Laminating for Active Learning | 30 New Games
Why Poster Maker Machine Laminating Changes Everything
Let me paint you a picture of my classroom last year. September started with pristine word cards and beautiful game boards. By November? Everything was crumpled, torn, or mysteriously sticky (first grade mysteries are real, y’all!). That’s when I discovered the game-changing combo of using our school’s poster printing machine to create materials and then laminating them for durability.
The best part? Once I started creating these reusable games, my teaching budget stretched further than ever before. Instead of constantly replacing materials, I invested that money in other classroom needs. Plus, my students absolutely love the tactile experience of these laminated activities!
30 Game-Changing Laminated Activities
Literacy Games (1-10)
1. Life-Size Alphabet Hopscotch
Create 8.5″x11″ letter cards using your poster maker machine. Laminate each one and arrange them on the floor. Students hop to spell words! Pro tip: Use bright colors for vowels and pastels for consonants.
2. Magnetic Poetry Station
Print word cards in various sizes, laminate, and add magnetic tape to the back. Students create silly sentences on metal surfaces. My kids’ current favorite: “The purple dinosaur dances quietly.”
3. Roll-a-Story Dice
Design oversized dice templates (each face about 6″x6″) with story elements: characters, settings, problems, solutions. Laminate and fold into cubes. Students roll all four to create instant story prompts!
4. Word Family Flip Books
Print word endings on strips, laminate, and bind with rings. Students flip to create new words. The tactile element helps kinesthetic learners tremendously.
5. Syllable Sorting Mats
Create colorful sorting mats labeled 1-4 syllables. Print picture cards to sort. This visual organization system has been a game-changer for my struggling readers.
6. Punctuation Parking Lot
Design a parking lot with spaces for different punctuation marks. Students “park” sentence strips in the correct spots. Who knew grammar could be this fun?
7. Rhyme Time Memory Match
Create pairs of rhyming picture cards. The larger format (4″x4″) makes it easier for small hands to manipulate.
8. Sight Word Swat
Print sight words in large font, laminate, and spread on tables. Call out words for students to “swat” with clean flyswatters. Active learning at its finest!
9. Sentence Surgery Station
Print sentences with errors, laminate, and let students perform “surgery” with dry-erase markers to fix mistakes.
10. Vocabulary Photo Hunt
Create cards with vocabulary words and corresponding photo challenges. Students find and photograph items matching the descriptions.
Math Games Using Poster Maker Machine Laminating (11-20)
11. Human-Sized Number Line
Print numbers -20 to 100 on individual sheets, laminate, and create a classroom-length number line. Students physically walk addition and subtraction problems!
12. Fraction Pizza Factory
Design pizza circles divided into various fractions. Laminate toppings separately for endless fraction practice. My students beg for “pizza math” time!
13. Money Matching Mall
Create a mini mall with laminated price tags and play money. Students practice making change in real-world scenarios.
14. Shape Scavenger Hunt Boards
Design boards with various 2D and 3D shapes. Students use dry-erase markers to check off shapes they find around the classroom.
15. Multiplication Fact Flowers
Each petal contains a multiplication problem; the center holds the product. Mix and match for differentiated practice.
16. Place Value Parking Garage
Multi-level garage where each floor represents a place value. Students “park” number cards in the correct spots.
17. Math Talk Bubble Cards
Speech bubbles with math vocabulary and sentence starters. Students use these to explain their thinking during problem-solving.
18. Measurement Mission Maps
Laminated maps with measurement challenges around the classroom. “Measure 5 things longer than your pencil!”
19. Pattern Block Puzzle Mats
Create outline puzzles that students fill with pattern blocks. Great for spatial reasoning and geometry concepts.
20. Time Telling Treasure Hunt
Clock faces hidden around the room with clues for the next location based on the time shown.
Cross-Curricular Games (21-30)
21. Science Cycle Spinners
Create large spinners for water cycle, life cycles, and seasons. Students spin and explain each stage.
22. Community Helper Costume Cards
Laminated cards with costume pieces students can hold up to “become” different community helpers.
23. Emotion Check-In Charts
Personal charts where students move a marker to show how they’re feeling. Essential for social-emotional learning!
24. History Timeline Clothesline
Event cards that students arrange chronologically on a classroom clothesline. Visual and kinesthetic!
25. Geography Passport Books
Laminated “passports” students stamp as they learn about different countries and states.
26. Weather Station Dashboard
Interactive weather tracking board with moveable pieces for daily updates.
27. Classroom Job Application Center
Professional-looking job applications and badges for classroom responsibilities.
28. Music Rhythm Rails
Train track sections with different note values. Students create rhythm patterns by connecting tracks.
29. Art Technique Reference Cards
Step-by-step visual guides for various art techniques. Spillproof and reusable!
30. PE Exercise Dice
Giant dice with different exercises on each face. Roll for instant movement breaks!
Creating Your Own Laminated Learning Lab
Ready to transform your classroom? Here’s my step-by-step process for creating these amazing resources:
Step 1: Design with Purpose
Start by identifying your students’ specific needs. What skills need extra practice? What concepts could benefit from hands-on manipulation? I keep a running list throughout the year.
Step 2: Maximize Your Poster Printing Machine
Your poster maker machine is perfect for creating oversized game boards and materials. I love using the Campus Pro 36 Advanced Package for larger projects. The print quality is incredible, and the colors stay vibrant even after lamination.
Step 3: Choose the Right Media
Not all paper is created equal! For frequently-used games, I recommend using Heavyweight Coated Paper. It holds up beautifully under lamination and provides a professional finish.
Step 4: Laminate Like a Pro
Leave a small border around each piece (about 1/8 inch) to ensure a good seal. Run materials through the laminator slowly for best results. For thicker items, consider using a cold laminator to prevent warping.
Step 5: Organize and Store
I use labeled bins for each subject area and hang larger items on hooks. Clear organization means games actually get used!
Start Your Laminating Adventure Today!
Creating these 30 games has completely transformed my teaching practice. My students are more engaged, I’m saving money, and our classroom is filled with colorful, interactive learning opportunities. The combination of a quality poster printing machine and smart laminating techniques opens up endless possibilities for creative teaching.
Remember, you don’t have to create all 30 games at once! Start with 2-3 that address your most pressing classroom needs. Before you know it, you’ll have a whole library of durable, engaging activities that your students will beg to use.
Happy laminating, teacher friends! May your games be forever wipeable and your students forever engaged! 💕