Monday Monster Printable Madness #84 – P IS FOR PANDA Monsters Ed Kindergarten Activity Pack

Posted on 06/04/2026 by Momma Jo

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Happy Monday friends. This week’s printable spotlight is a playful letter themed pack that little learners are going to love. The P is for Panda Kindergarten Activity Pack is a 42 page Mega Pack designed to help kindergarteners explore the letter P while building confidence across literacy, maths and fine motor skills. With adorable panda illustrations and calm, neutral colours, this pack is both engaging and beautifully balanced for focused learning.

The P is for Panda pack places strong emphasis on letter formation and writing practice, making it especially useful for kindergarten learners who are refining pencil control and letter consistency. Children begin with colour recognition activities where they colour pandas in a wide range of shades, including both bold and pastel tones. These pages are perfect for easing learners into the pack while strengthening fine motor skills.

Early numeracy is explored through counting activities where children circle bamboo shoots from 1 to 10. This playful panda themed approach supports number recognition and one to one correspondence in a way that feels purposeful and fun. There’s also a “Draw a picture of yourself” page that adds a personal and engaging element for young learners.

Shape tracing is covered in depth, with worksheets that include circles, triangles, rectangles, squares, pentagons, ovals, hexagons, octagons, hearts, stars and parallelograms. These pages are excellent for building shape awareness while reinforcing pre writing skills. The pack also includes colour by activity pages that add variation without overwhelming learners.

Letter learning is a major highlight of the P is for Panda pack. Children can practise both uppercase and lowercase P through Do a Dot pages, structured letter tracing worksheets and guided writing practice pages. Alphabet tracing pages for both capital and lowercase letters help reinforce letter familiarity beyond just P, making this a well rounded literacy resource.

Maths skills continue with counting charts up to 50 and 100, matching cards, shadow matching and pattern completion pages that encourage logical thinking and visual discrimination. For problem solving fun, the pack includes jigsaw puzzles in 16 and 25 piece versions, line mazes and scissor skills worksheets that support hand strength and coordination.

Many of the pages are ideal for printing on cardstock and laminating for repeated use, making this pack a durable and practical addition to your kindergarten resources.

If your little learner enjoys colourful, hands on activities, this pack is a lovely addition to your learning time.

Have a calm and happy learning week with your little monsters.

Thank you for popping by and don’t miss next week’s introduction of our BUTTERFLIES Monsters Ed Preschool Activity Pack!

If you have any suggestions on printables you’d like to see, please leave a comment below.

Monday Monster Printable Madness #60 – Afrikaans – Voltooie My Letter Boek Reeks

Posted on 20/10/2025 by Momma Jo

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I grew up in a predominantly Afrikaans area and used to be fully bilingual. I’ve lost a lot of it since moving to Johannesburg and simply not speaking the language. Fortunately being back in my home province has given me the opportunity to get “back to my roots”. I have noticed since I started sharing printables on Monsters Ed, that Afrikaans printables is the most searched for topic. This has inspired me to create my very first range of Afrikaans products! Introducing, the Voltooie My Leter boek Reeks! I do have this series available in English as well: The Complete My Letter Book Series.

This Afrikaans booklet series is sure to keep your baby and toddler busy. Afrikaans doesn’t have many nouns starting with the letter E and Q, hence them “missing” from the series.

The “My Letter Boek Reeks” series comes in individual downloadable PDF files:
Aa, Bb, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj, Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Tt, Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz

Thank you for popping by and don’t miss next week’s introduction of our Afrikaans – Handskrif Aktiwiteitspakket!

If you have any suggestions on printables you’d like to see, please leave a comment below.

Monday Monster Printable Madness #25 – Complete Letter Book Series

Posted on 17/02/2025 by Momma Jo

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For parents looking to engage their little ones, the My Letter Book series is an excellent resource that promises to keep babies and toddlers busy while fostering early literacy skills. This delightful collection is designed to introduce young children to the alphabet in a fun and interactive way.

Each booklet in the My Letter Book series focuses on a specific letter, from Aa to Zz, making it easy for children to learn and recognise letters through various activities. The booklets are filled with colourful illustrations and engaging content that capture the attention of young minds. For instance, the My Letter Bb Book features charming images of objects that start with the letter ‘B’, such as balloons, bears, and buses, which not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps children associate letters with sounds and words.

To create a hands-on learning experience, parents can print the pages of each booklet on sturdy cardstock, laminate them for durability, and bind them together. This approach not only enhances the longevity of the materials but also allows for repeated use, making it a cost-effective educational tool. The tactile experience of handling the booklets adds another layer of engagement for toddlers, encouraging them to explore and interact with each letter.

The My Letter Book series is perfect for home learning or classroom settings. It provides a structured yet playful way for children to develop their literacy skills at an early age. As they progress through the alphabet, they will gain confidence in their ability to recognise letters and sounds, setting a solid foundation for future reading and writing.

If you’re seeking an effective way to keep your baby or toddler entertained while also supporting their educational journey, look no further than the My Letter Book series. With its variety of letter-specific booklets, your little ones will be engaged and eager to learn their ABCs!

Thank you for popping by and don’t miss next week’s introduction of our H is for Hot Air Balloon Preschool Mega Activity Pack!

If you have any suggestions on printables you’d like to see, please leave a comment below.

Freebie Friday ~ Afrikaans Resources

Posted on 07/10/2022 by Momma Jo

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Free Afrikaans Resources

Free Afrikaans resources are incredibly hard to come by. Thanks to the amazing Homeschool community, I am able to share these new freebies. Please reach out to me if you know of any other free Afrikaans resources. The purpose of this series of posts, is to make education accessible to all.

Click on the image above to view the original Afrikaans Resource Freebie Friday post.

The South African Department of Basic Education (DBE) has shared all the CAPS workbooks from Grade R (reception) to Grade 9, including past Grade 12 final exam papers for preparation.

Workbooks
These workbooks have been developed for the children of South Africa under the leadership of the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, and the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule.

The Rainbow Workbooks form part of the Department of Basic Education’s range of interventions aimed at improving the performance of South African learners in the first six grades. As one of the priorities of the Government’s Plan of Action, this project has been made possible by the generous funding of the National Treasury. This has enabled the Department to make these workbooks, in all the official languages, available at no cost.

DBE CAPS Grade R – 9 Printable Workbooks – Books 1 & 2
DBE CAPS Grade R – 9 Printable Workbooks – Books 3 & 4
Afrikaans CAPS workbooks for:
– Literacy
– Life Skills
– Numeracy

DBE Interactive Workbooks
The Department of Basic Education has converted selected pdf workbooks into Interactive workbooks in order to increase the engagement of the literacy and numeracy activities, as well as impart ICT skills.
The interactive workbooks have the ability to respond to learners’ inputs, allowing a TWO-WAY flow of information between the computer and the learner, including instant assessment feedback.
– Grade R Afrikaans Book 1
– Grade R Afrikaans Book 2

Annual National Assessments (Links to the ANAs are on the right side of the screen)
The Annual National Assessments (ANA) are standardised national assessments for languages and mathematics in the senior phase (grades 7 – 9), intermediate phase (grades 4 – 6) and in literacy and numeracy for the foundation phase (grades 1 – 3). The question papers and marking memoranda (exemplars) are supplied by the national Department of Basic Education and the schools manage the conduct of the tests as well as the marking and internal moderation.

The following assessments can be found in Afrikaans:
– Language
– Mathematics

Practical Assessment Tasks (Links to PATs are on the right of the screen)
Assessment in the National Senior Certificate (Grade 12) comprises School-Based Assessment, Practical Assessment Tasks, Language Oral Assessment for official languages and external examinations.

A Practical Assessment Task is a compulsory component of the final promotion mark for all candidates registered for the following National Senior Certificate subjects:
– Agriculture: Agricultural Management Practices and Agricultural Technology;
– Arts: Dance Studies, Design, Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual Arts;
– Languages: Oral mark;
– Technology: Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, Mechanical Technology and Engineering Graphics and Design;
– Life Orientation;
– Computer Sciences: Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology; and
– Services: Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies and Tourism.

The Practical Assessment Task mark must count 25% of the end-of-year examination mark.

School-Based Assessment
Assessment in the National Senior Certificate (Grade 12) comprises School-Based Assessment, Practical Assessment Tasks, Language Oral Assessment for official languages and external examinations.
Subjects covered:
– Accounting
– Geography
– History
– Life Sciences
– Mathematics
– Physical Science

A School-Based Assessment mark is a compulsory component of the final promotion mark for all candidates registered for the National Senior Certificate and it must count 25% of the final promotion mark in Grade 12.

Mind the Gap Study Guides Grade 12 CAPS Aligned
The Department of Basic Education has pleasure in releasing the second edition of Mind the Gap study guides for Grade 12 learners. These study guides continue the innovative and committed attempt by the Department of Basic Education to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 candidates in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.

The second edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
Subject Study Guides in Afrikaans:
– Rekeningkunde (Accounting)
– Ekonomie (Business Economics)
– Lewenswetenskappe (Life Science)
– Geografie (Geography)
– Fisiese Wetenskap Deel 1 Fieika (Physics)
– Fisiese Wetenskap Deel 2 Chemie (Chemistry)
– Wiskunde (Mathematics)
– Wiskundige Geletterdheid (Math Literacy)

NSC Examinations (Links to the previous papers can be found on the right side of the screen) – Previous exam papers (Gr 10, 11 & 12) – 2008 – 2021
The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations commonly referred to as “Matric” has become an annual event of major public significance. It not only signifies the culmination of twelve years of formal schooling but the NSC examinations is a barometer of the health of the education system.

Origins of English Idioms

Posted on 13/03/2019 by Momma Jo

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Origins of English Idioms

Have you ever wondered what the origins of English idioms are? I’ve spent quite some time researching the 10 most commonly used phrases and have been quite surprised at how these came about.

What are idioms?

An idiom is a word or, more commonly, a phrase in which the figurative meaning is different than the literal meaning of the grouping of words. There are approximately 25,000 idioms in the English language alone.

To turn a blind eye

Meaning: To refuse to acknowledge a known truth

Origin: The origins of this phrase are disputed, it is commonly accepted that turning a blind eye comes from a comment made by British Admiral Horatio Nelson. In 1801 he led the attack alongside Admiral Sir Hyde Parker in the Battle of Copenhagen. Nelson was blind in one eye. Parker communicated to Nelson at one point, via flags, that he needed to retreat and disengage. Nelson, however, was convinced that he could prevail if they pushed onward. Nelson then, holding the telescope to his blind eye, pretended not to see the signal—making a sly comment to a fellow officer about reserving the right to use his blind eye every now and again.

Play it by ear

Meaning: Playing something by ear means that rather than sticking to a defined plan, you will see how things go and decide on a course of action as you go along.

Origin: This saying has its origins in music, as “playing something by ear” means to play music without reference to the notes on a page. This sense of the phrase dates back to the 16th century, but the present use only came into being in mid-20th century America, primarily referring to sports. These days, the expression has lost this focus on sports and can be used in any context.

Straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning: Getting information directly from the most reliable source

Origin: This one is said to come from the 1900s, when buyers could determine a horse’s age by examining its teeth. It’s also why you shouldn’t “look a gift horse in the mouth,” as inspecting a gift is considered bad etiquette.

Spill the beans

Meaning: To leak a secret

Origin: This one’s a bit tricky, as there is no clear-cut answer. The consensus is, however, that this is most likely derived from an ancient Greek voting process, which involved beans. People would vote by placing one of two colored beans in a vase, white typically meaning yes and black or brown meaning no. This meant that should someone spill the beans, the secret results of the election would be revealed before intended. Hence, spilling the beans is related to revealing secret information.

Raining cats and dogs

Meaning: It’s “raining cats and dogs” when it’s raining particularly heavily.

Origin: The origins of this bizarre phrase are obscure, though it was first recorded in 1651 in the poet Henry Vaughan’s collection Olor Iscanus. Speculation as to its origins ranges from medieval superstition to Norse mythology, but it may even be a reference to dead animals being washed through the streets by floods.

Pulling someone’s leg

Meaning: teasing someone, usually by lying in a joking manner

Origin: Although pulling someone’s leg is all in good fun nowadays, it originally described the way in which thieves tripped their victims to rob them.

Beat around the bush

Meaning: To circle the point; to avoid the point

Origin: This common phrase is thought to have originated in response to game hunting in Britain. While hunting birds, participants would beat bushes in order to draw out the birds. Therefore, they were beating around the bush before getting to the main point of the hunt: actually capturing the birds.

Can’t do something to save my life

Meaning: It’s typically used in a self-deprecating manner or to indicate reluctance to carry out a task requested of one.

Origin: Anthony Trollope first used this expression, in 1848 in Kellys and O’Kellys, writing, “If it was to save my life and theirs, I can’t get up small talk for the rector and his curate.”

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: pursuing a misguided course of action

Origin: Likely referring to hunting, this saying explains when a dog would literally bark at the bottom of the wrong tree after the prey in question moved to the next branch.

Pot calling the kettle black

Meaning: We use this expression to refer to someone who criticises someone else, for something they they themselves are guilty of.

Origin: First used in the literature of the 1600s – notably Don Quixote by Cervantes – this expression has its origins in the Medieval kitchen, when both pots and kettles were made from sturdy cast iron and both would get black with soot from the open fire.

References:
Dictionary.com
Owlcation
Britannica.com
Inklyo