turn me to that shows the different stages of development and what order the learning needs to occur so I can go after gaps? For example in order to learn a certain skill the child first must be able to X. My son is autistic and I see all these gaps. I have complete touch math program that might help. But I like to use real objects too. My son is awakening and see he is autistic and behind. He is on a b line to learn at 18. Better late than never at least he is aware and wants it now.
Anna Geiger says
Hello, Kim! That would be a great resource, but unfortunately I don’t have something like that. Have you seen the blog called The Autism Helper? It might be worth sending her a message to see if she can point you in the right direction.
NOVIE says
THANKS FOR SHARING. GREAT WORKSHEETS..
Anna Geiger says
You’re welcome, Novie!