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Winter

Best of Burns

Free Burns Night Printables

robert-burns-portrait

Looking for printables for your Burns Night celebrations? We’ve put all our favourite Robert Burns and Scottish-themed decorations, new and old, below in one place. Have a fabulous evening on January 25th. Here’s to one of Scotland’s finest poets!

Invitations and Place Cards

Download festive Burns Night invitations to impress your guests before they even arrive.  You could also set the table with attractive Burns Night place cards. They’re very useful if you want to organise who sits where! Just print and fill in.

Bags and Bunting

Download and decorate with our Burns Night bunting and gift bags featuring Robert Burns’ portraits and traditional Scottish designs.  The bags can be filled with small gifts for guests to enjoy at the gathering or take home.  It’s an easy way to add charm to your Burns Night celebration.

The Selkirk Grace Printables

The Selkirk Grace is a traditional Scottish poetic prayer, recited before the Burns Night supper begins. It’s a short but powerful piece that sets the tone for the evening – and everyone loves to hear it.  Below are decorative versions of the Selkirk Grace to print and use as table decorations or keepsakes for your guests.

Colouring Pages and Activities

Get the children involved in your Burns Night celebration with these engaging Burns Night colouring pages.  It’s a nice, creative way to get them involved and introduce them to Robert Burns’ legacy.

Burns Night Quiz – Printable Fun for Kids

Children playing our printable Burns quizLooking for a way to entertain the children while you enjoy your Burns Night supper?  Or maybe you’re a primary school teacher who’d like your class to learn about Burn’s Night and have some fun at the same time?

Well, we’ve created a fun Burns Night quiz for kids that mixes humour with facts.  It’s a wonderful way for them to learn a little about Robert Burns and Scottish traditions without getting bored!

This quiz is printable and designed to be easy on ink, so it’s perfect for home or classroom use. Download your free copy below:

Download resource as word docxDownload resource as word docx

 

What is Burns Night?

Burns Night is a celebration which is held to remember the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. It takes place either on or near his birthday, which is January 25th.

Scotland flag - Burns Night celebration

Today, it is celebrated by Scottish people all over the world, often by way of eating a supper which includes a haggis, neeps and tatties.  A favoured drink on Burns Night is whisky.  Selections of Burns’ poetry are often read out loud, which given his rhythmic style and wonderful talent for conjuring up images full of emotion, is a real treat.

If you’ve never been to a Burns Night supper, it’s a fantastic evening of poetry, food, and Scottish culture. If you get the chance to attend, don’t miss out!

Winter

Top Picks for January

With Christmas over and the new year at the starting block, we thought we’d list a few of our favourite printables for January. Some are new and some are old favourites but our site is getting so big that we thought a little list might help make sure there’s no mid-winter magic you’ve missed.

1 Christmas Thank You Notes

Christmas Thank You Notes

2 Burns’ Night Printables

3  Tooth Fairy Notes

4 Blank Fairy Notepaper

Blank Fairy Notepaper

5 Spring Colouring

Printable spring colouring pages

Our Favourite Printables, Spring

Printable Mother’s Day Cards

We thought we’d put some free printable Mother’s Day cards together for those of you who need them.  In keeping with the rest of our site, we designed them to be gentle, cute, and magical—the kind of thing children love.  We’ve created heart-warming scenes both from the animal kingdom and other, more magical worlds.  From baby foxes and koalas to enchanting fairies, each card is designed to capture the special bond between mothers and their little ones.

You should be able to see all the cards we have so far below, just pick one and click or tap on it to get the PDF.  So, dive in and select a card (or two!) that speaks to you.  Print them out and prepare to make this Mother’s Day not just special, but magical.  Because every mother deserves a touch of magic on her special day.

First up we have cute caterpillars and hedgehogs:

Next, we have a cards depicting a beautiful mother and baby fox and a bright, sunny scene with mother duck and her duckling:

Cats and mice may seem very different but they both make lovely Mother’s Day cards:

Down at the bottom of the garden, bumblebees and frogs are also celebrating Mother’s Day in these beautiful cards:

Looking for animals from warmer climes?  Mother Parrot and Mother Koala receive cards from their little ones below:

And now for a bit of magic!  Here’s Mother’s Day for dragons and fairies… perfect for your own magical mum:

Whether you’re a parent looking to craft a memorable Mother’s Day with your child, or a teacher seeking resources for a classroom activity, these cards offer a perfect way to express love and appreciation.  They’re all designed with children in mind and we hope you find the perfect match for your little one’s Mother’s Day celebration.

Making a printable Mother's Day cad by carefully cutting along the lines with scissors.
Print onto card and cut out

We recommend you print them onto cardstock rather than paper, so that they are sturdy enough to stand up properly.  The images are large so you may need to fit them to the page if you don’t have software that does this for you.  You will also need a sharp pair of scissors to cut off the excess around the edges.  Inside, there should be plenty of space for children to add their own message, doodle, or signature, making each greeting not just a card, but a keepsake. x

A Bit about the History of Mother’s Day

Have you ever wondered where Mother’s Day came from?  Well, in Europe its origins are sad to be very old, perhaps dating back to ancient Rome and Greece.  Beyond Europe, some people argue that setting aside a day to celebrate mothers goes even further back – perhaps even to ancient Egypt and the time of the pharaohs.

In the United Kingdom, it is more traditionally known as “Mothering Sunday” and can be traced back to the Middle Ages.  It takes place on the fourth Sunday of Lent, because on that day people used to return to their hometowns and churches, and therefore their mothers.  They would often bring gifts and so over time, this evolved into Mother’s Day.

The American history of Mother’s Day is considered slightly differently, because in 1908 a woman called  Anna Jarvis started the tradition by organising the first official Mother’s Day.  The celebrations took place in West Virginia and Philadelphia on the second Sunday in May, which Anna chose in memory of her own mother who had died a year earlier.  The American president of the time, Woodrow Wilson, made Mother’s Day a legal holiday in 1914.  Interestingly, Anna hated the commercialisation of Mother’s Day.

Spring

This and That for Valentine’s

Hello!  We generally create printables for children but these days, Valentine’s day is for everyone.  Far from being just for couples, we’re seeing cards sending love to all sorts of family members and friends, not to mention the wider world.  Pink and red decorations appear in shops and homes alike and some people are even using it as an opportunity to spoil themselves.  And why not?  It’s good to love yourself, too.

So, with the aim of moving with the times, we’ve put the printables we thought you might find useful this Valentine’s Day here on one page.  Thinking that the kids might want to help out, we’ve focussed on printable four-fold cards and colouring in.  We hope you, your children, your family and whoever else is special to you enjoy them.  Oh, and from all of us here at Rooftop Post, have a happy and magical Valentine’s.

Oh, and if you like the colouring picture of the mermaid above, you’ll find more in the mermaid section of our site, not to mention a mermaid treasure hunt!  We’ve also got some other gorgeous resources featuring flamingoes, and if you’re looking for free flamingo cards to print from elsewhere on the web, we like these.

What to write in your Valentine’s Card:

It’s never easy to think what to write in your Valentine’s card, and of course, a lot depends on who you’re writing to.

From a Secret Admirer

For example, if you’re sending a card from a secret admirer, it’s best to stick to funny or lightly romantic – as a mystery sender you don’t want to sound too serious (because that can make some people nervous) and it’s attractive to have a sense of humour.   If you’re really stuck, here are a couple of ideas:

  • I’m sending you this Valentine’s card to let you know that whenever I see you, you make me smile.  Have a wonderful day!
  • Roses are red,
    Violets are blue,
    I’m incredibly lucky
    To be friends with you!
  • I like you.  Even more than chocolate/football/any other (light-hearted) favourite thing.  Have a very happy Valentine’s Day!
  • You’re that “nothing” when people ask me what I’m thinking about.
For a Partner

On the other hand, if you’re writing to a long-term partner, pretty much anything goes.  You know their likes and dislikes better than anyone, and even though you might feel as if you can’t think of anything, just take the plunge because most of your thoughts will be appreciated.  Remember, this person already likes or loves you.  If you’re really stuck, thanking them for all they do and is a good start, and should get you thinking about what those things are.  Name them, if you can.  After all, letting someone know you’ve noticed all those small ways they make your life nicer is always going to make them smile.

For Family and Friends

For friends or non-romantic family, think of the sorts of things you’d put in a normal greetings card and just edit those sentiments a bit to suit Valentine’s.  Here are some examples:

  • Happy Valentine’s Day!  I wanted to send you a card to say I hope your life is filled with love for the whole year ahead.
  • As it’s Valentine’s, I just wanted to let you know how much you are loved and appreciated by me (and all the family).   Have a great day.
  • Wishing you a very happy Valentine’s Day from a family who loves you.
  • To my best friend, I thought I’d use Valentine’s Day to send you lots of love and let you know how special you are.  My world is about a million times better for having you in it.
Fairies, Tooth Fairy

Make a Miniature Tooth Fairy Letter

Miniature Tooth Fairy and matching envelope for a child's 1st ToothThere are many beautiful Tooth Fairy letters out there in the cloud and some of the loveliest ones are very small.  Fairy-sized in fact.  However, it can be rather fiddly to find a tiny pen (and perhaps your strongest reading glasses!) to write one yourself, so we thought we’d post a couple that are ready-written and free to print out.  All you’ll need to make yours is a pair of scissors a dab of glue for the tiny envelope flaps.

Photograph of a miniature Tooth Fairy letter being held in someone's hand.
Miniature Tooth Fairy Letter

So far, we’ve got two letters for a general tooth pick-up and one for a first tooth.  Each comes with a matching envelope for a girl or a boy – whichever you want.  (They’re all below.)  If you’d rather print a normal-sized letter instead, you can still find a range of them on our Tooth Fairy notes page.  We’ll be tracking how busy this page is and if it proves popular, we’ll make more miniature letters in the not-to-distant future.

Choose Your Printable Miniature Letter Below:

Just click on the picture of the Tooth Fairy letter you want and you’ll be taken to a PDF file to print and/or download.  It’s all free but if you like these and want to support us, come back and see us soon, join our mailing list, or let a friend know.  Happy crafting!

If your children speak French, you might also like these tiny letters:

 

Top Tip:

Fairy dust or ultra fine glitter, good for crafting, being blown out of a woman's hands.If you’re a bit of a fairy crafting fiend, dipping your tiny Tooth Fairy letter in ultra fine glitter before you put it in the envelope will make it sparkle beautifully when your child takes it out.  The glitter won’t stick unless it’s the very fine kind though, like the glitter you see people using for nail art.  The best place to find some is probably ebay.  Also, beware, it can get everywhere and if you spill it on the carpet you’ll spot the occasional sparkle for months, in spite of your best efforts to vacuum it away.  We recommend using it on a tray.

A miniature Tooth Fairy letter with a matching envelope for a little girl.
Miniature Tooth Fairy Letter for a Young Lady

Larger Notes

Don’t forget we also have a range of bigger notes, not to mention  Tooth Fairy certificates you can print out – for those who find it a bit easier to use something human rather than fairy-sized!

Our Favourite Printables, Parties, Treasure Hunts

Two Treasure Hunts – Pirates and Mermaids

Pirate and Mermaid Treasure Hunt Clues
Pirate and Mermaid Treasure Hunt Clues

This week we’ve put together two sets of rhyming clues for treasure hunts.  One is a pirate theme, the other is for mermaids.  They make a great activity for birthday parties or any other family gathering where there are children to entertain.

What You Need:

A printer, obviously, and a pair of scissors.  You’ll also have to think of a prize (or “treasure”) you can put at the end of the hunt, with the very last clue.  For the pirate treasure hunt, you’ll need an egg to place one of the clues next to, as you’ll see when you read the rhymes.

If you need more help: Scroll down, there are suggestions for hiding each clue lower down. 

Just print the clues, cut them out and hide around the house accordingly.   (There are PDF buttons underneath each set of clues to make printing extra-easy.)

Pirate Treasure Hunt Clues:
Printable Pirate Treasure Hunt
Printable Pirate Treasure Hunt
GET CLUES AS PDF
Mermaid Treasure Hunt Clues:
Mermaid Treasure Hunt
Mermaid Treasure Hunt
GET CLUES AS PDF

 

Further Help: 

When planning your treasure hunt, here are some questions to ask yourself and extra ideas for each clue below.

Whole House or Certain Rooms?

If you’re planning this scavenger hunt for a children’s party, you might want to make it clear which rooms they should look in and which are off-limits – just in case you don’t want a million little hands rifling through every cupboard in the house!

Competition or Team Work Game? 

You might also want to decide whether your treasure hunt is a competition or not.  Does the first person to get to the end get the prize?  Or is it about team work?  If it’s the former, make it clear that clues must be left where you found them, so that the next player can find them too.  If it’s the latter, make sure there’s some “treasure” for everyone at the end.

Tips and Suggestions for Each Verse of Pirate Clues:

Yo ho, me lovelies!
Here be a clue:
To find the surprise
Ye must seek out a shoe!

Just pop the clue into any shoe that the children are likely to find.  If you want to make it easier, you could point them to the right room.

Keep on, me hearties!
A pirate’s got grit,
Ye’ll find the next clue
Where ye like to sit.

Place the clue under/on/under the cushion of a chair.  It could be a dining chair, armchair, rocking chair and so on. 

Well done, me pirates!
You’re moving ahead
A secret is written
Where ye go to bed.

This one’s easy – just hide the clue in a bed.  If it’s a party and you don’t want children in every room, make it clear which bedrooms are off-limits. 

Now listen up closely
Me beauties, me gems,
There’s a landlubber watching
The next clue’s on them!

You or another adult should hide the next clue about your (or their) person.  Perhaps in a pocket or, if you’re joining in the festivities, under the pirate hat you’ve got on!

Not far to the treasure,
Me brave sailing folk!
The next one’s beside
A thing with a yolk.

You’ll need to place the next clue near an egg.  Perhaps in the fridge or egg basket?  If you don’t have a real egg in the house, you could always draw one, cut it out, pin it to a wall and put the clue beside it.

Fine work buccaneers!
Now hark to me fable:
There once was a clue
Who hid by a table.

Any table will do here – if you’re feeling crafty, tape the clue underneath it rather than leaving it on top. 

Well done me shipmates!
You’re right on the brink…
The last clue is hiding
Not far from a sink.

Could be the bathroom or the kitchen – just hide the clue in or near a sink.

Aha so ye found it!
I’m piraty-proud,
A toast to yer cunning
And courage out loud!

The “treasure” should be left with this clue.  It can be anything – chocolate, sweets, a toy.  Might be a nice touch to make it a piraty gift, arrr!  If this treasure hunt wasn’t a competition, make sure there are enough goodies for everyone.  You could always include one of our pirate certificates at the end for whoever got there first.  This one, for an Honorary Pirate one would be a good fit:

Printable Pirate Certificate: Honorary Pirate
Honorary Pirate Certificate
(No name needed)

 

Tips and Suggestions for Each Verse of Mermaid Clues:

Follow the clues
For treasures galore!
Swim that way dear mermaids,
The first’s on a door.

Pick any door in your house and stick/pin the next clue to it.  If you want to make it harder, you could choose a less obvious door, such as the door to a wardrobe… or even a cat door! 

Hark to me, merfolk,
Crustaceans and fish!
The next clue is hiding
Inside a dish.  

Pop the next clue inside a dish, any dish you know the children will find.  Might be best not to choose a valuable one though, in case it gets broken. 

Well done, now another….
If you’re in a rush
I’ll tell you a secret:
It’s near a hairbrush.

Hide the clue near a hairbrush.  If the children don’t know where to look, you could always point them towards the correct room. 

The next place is strange
It’s a manmade machine
And the clue is not far
From its sparkly bright screen.  

This “manmade machine” with a “sparkly bright screen” could be a TV, a laptop, a desktop, or even a tablet.  (In theory, it could even be a phone but that might be hard for them to guess.)  Hide the next clue near whichever device you have in your house – we always use the TV.  

Nice work, lovely creatures,
But now understand:
A grown-up is hiding
A clue in their hand!!!  

This could be you or one of the other grown-up friends/parents.  Give them the clue before the game starts and tell them fold it up small and hide it in a fist.  Pick someone who doesn’t mind having their hand prised open by small fingers!

Now you must swim
To and fro, here and there,
To find a clue waiting
Under a chair.

Any chair in the house will do for the next clue.  You could hide it under the chair’s cushion, under the chair itself, or tape it to the back of the chair. 

The hunt’s nearly over,
You’ve swum many knots,
Now look in a room
Full of saucepans and pots!  

Clearly, the next clue needs to be hidden in the kitchen.  You can make finding it as easy or as difficult as you like. 

Hooray little merfolk,
Here is your prize.
You are not only pretty
But clever and wise!

This is the last clue so some kind of mermaid treasure should be left here.  Sweets/candy is probably the most obvious prize – you could also add one of our free mermaid certificates.  The one below would be an easy choice because it doesn’t require you to add a child’s name.  (Obviously, if it’s a competition you couldn’t add a name in advance because you wouldn’t know which child was going to get to the end first!):

Mermaid Certificate: Mermaid Friend (No name needed)
Mermaid Friend (No name needed)

 

Attribution: All pirate and mermaid rhymes in the clues above were written by Leone Annabella Betts and have been reproduced on this site with her blessing.

Looking for More Pirate Party Ideas?

From around the internet, we like these: 

Make a Pirate’s Treasure Map – This is a great idea for a pirate’s party activity.  Just watch the BBC (CBeebies) video then get the children at your party making maps of their own.

Make a Pirate Treasure Chest – If you’ve got a bit of preparation time, this print and craft treasure chest from Tim’s Printables might prove useful.  You make one for each guest, pop a couple of sweets inside and put it on the party table.

Buccaneer Eye Patches – Authentic looking eye patches to print out from Real Classroom Ideas.

Please note that we’re not responsible for the content on these pages or the upkeep of their websites. 

On our site, you might like these:

Printable Pirate Certificates – All sorts of certificates for young pirates.  You can watch a video about making one here.

Pirate Cupcake Wrappers – Do pirates eat cupcakes?  Who knows?  But if they do, they’d be decorated with their own piraty wrappers.