How to Print Our Printables

Every Kidsome printable is a free PDF, with nothing to sign up for. This guide covers the settings that matter, steps for every kind of device, the best paper to use and fixes for common problems.

Quick settings

Downloading a printable

1. Open the printable's page on Kidsome.
2. Select Download PDF under the page you want. Depending on your browser, the PDF opens in a new tab or saves to your Downloads folder.
3. Print from the PDF, not from the web page. Printing the web page prints the site around the activity.

Printing from Windows

1. Open the PDF in your browser or in a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
2. Press Ctrl + P.
3. Choose your printer, then set the paper size and Portrait.
4. Set the scale to fit the page. In Chrome and Edge it is under More settings; in Acrobat Reader choose Fit under Page Sizing.
5. Check the preview, then select Print.

Printing from a Mac

1. Open the PDF in Preview or Safari.
2. Press Command + P.
3. If you see only a few options, select Show Details.
4. Set the paper size, choose Scale to Fit and Portrait, then select Print.

Printing from an iPhone or iPad

1. Open the PDF in Safari, or from the Files app if you saved it.
2. Tap the Share button, then Print.
3. Choose a printer. It needs to support AirPrint and be on the same Wi-Fi network.
4. Set the number of copies and the pages, then tap Print.

If your printer does not support AirPrint, print from your printer maker's app instead.

Printing from an Android phone or tablet

1. Open the PDF in Chrome, Google Drive or your Files app.
2. Open the menu (three dots), then tap Print. In Chrome it is under Share.
3. Tap Select a printer at the top and choose yours. If it is not listed, install your printer maker's print service app from Google Play.
4. Set the paper size, copies and pages, then tap the print button.

Printing from a Chromebook

1. Open the PDF and press Ctrl + P.
2. Choose your printer, or See more to find it.
3. Under More settings, set the paper size and choose Fit to page, then select Print.

US Letter or A4

Our PDFs are US Letter size (8.5 × 11 inches) with 0.6 inch margins, which leaves enough room to print on A4 paper (210 × 297 mm) without losing anything. Choose the paper size loaded in your printer and set the scale to fit the page.

Choosing paper

• Everyday copy paper (20 to 24 lb, 75 to 90 gsm): fine for crayons, colored pencils, puzzles and worksheets.
• Heavier paper (28 to 32 lb, 105 to 120 gsm): better for markers, which can bleed through thin paper.
• Cardstock (65 to 110 lb cover, about 175 to 300 gsm): best for paint, crafts and pages you want to keep. Check what thickness your printer accepts first.

Matte paper takes crayon and pencil better than glossy paper.

Puzzles, answer keys and color keys

• Answer keys: word searches, crosswords, word scrambles, sudoku, mazes and dot-to-dot pictures come with an answer key on page 2. To print the puzzle alone, set the pages to 1.
• Color by number: print in color so the swatches in the color key show. In black and white the key still names each color, so the page works either way.

Printing for a class or group

• Print one test copy before printing the whole batch.
• For many copies, print one clean copy and photocopy it. It is usually cheaper than printing every copy.
• Avoid "pages per sheet" settings for activities: they shrink the page and make spaces too small to color or write in.
• Put puzzles and tracing sheets in clear plastic sleeves, or laminate them, and children can use them again with dry-erase markers.

Saving ink

• Print in black and white or grayscale.
• Choose a draft or economy quality for practice sheets.
• Skip the answer key page when you do not need it.

Fixing common problems

Still stuck?

Tell us through our contact page which printable you are printing and which device, browser and printer you are using, and we will help.