Little Owls Resources · Practical help
Printing PDF Resources
Print your EYFS and KS1 resources at the size you need, including two or four PDF pages on one sheet. Start with the downloaded file and check a sample before printing a full set.
Before you print
Download the resource and open its PDF file. Printing the website or a cover image will not give you the full resource.
The steps below use desktop Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free option for opening and printing PDFs. Open the saved file in Reader; if it opens in another app, use your device’s Open with option to choose Reader.
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe →
Already using another PDF app? You may have similar print options. Their names and positions can vary.
How to print 2 or 4 pages on one sheet
- Open your downloaded PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and select Print.
- Choose your printer and the PDF pages you want to use. For a test sheet, select just two pages for a two-per-sheet layout, or four for a four-per-sheet layout.
- Find Page Sizing & Handling and choose Multiple.
- Set Pages per sheet to 2 or 4. Check the arrangement and orientation in the preview.
- Print one test sheet. Check that the reduced text and pictures are clear enough for their intended use before printing more.
Illustrative layouts; your print preview shows the actual arrangement. This setting reduces whole PDF pages, including any pictures already arranged on them. It is different from printing on both sides of the paper.
Choose the right print size
For one PDF page on each side of a sheet, select Size in Reader’s print window. Match the paper setting to the paper loaded in your printer and follow any instructions in the resource.
Fit
Adjusts the PDF page to your printer’s printable area. It can make the content smaller or larger.
Useful when you want the whole page to fit and its exact printed dimensions are not important.
Actual size / 100%
Keeps the original scale. Use this when a resource needs to be a particular size.
Edges can be cut off if they fall outside the printable area. Check a test print and any measurements before using it.
Print only the pages you need
In Reader, use Pages to Print → Pages to enter a selection such as 2, 4-6. Check the preview against the pages you want, especially if the pack includes covers or instructions.
Using another app or device?
PDFs in Preview on a Mac
File → Print → Layout → Pages per Sheet
Choose the number of pages and review the preview. You may need to scroll in the print window to find Layout.
Editable Word resources
Finish your edits, then use File → Print in desktop Word. Review every page before printing, particularly if you have changed text, pictures or page layout.
Help with editing resources →
Microsoft’s Word printing guide →
On a phone or tablet? The available settings depend on your app, device and printer. If you cannot find a multiple-pages option, try the desktop PDF steps above on a computer.
Quick printing fixes
The edges are cut off, or the print is the wrong size
Check the paper size, portrait/landscape orientation and scaling in the preview. If exact dimensions do not matter, try Fit. If they do matter, keep the original scale and check that the paper and printable area can accommodate the resource.
In Mac Preview, Scale to Fit → Print Entire Image keeps the whole image; Fill Entire Paper can crop it.
Text or pictures are missing or printing incorrectly
Download the file again and open the saved PDF in desktop Reader. If normal printing still fails, try Print → Advanced → Print as Image → OK, then print a test page.
If other documents also fail, check your printer and its support guidance. Read Adobe’s printing troubleshooting guide →
I want to print in black and white or on both sides
Reader offers a Print in grayscale option. Check a sample if colour is part of the activity or helps distinguish pictures.
Double-sided printing depends on your printer and driver. Follow its instructions for the flip edge and test a short sample. Choose single-sided printing when the resource needs blank backs or cut-out pieces.
I want several copies of the same page on one sheet
Copies and pages per sheet are different settings. Choosing four pages per sheet does not necessarily repeat one page four times.
In Mac Preview, the Copies per page setting in the Preview section of the print window repeats the same page. Check the preview before printing. Options in other apps vary.
Still need a hand?
Tell us the resource name or page link, your device, the app you are printing from and what goes wrong. A screenshot of the print preview can help; leave out any personal or payment details.
Contact Little Owls Resources →
If the difficulty is downloading or opening the file, start with our Help page or file format information.