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You just downloaded your first Chaotic Connections printable — yay! 🎉 Now what? If you've ever stared at a PDF wondering whether to just print it on regular paper or go all-in on laminating everything, this post is for you. I'm going to walk you through exactly how I set things up at home so you can get the most out of every single pack.
Spoiler: you do not need anything fancy. A printer, some cardstock, and about 10 minutes is honestly enough to get started.
Step 1: Print it
All of our printables come as a PDF file. Open it and hit print — it's that simple. A few small things make a big difference:
Use cardstock, not regular paper
Regular printer paper works in a pinch, but cardstock holds up so much better with little hands. I use 65lb cardstock for most packs — it prints beautifully and feels sturdy right out of the tray.
Print at "best quality" or "photo" settings
Switching your printer to the highest quality makes the colors pop. It uses a little more ink but the difference is noticeable — especially for anything with bright illustrations.
Print as many copies as you need
That's the magic of digital! Once you download a pack it's yours to print as many times as you want — for now, for later, or for a friend who needs them too.
My favorite printer for printables
This is the exact printer I use for all Chaotic Connections activities. It handles cardstock beautifully, prints vibrant colors, and the wireless setup means I can send a print job from my phone while the kids are playing. The duplex printing is a bonus for multi-page packs!
🔗 Shop on Amazon *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youMy favorite cardstock
This is the exact cardstock I use for all our printables. Thick, smooth, and the colors come out beautifully every time.
🔗 Shop on Amazon *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youStep 2: Laminate for reuse (optional but worth it)
This is the step that turns a one-time activity into something you pull out again and again for months. Laminating takes about five minutes once you have a laminator, and it means your toddler can use the same cards with a dry erase marker over and over — which is genuinely a game changer.
If you have a pack your kid loves — number cards, shape mats, anything tracing-based — laminating it once means you never have to reprint it.
Laminate first, then cut. It's so much easier than cutting small pieces and trying to run them through one by one. I learned this the hard way. 😄
My favorite laminator
Heats up fast, easy to use, and handles both letter and legal size. I've had mine over a year and it still works perfectly.
🔗 Link here!*affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youMy favorite laminating pouches
Stock up on these in bulk — you'll use more than you think once you start. These feed smoothly without jamming.
🔗 Link here! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youStep 3: Make them reusable with dry erase pockets
No laminator? No problem. Dry erase pockets are my favorite shortcut — slide the printed page inside, hand your kid a dry erase marker, and they can write, trace, and wipe it clean as many times as they want. Zero laminating required.
I keep a stack of these in our activity bin and use them almost every single day. They're great for tracing sheets, number work, letter practice — anything where your child is writing on the page.
My favorite dry erase pockets
A total game changer. Slide any sheet in, wipe clean after — no laminating needed. I grab a big pack because they disappear fast between kids.
🔗 Link here! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youMy favorite dry erase markers for little hands
Washable, chunky grip, and easy to wipe clean. These are the ones we actually keep stocked — toddler-tested and mom-approved.
🔗 Link here! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youStep 4: Store them so you'll actually use them
This is the step most people skip — and then wonder why the activities sit in a folder and never come out. If they're easy to grab, they get used. If they're buried in a drawer, they don't. It really is that simple.
I organize ours into small bins by theme — one for numbers, one for shapes, one for fine motor — and keep them somewhere visible and accessible. My toddler can actually pick what she wants to do, which is a huge win for independence and for me not having to be the activity coordinator every single morning.
My favorite storage bins
These are the bins I use to organize activity cards by theme. Stackable, the right size for card sets, and cute enough to leave out on a shelf.
🔗 Link here! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youAccessible beats perfectly organized every time. A slightly messy bin they can reach is worth more than a sorted drawer they never open.
Bonus: What we love for playdough mats
Our playdough mats are some of our most popular packs — and they pair perfectly with a good set of playdough tools. Laminate the mat, roll out some dough, and let your toddler build numbers and shapes with their hands. It's sensory, it's educational, and it keeps them busy for a solid 20 minutes. That's a win in this house.
Our go-to playdough
Bright colors, soft texture, and non-toxic. The classic for a reason — works perfectly with all our playdough mats.
🔗 Link! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youOur favorite tool set
Rollers, cutters, and stampers — everything a little one needs to make playdough time feel like real work. Safe for toddler hands.
🔗 Link! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youFor the parents: a little something for you too
Running activities every day is a lot. Here are two things I genuinely recommend for the adults in the room — because you deserve good things too.
Audible for parents
Nap time, commutes, dishes — Audible is how I actually get through parenting books and my own reading list. Totally worth it.
🔗 Link! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youAmazon Kids+ subscription
For screen time you actually feel good about. Books, audiobooks, educational games and shows — all in one kid-safe place.
🔗 Link! *affiliate link — I earn a small commission at no cost to youUsing printables by age
Every child is different, but here's a rough guide for introducing our packs at different ages and stages:
Explore freely
Let them touch, sort, and look. Matching and color activities work well. Keep sessions short — 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.
Guided play
Introduce simple tracing, number recognition, and sorting. Do it together the first few times — they love the company.
More independence
They can work through a whole activity set with less help. Great age for letter and number packs and playdough mats.
Challenge them
Introduce patterns, beginning sight words, and sequencing. They'll surprise you with how much they can do on their own.
There is no wrong way to use these. If your 3-year-old wants to use the "age 5" cards as a sorting game, perfect. If your 5-year-old still loves the toddler number pack because it's satisfying and confidence-building, also perfect. Follow your child's lead — they always know what they need.
Ready to grab your first pack?
Browse our printable activity packs — designed for toddlers and preschoolers, made for real homes and real life.