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Printables aren’t just for sitting at the table with crayons — they’re invitations to imagine.
When you give your child a set of cut-out elements — a pencil, a backpack, a lunchbox, a crayon — you're not just handing them shapes. You're handing them props for a story waiting to unfold.
That’s exactly why I designed the School Days Cut & Collage Book — to give families, homeschoolers, and teachers playful, printable resources that go way beyond worksheets.
Here are 5 fun, low-prep ways to transform your printables into imaginative play tools that build language skills, boost confidence, and invite endless creativity.
5 Imaginative Play Ideas Using the School Days Cut-Outs
1. Pack a Pretend Backpack (for a Monster or Toy)
How it works:
Let your child cut out various school items and decide what to "pack" in a pretend backpack for a favorite toy or stuffed animal.
You can even decorate a paper envelope or pouch as the backpack!
Ask them questions like:
“What subject is your monster learning?”
“Did they remember their apple?”
Builds: Storytelling, empathy, decision-making
2. Draw & Tell: School Story Prompts
How it works:
Place cut-outs face down in a pile. Have your child draw 2–3 at random.
Then: they tell a made-up story using those items as inspiration.
Example: Crayon + Apple + Tape ? "Once there was a red crayon who didn’t want to color... until he met an apple named Annie!"
Builds: Language development, public speaking confidence
3. Pretend Play: Classroom Role-Play
How it works:
Let your child play “teacher” using the printable elements — they can “teach” to stuffed animals, dolls, or you!
Use the pencils, rulers, and chalkboard images to set the stage. You can even make mini worksheets.
Builds: Social skills, leadership, imagination
4. Build-a-School Collage Map
How it works:
On a blank sheet, have your child draw or glue down rooms and spaces of a school — then use cut-outs as decorations or characters.
Example: Glue a crayon into the “art room,” place an apple in the cafeteria, etc.
Builds: Spatial awareness, planning, creative mapping
5. Create a Puppet Show
How it works:
Glue school-themed cut-outs to craft sticks or paper straws to make stick puppets.
Kids can act out a school day, a silly recess scene, or even a "lost pencil" mystery.
Builds: Dramatic play, sequencing, collaborative play
Want Even More Ideas?
You’ll find 15 creative ways to use the School Days Cut-Outs in this FREE printable download — perfect for playtime, homeschool, or classroom centers.
And don’t forget — if you’re a member of the Pepper Printable Club, the School Days Book is available in your download library right now!
Let the stories begin.
The Pepper Printable Club
Join the Pepper Printable Club for the fun in life and get 100s of Printable, Learning Sheets and SVG files along with graphic sets for scrapbooking and more! Additionally, you'll find video lessons there as well!
It's a lovely place to be to relax from the everyday life!