Create Printables for Your Classroom or to Sell Online

If you are anything like me, you hate spending money on things that you know you could make yourself. One of those things was being able to create printables like worksheets for my classroom. I used to waste hours on Teachers Pay Teachers trying to find the perfect resource for my classroom. The problem was that many of the resources I found just did not work for my state’s standards!

I’ve always been pretty savvy when it comes to crafts so creating printables shouldn’t be much different right? Wrong! There was definitely a learning curve that I had to get over.

In this blog post, I’m outlining how you can get started with creating printables for your classroom with and without spending money.

Programs to Use to Create Printables

Did you know that you don’t need fancy software to create printables for your classroom? When I first started, I tried to create in Google Docs (hello headache!). As you likely know, Google Docs is not forgiving when it comes to formatting anything other than an essay. Here are some free resources you can try.

• Google Slides

This is where I started, it’s free and pretty user-friendly! I also love that it auto-saves your work. It’s a good place to start but it is a bit limited when it comes to features (compared to PowerPoint).

• Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is my all-time favorite tool for creating printables and digital activities for my classroom. The features are endless and you can use templates to quickly create again and again. 

Don’t have PowerPoint? Educators can install Microsoft Office (including Microsoft PowerPoint) for free. 

There are lots of PowerPoint tips and tricks that I’ve stumbled upon along the way, you can check them all out here. 

• Canva

I first learned about Canva as a grad student. We used it for creating flyers. Since then, it has majorly evolved. If you just go type in “teacher” or worksheets, you will see lots of free templates you can use. Canva has a free version and a pro version. 

If you want to create only for your classroom, you can use Canva for Education (pro-ish) for FREE!

If you want to sell your printables, you will need Canva Pro. You can start a free trial here.

How to Create Printables that look GREAT

• Choose 2-3 Fonts that Go Together

I typically use one block font and one cursive font. Since you are creating printables for your classroom, you will want to make sure you use fonts that are easy to read and have decent font sizes.

• Choose Developmentally Appropriate Clipart

Make sure your clipart fits the age group that you teach! Most of my resources are for middle school so I stick to content-related clipart, nothing too cutesy.

• Pick a style and stick to it

Students thrive off familiarity, decide on a layout that looks good and clean! And stick with that.

Where to Find Clipart and Fonts 

One of the things I teach in my course, Resources Made Easy is how to find and install fonts and clipart. All three of the tools I shared above come with pre-installed fonts but you will likely want to try something a little different to spruce your printable up a bit.

When it comes to quality clipart and fonts, you can find an assortment of free and paid options using the websites below.

• Creative Market
• Teachers Pay Teachers
• Canva

PLUS

Did you know you can use shapes to create your own clipart in PowerPoint? It’s actually surprisingly simple! One of the MANY reasons I love PowerPoint so much!

If you want to continue learning how to create printables for your classroom with Microsoft PowerPoint, download the free guide here to learn my favorite PowerPoint tricks for teachers.

If this post helped you out, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform or pin it!

More about creating printables and digital resources for your classroom: Ultimate Guide to Creating Teacher Resources