How to Use Page Protectors in the Classroom and Home

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I use page protectors everyday as I home school my kids.  Page protectors help with messes, storage and helps make many pages reusable for less paper consumption.


INK AND PAPER SAVER
One of the most common uses for page protectors is using them to make games and worksheets reusable.  In the picture above, we were playing a place value game.  We placed the recording sheet inside a page protector, so we could play as many times as we wanted without having to print a new page each time!


LESS MESS WITH PLAYDOUGH
Another use for page protectors that has saved us a lot of time cleaning is using them for playdough mats.  My oldest uses sight word mats to practice her sight words and my four year old uses the alphabet mats to practice letter formation.  The playdough does not stick at all to the page protectors, and it makes for such an easy clean up!


STORAGE AND PLANNING
I also use page protectors to help me plan out my year and then use the pages to store the different activities we will be doing.  First I get one page protector for each week.  I place a cover page in each protector that has the skills we would like to cover for the week.  I then place any pages, directions, small game pieces, and material lists inside that protector.  I then store those pages in a binder so we can pull one page protector sheet at a time, and all we need for the week is right there, already organized.  Once the year is over, I place the binder in the closet to pull out for the next child to use.  It is very easy to tweak each weeks worth of work to suite the child it is for.


DON'T OVER SPEND!
All of the page protectors I have used have been cheaper ones.  I do not spend the money on expensive pocket pages.  It is just not needed.  When I need page protectors, I just go to Walmart and purchase the 100 pack for around $6-$7.  They have worked just fine for us. 


KEEPING THE PAGES IN PLACE
If there is something that will get a lot of use, I just place a piece of card stock behind the page so that it remains sturdy.  By placing the card stock, the page protector is less likely to wrinkle as the child writes or draws.


CLEANING THE PAGE
It is best to clean the page right after use, as the marker is easier to get off with a dry rag or paper towel.  If left on over night, a baby wipe will easily clean off any hard to get off marker.


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