Facebook Twitter RSS Email

Back to School With Fellowes! Review and Giveaway!

by

Thanks to Fellowes for sponsoring this post!

I don’t really want to be thinking about Back to School yet, but the truth is it will be here before we know it, and this year (for once!) I’d like to make the transition easier.

I was super excited to get to try out the Fellowes Saturn2 95 laminator because I just knew it would be a great tool for creating learning activities for Henry And getting some of our household issues under control!

Henry worksheets

Laminating is  great for preserving all those important  back to school papers like calendars and class lists. It’s also an easy way to create fun learning activities. I laminated some supplemental stories for Henry so he can underline words as he reads them. I also laminated a personalized handwriting sheet to help him practice wiring his name (that darn Y).

I’m probably most excite about our new chore chart.

Here’s what I did if you’d like to try it:

  • My husband and I brainstormed a list of simple tasks.
  • I wrote each task on an index card, using different colors for each of the boys.
  • On the back of each card I wrote, “Done.”
  • I laminated the cards so we can use them over and over. It also gives them just enough sturdiness to keep them in our organizer.
  • I put each card in one pocket of a shoe organizer. Each boy has one row in the organizer. I’m going to use the extras for bonus jobs.
  • As the boys complete each job, they turn the card to the side that says, “Done.” It’s their job, at the end of the day, to show us their cards have all been flipped and have us approve their work.
  • I think this would be even better with clear pockets, but this was the one I found, and I was in get ‘er done mode!

chore chart

We’ve only been using this system for a little while now, but so far it’s worked much better than anything we’ve tried before, mainly because we’ve taken the weak links (that would be me and my husband) out of the equation. That’s just the start of the fun we’ve been having here. I have to warn you-laminating is a little addictive! You can find still more ideas on the Fellowes Facebook page  and their Idea Center

The laminator was also super simple to use. You simply put your paper between the sheets, feed it in, and tah-da!  It features Advanced Temperature Control, an Easy Release Lever, and (my favorite feature) HeatGuard Technology, which means the outside stays cool, so it’s safe to have around the kiddos!

Fellowes also wants me to tell you about their Celebration of Superstar Teachers Contest. I’m very proud to have many teacher readers, and I’d love to have you nominate your favorite educator! He or she could win one of 25 awesome prize packages! Be sure to come back and tell us if your teacher wins!

But, wait……there’s more! I think this handy tool is an investment you’re going to appreciate for years down the road, and you can get one for yourself at Staples or Staples.com.   You also have a chance to win one right here. Woot!

Ready to win one of these babies for yourself? Of course you are! Here’s what to do:

  •  For a first, required entry, leave a comment telling me how you’d use your Fellowes Saturn2 95 laminator.
  •  For a second, optional entry, follow the Sounds Fun Mom Back to School board on Pinterest. There are lots of clever projects you can make with the laminator, and it includes a pin to the site where I found the reading stories I used in this post. You can also check out  the Fellowes Classroom Creativity Board while you’re there or follow my other fun boards. Come back and tell me you did so.

Leave a separate comment for each entry, and Good Luck!  Remember: Only comments left on this post count as entries. If you’re reading this via feed, email, or carrier pigeon, please come to the site to enter! Yay!

Disclosure: I was selected for this post as part of The Motherhood. It is a sponsored post written on behalf of Fellowes. The opinions are all my own!

 

 

Comments

  1. I would use the laminator in our developmental preschool program. It would maximize our time in our classroom for classroom prep. Since we are part of the school district and in local schools, the other teachers in our building would be able to use it as well. We are a preschool- fifth grade building.

  2. I followed on Pinterest as well! Living in the Bonney Lake area, and having four kids, I LOVE all the local ideas we can do. Thank you!

  3. As a homeschooling mom of four, what WOULDN’T I use it for! To save money, re-use workbooks/worksheets for multiple children..and I love the chore card idea!

  4. Pinterest…love it! Checked out your pinterest page for the first time. Thank you for more great ideas..

  7. I love your chore chart idea! I would love to try that for my son. He’s entering into kindergarten this year, so we need to establish some sort of schedule.

  8. We’d probably do the re-usable writing sheets, too, especially so we don’t go through quite so much paper as my daughter is trying to learn to write her letters.

  10. As a teacher & mom, I would use it on just about everything- important documents, keepsakes, crafts, etc.

  11. I would be use the laminator for work I am an Occupational Therapy Assistant, it would help a lot I could use it to help kiddos with handwriting, i could laminate writing pages and they could use them muliple times saving the environment as well as saving money.I could capture that very first time the kiddo writes something for the parents. 🙂
    I could also use it for home to help my own kids with writing,chores, saving those precious pictures they draw,even send them safely to the grandparents out of state. I really hope that I am lucky enough to be chosen there are so many useful things to do with a laminator.

  15. I am going to create a recipe binder for my sons when they move away from home. I would laminate each page and 3 hole punch so the recipes could be kept in the binder and used over and over while being spill proof.

  16. I would use it for a chore chart, a homework helper, a memento saver… the ideas are endless.

  18. I would probably lend it to my daughter to use for her classroom. Definitely lend not give though 🙂

  21. Oh my gosh! You are on Pinterest?! I’ll have to go check it out! I live your weekly what’s going on posts. They are my #1 go to when planning a weekend around the kids!

  22. Starting out homeschooling this year with my four kiddos-it’s going to be crazy and fun and I’m pretty sure I have loads of laminating to do to get things rolling! Great ideas! Thanks!

  24. I would use this for organization for our home, flash cards for the kiddos, reusable workbooks and worksheets, chore charts for the whole family,the list goes on and on!

  28. I’m a kindergarten teacher and I would certainly find so many different ways to utilize this for my classroom!

  29. I would use it at home for my weekly menus, old photos, my college degrees, pre-k work I am doing with my daughter and lots of artwork

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com