Printing a PDF at home is usually quick, but a few settings make the difference between crisp, correctly sized pages and a puzzle with its bottom row cut off.
Printers and apps differ, so your buttons and menus may be named a little differently. The ideas are the same everywhere.
Before you print
Save the file first
Download the PDF and save it somewhere easy to find, such as a folder for printables, keeping all the files from one kit together. That way you can reprint later without hunting for it.
Open it in a PDF reader
Web browsers can show PDFs, but their built-in preview sometimes scales pages, renders fonts slightly differently or offers fewer print options. If anything looks off, open the file in a dedicated PDF reader instead. Many computers come with one, and free PDF readers are widely available.
Decide which pages you need
Scroll through the whole file first. Many kits include a cover, instructions and an answer key you may only need once, so note the page numbers you actually want.
Choosing paper
Everyday copy paper
Regular copy paper, around 20 to 24 lb bond (about 75 to 90 gsm), is the right choice for most printables: worksheets, coloring pages, mazes and anything kids will write on. It's inexpensive and takes pencil, crayon and marker well. The slightly heavier 24 lb paper shows less of the other side through, which helps with markers.
Cardstock
Use cardstock for anything kids will hold, cut out or keep, such as certificates, cards, game pieces and bookmarks.
- Light cardstock, about 65 lb cover (around 176 gsm), feeds through many home printers and feels noticeably sturdier than copy paper.
- Heavier cardstock, about 80 to 110 lb cover (around 216 to 300 gsm), is stiffer still, but not every home printer can handle it.
Check your printer's maximum paper weight in its manual or specifications before buying heavy cardstock. If your printer has a rear or manual feed slot, that path is often better for thick paper, and feeding one sheet at a time can help prevent jams.
A note on numbers: "bond" and "cover" weights use different scales, which is why 65 lb cover is heavier than 24 lb bond. The gsm figure is easier to compare.
Matte or glossy
Matte paper is the better pick for activities. Pencils, crayons and markers work well on it, and it shows fewer fingerprints. Glossy photo paper gives bright colors, but pencil and crayon don't take well to it, and ink can smudge if it's handled before it dries. Save glossy paper for things that are only looked at, like a poster.
Whatever you use, choose the matching paper type in your print settings so the printer uses the right amount of ink for it.
Letter vs A4
There are two common paper sizes:
- US Letter is 8.5 x 11 inches (215.9 x 279.4 mm) and is the standard in the US and Canada.
- A4 is 210 x 297 mm (about 8.27 x 11.69 inches) and is used in the UK, Australia and most other countries.
A4 is slightly narrower and a little taller than Letter. If you print a Letter file on A4 paper, or the other way around, the page either loses a strip at the edge or gets shrunk to fit, leaving extra white space. Neither is a disaster, but puzzles and grids look best at their intended size.
That's why our kits come in both Letter and A4 versions, along with a printer-friendly black and white version. Pick the file that matches the paper in your tray. Our FAQ has more on sizes and downloads.
Print dialog settings
These are worth checking every time, though your app may group or name them differently.
Scale
- "Actual size" or "100%" prints the page exactly as designed. Use it when sizes matter, for example grids, cut-outs and anything that needs to line up.
- "Fit to page," "Fit to printable area" or "Shrink oversized pages" scales the page down slightly so it fits inside the area your printer can reach. Use it if edges are getting cut off.
Paper size
Set the paper size to match the paper you've loaded, Letter or A4. A mismatch here is a common cause of sizing problems.
Orientation
Portrait is upright, landscape is sideways. The automatic setting usually picks correctly, but check the preview, especially for game boards and certificates.
Quality
Draft or fast mode uses less ink and is fine for practice copies. Standard is right for most pages. Use high or best quality for certificates and full-color pages you want to keep.
Color or grayscale
Choosing grayscale or black and white prints color pages in shades of gray. Depending on your printer, grayscale may still use a little color ink, so look for a "black ink only" option if your printer offers one.
Double-sided
If your printer supports automatic double-sided printing, turn it on for instructions and booklets. Without it, many print dialogs let you print odd pages only, flip the stack and then print even pages; test with two sheets first, because the flip direction varies between printers. Avoid double-sided printing for pages that will be cut apart or hidden as clues.
Borderless
Borderless printing is printer-dependent, and most home printers can't print right to the very edge of the page. A thin white margin is normal. Well-designed printables keep important content away from the edges for this reason.
Saving ink
- Use the printer-friendly black and white version when a kit includes one.
- Choose draft mode for practice sheets and rough copies.
- Print only the pages you need, using the page range box.
- Print one test page first and check size and quality before printing the whole set.
- Reuse pages. Slide a page into a clear sheet protector and let kids use dry-erase markers, then wipe it clean. This works well for mazes, word searches and grid puzzles. Test your markers first, since some can leave faint marks on certain plastics. A laminator does the same job for pages you'll use often.
- Keep a master copy in a folder so you can make photocopies later instead of printing again.
Troubleshooting
Edges are cut off
Your page is probably larger than the area your printer can reach, or the paper size setting doesn't match your paper. Switch scaling to "Fit to page" or "Shrink oversized pages," and check that the paper size matches what's in the tray. If you have both versions, print the one that matches your paper.
The page prints too small
Check whether "Fit to page" is shrinking it, and try "Actual size" instead. An A4 file printed on Letter paper, or the reverse, can also come out smaller than expected.
Colors look different from the screen
This is normal. Screens make color with light while printers mix ink on paper, so printed colors often look a little darker or less bright, and the paper itself changes the result too. Choosing the correct paper type and a higher quality setting can help, but some difference is expected.
Smudges or streaks
Let pages dry before stacking them, especially on glossy paper or with heavy color. Make sure the paper type setting matches your paper. If you see streaks or faint lines, your printer's built-in cleaning or maintenance tool may help.
Text looks fuzzy or something is missing
Open the file in a PDF reader rather than the browser preview and print again. If that doesn't help, try downloading the file again in case it didn't download completely.
Quick printing checklist
- File saved and opened in a PDF reader
- Right version chosen: Letter or A4, color or black and white
- Paper loaded and paper size setting matching it
- Scale set to Actual size, or Fit to page if edges are clipping
- Page range entered
- Quality and color mode chosen
- One test page printed and checked
- Pages left to dry before handling
When you're ready for something to print, you'll find all our kits in the shop.
