87 Cool Pete the Cat Freebies and Teaching Resources

Pete the Cat is the go-to book for many kindergarten and elementary classrooms.

Here are free Pete the Cat activities, freebies and books listed all in one place so you won’t have to go digging to look for them.

These resources were all free at the time that I found them. There are printables for back to school, reading, math and so much more.

Be sure to click on the name of each Pete the Cat freebie or idea to see where it came from and to access it.

Back to school printables

Here are the themed resources, printables and lesson plans to start off the school year for kindergarten.

First Day Certificate, School Tour, Coloring Page – This school tour was featured in my first day of school setup snapshots and many asked where it came from. I like taking my class on a tour to help keep wiggles under control and practice hallway procedures on the first day of school.

Pete the Cat Classroom Rules – Ahhh, how saying “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” has become a regular part of my teaching day. {wink}

Class Tour – Get your students practicing their hallway procedures while learning the layout of their new school building with this class tour. Mrs. Lirette will have your class tracking down Pete and following clues to visit the library, office, lunchroom, music, art, and gym. [Click here for the direct freebie link as her website is currently down – I pulled this from her article using the wayback machine]

“It’s All Good” Posters and Playdough Sight Words – There are two freebie Pete the Cat printables in this post. Students can make sight words using playdough (remember I’m a huge fan of playdough) or be reminded that life isn’t perfect with these “It’s All Good” posters.

First Day of School Glue Practice – Teach students how to keep the glue bottle under control with this gluing practice worksheet.

Math resources and freebies

Here are the themed resources, printables and lesson plans for math. You’ll find materials for: counting and number recognition, subtraction, addition, skip counting, comparing numbers and data.

► Counting and number recognition

Roll and Cover – This simple roll and color sheet was an absolute favorite of my students in the practice math zone. We ended up putting one into a slip sheet and made it into a bump game with linking cubes. So versatile, simple and lovable!

Matching Buttons – Counting 1:1 Mats – Give students the chance to practice their one-to-one counting skills using these counting cards. Pete has lots of colorful jackets to make each one different. Your students could also use playdough to make the correct number of buttons!

Counting and Matching Sets – Students can match object sets, numerals or number words with these button cards. Could be a partner activity, a parent-helper activity or even a quick math center.

Groovy Ten Frame Mat – Get groovy with Pete as you are working with numbers. This ten frame can be used for a variety of things. I love using ten frames during our calendar time, in math zones and making my own!

Order 1-10 Pete Puzzles – Put the numbers 1-10 in order with backgrounds of Pete the Cat to self-correct in these two 10-piece puzzles.

Teen Number Fluency Roll and Read – Get your kinders identifying their teen numbers as a warm-up in your guided math groups. These roll and read printables help make building fluency a little more fun!

Clip Cards 1-20 Pete’s Shoes – Count 1:1 to 20 and identify the correct numeral with these clip cards. Students use a clothespin to identify the number.

► Subtraction

Ten Frame Cards – Pop off Pete’s groovy buttons from a ten frame as students practice Pete the Cat subtraction. These ten frame cards can be used for more things too!

Subtraction Story Illustration – Have your students create a subtraction story with Pete’s buttons popping off. These will turn out so cute with your students’ illustrations. It’s a great way to get them to use pictures, words and numbers to show their work.

Pete the Cat Color By Pages – These pages would make a great addition to your sub folder because they’d be ready in a pinch! Your students can color by number word and practice writing color words.

Subtraction Workmat – Students can practice their subtraction sentences alongside using a workmat of Pete. Grab a handful of buttons to make this manipulative and easily differentiated.

Math Equation Spinner Game – This Pete the Cat subtraction game is awesome! Students draw cards to move spaces along Pete’s Groovy Buttons colored game board. Use unique giant buttons as playing pieces.

Groovy Button Subtraction – You’ll love having these worksheets at the ready to practice subtraction or just use the stories whole group to practice problem solving. Pete makes everything more palatable. {wink}

► Addition

Doubles Addition Bump Game – What a fun way to practice what 2+2 or 3+3 makes with this bump game.

Decomposing the Number 4 – Students can use buttons to practice making 4 in different ways. A little cutting and gluing can go a long way at the beginning of the school year in kindergarten.

Addition to 12 Puzzle – Cut and reassemble this Pete the Cat puzzle with addition sums to 12. Perfect for first grade!

► Skip counting

Pete the Cat Counting by Fives – A simple worksheet that can be turned into “dots” of fun if you using bingo daubers to have students practice counting by fives. Great for first grade or later on in kindergarten (or with more advanced students). Another option is to make blue thumbprints to make it fast!

Count by 2’s Cut and Paste Worksheet – Count from 2-20 by twos with this cut and paste number worksheet.

Comparing numbers and data

Greater Than Less Than Math Center – Students can compare numbers 1-100 with these cards and equality signs with a little Pete flavoring. This could be a partner activity, a parent-helper activity, or even a quick math center.

Question of the Day Graph – Ask the question of the day to generate data for discussion and to analyze as a class. An easy way to build in Pete the cat lesson plans!

Language arts and reading freebies

Here are the themed resources, printables and lesson plans to teach reading and language arts skills. There are emergent readers, resources for teaching color words, sight words and names, phonics and word work, retelling and sequencing.

► Emergent readers

Pete’s Shoes: Easy Reader Freebie – Kindergarten students will feel empowered reading this patterned book using the phrase, “Oh no! I see {color}! I like my {color} shoes.” Have students highlight the sight word “see” to help them improve their tracking skills.

Emergent Reader – Your young readers will exude confidence with their own Pete book. Simply fold to make this one page booklet a hit with your class.

Pete Loves Shoes Emergent Reader – This became one of my class’ first favorite emergent reader books. They loved the opportunity to try out their coloring skills since we don’t really do too much coloring in kindergarten {yeah, I know *gasp*} and were excited to have their own Pete book to take home.

Four Groovy Buttons Emergent Reader – Fill in the equations to show how Pete’s buttons fell off from Pete the Cat’s Groovy Buttons in this mini booklet.

► Sight words, color words and names

Color Word Building Cards – Use these color word cards in a variety of ways. Students can place letter tiles on top to build or copy the color words. You could also laminate a flap over top to make it a “checking” card, or have students cover the letter tiles with scrabble tiles instead!

Playdough Sight Word Mats – Use playdough snakes rolled out to form sight words. These can last a long time as a center activity.

Pete BINGO Song – Take a familiar song like BINGO and teach kindergarten students how to spell Pete using this song as a shared reading poem. Create your own for free with sentence strips.

Cool Cat Name Writing – Recognize letters in student names and practice handwriting names with this editable worksheet.

► Phonics and word work

Nonsense and Real Word Sort – Get your young readers to bring back Pete into the classroom once they are working on their beginning reader skills. Students can color the real words one color and the nonsense words another… making Pete’s buttons very colorful.

Letter, Word, Sentence Sort – Give students the chance to show that they understand the difference between a letter, word and sentence with this sort.

Letter or Sound Fluency Game – Your students will take turns “racing” to the top by naming letters or producing letter sounds when they draw a card. They can move up the ladder each time they are correct. Help Pete get his button!

Beginning Sound Button Bingo – Snag some buttons from your math manipulatives and use them as bingo chips in this small group reading game.

► Retelling and sequencing

First, Next, Then Sequencing – If you like to do a sequencing activity and want a follow-up sheet, or a sheet that students can use to follow along then this first, next, last worksheet may just be the ticket!

Rockin’ Buttons Retelling – Each of your students can wear a ribbon with velcro to have their own buttons while retelling the story. They’ll love it!

► Reading skills

Describing Anchor Chart – Work on adjectives by describing the famous blue cat as a class making your Pete the Cat lesson plans complete.

Venn Diagram – Students can compare and contrast using the words “same” and “different” in this simple venn diagram. They could draw or use words to compare themselves with Pete the Cat.

Pete the Cat Activity Packet – Students can write about their favorite part of the story,  do a word search (first/second grade), and practice using adjectives.

I Love My Shoes Book – Designed for first graders, students can get sentence writing practice in. Let them create a patterned book or create their own text for more advanced writers and color the shoes to match their sentences.

Predictable Cut and Paste – Get a little practice or send this home as homework. Student cut and paste the predictable text, use a color word cue and illustrate. This would be perfect to introduce after teaching the guided drawing how to! Another idea is to use this for remediation of students in late fall who need 1:1 practice and reading left to right (or practice having words the right way up).

Label Pete the Cat – Cut and paste the cat parts to label Pete the cat with nose, ears, whiskers, paw and tail.

Making Mental Images – Here’s a quick lesson you can do before reading any book! Have students create their own mental image of the character and compare it after reading.

Craft activities

Create crafts and drawing activities to extend your favorite Pete the Cat book. Here are the favorites I’ve found.

Pete Mask – Create DIY Pete the Cat masks. Draw a cat face shape freehand and add to popsicle sticks with the eyes cut out.

Pete the Cat Big Book for Kindergarten – Add your own class’ photos to make a big book that your students will want to read again and again.

Guided Drawing Art Project – You’ll find this easier than you thought and the results are so cute.

Construction Paper Headband – Simple shapes on royal blue construction paper makes the cutest Pete the cat headbands.

Rockin in My School Shoes Craftivity – You don’t need a template for this one! Grab some construction paper and model how to make a Pete the Cat with shapes. Add writing paper below to make it a craftivity display with writing.

Cool Cat Class Book – Oh, how I love making books with my entire class – especially at the beginning of the school year! This clever and cute class book will have your whole class involved writing what else Pete could have stepped into and reading it over and over. Wouldn’t it be so cute to record your class singing this and put it into your listening center? Complete with a front cover ready to print. (Inspired by original from madefor1stgrade)

Pin the Shoe – Need a quick activity or something fun to round out the day? Turn this simple “pin the shoe on Peter” activity into a sight word game. Write 6 sight words on the shoe templates and print off enough copies for each child in your class to get one shoe. “Teams” are formed by students with the same sight word and they can cheer each other on – the first team to get their sight word in the right place wins.

Pete the Cat Craft – With some simple shapes and some tennis shoes, your students can create their own blue cat. The template for cutting and pasting is included in this freebie.

Pete the Cat Pattern – If your class is into Pete’s buttons, then this pattern may be a good fit for your students. It would look great accompanying a hallway display of writing.

How to Draw Pete the Cat – Here are the steps to drawing this famous cat.

Cut and Paste Pete – This is an ideal preschool cut and paste activity. This cat is a great 3D version which ends up just being ultra cute. Could also be a great placard for a student’s desk on a back to school night.

Teacher printables

Here are classroom printables to post in the classroom or round out your teacher stash of all-things-Pete.

Calendar Cards – Want to change up your calendar one month to add a little Pete flavor? These are ABC patterned cards made just for your preschool or kindergarten calendar.

Pete the Cat Full Day Sub Plans – What a life saver! Print and stash this away for the day when you can.not see straight to write lesson plans or make it to your classroom to prep ahead of time. With a little of math, reading, writing and science – your day is covered.

Sentence Editing Chart – Encourage good sentence writing and checking their work with this partially visual editing sentences chart. Pete’s got writing under control… now let’s make writing groovy for your class.

Month Labels, Folder Labels – This is loaded with 3 free printables that bring Pete into the classroom all year long. Get months of the year for your calendar, daily folder labels (you know I like being organized), and color words too.

“Official” Shoe Tying Club – Want to encourage your students to be independent show tiers? Create an official shoe-tying club with Pete as the mascot cheering them on and leaving an official certificate when they reach their goal. This can also become your go-to reference of pointing those who need help or practice in the right direction so you can keep on teaching instead of spending your day tying.

Shoe Tying Certificates – Grab your official shoe tying certificates and highlight the students who are expert shoe tiers! Make a few moments in your room go smoother by setting up shoe-tying helpers.

Badges and Worksheets – This collection of badges and free printable worksheets will come in handy. You can create necklaces from the badges or even puppets!

Packed Out Pack – I called this the packed out pack, because it is. There are over 70 pages of printables for early learning skills. Most items will lend themselves to a preschool classroom, but kindergarten might just love the write the room pages.

Grade Level Team Dress Up – Have a special reading night or school event? Perhaps a Halloween party at school? Your whole grade level (or just you) can dress Pete inspired with the most fantasticly wild shoes… it just completes the look.

Activities by book

Some Pete books are more widely used in the classroom than others. Here are resources created for specific Pete books.

Pete saves Christmas activities

Here are activities and printables to go along with Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.

Pete Saves Christmas Worksheets – If your class likes to read the Christmas version, then these worksheets may be right up their alley. These are later first grade or second grade material – perhaps a great item to leave for a substitute teacher.

Pete Saves Christmas Graphic Organizer – Fill in the boxes to break down the characters, setting, problem and solution.

Pete Saves Christmas Emergent Reader – Retell the story with an easy reader version of Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.

Pete Saves Christmas Coloring Page – Color in Pete as he pops out of a chimney holding presents.

Paper Plate Santa Petes – Paint or color a paper plate to make your own Christmas version of Santa Pete. Add ears, eyes, a nose and a Santa hat!

Counting Cookies with Santa Pete Mini Book – Fill in this mini printable book and count Christmas items in ten frame configurations.

Gingerbread Pete Alternate Version – I’m a sucker for different versions of the Gingerbread Man, so this one just made me smile. I can see my kinders getting a kick out of it and wanting to create their own version too.

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas Craft Template – A Pete the Cat cut out template to show off Pete in a Santa costume.

Give it My All Writing Page – Take the message “give it my all” from Pete Saves Christmas and have students draw and write about their own example.

Pete Saves Christmas Craftivity – Don’t you just love the whiskers on these Christmas cats? What a great way to keep learning through December… bring back in a little Pete to save the day.

Rocking in My School Shoes activities

Here are activities and printables to go along with Rocking in My School Shoes.

Listening Center Response Sheet – Your students can respond to the story Rocking in My School Shoes by illustrating the main character and setting. If you can QR codes – your students can listen to it!

Shoes Template – For second graders or those looking to extend My School Shoes, this simple set of tennis shoes works as a good paper topper for a hallway display.

Rockin’ Feet Template – Get students working on drawing a person with all of their parts (no stick people allowed here) to help create a class book that it is truly rockin’. Includes pages for both boys and girls.

Love My School Shoes Class Book – This class book does my heart good. It’s a fantastic book for the beginning of kindergarten since kinders are working on writing their names so much. I can even see using this one to teach kinders how to use the classroom camera – allowing them to take a photo of the next student. It will add meaning to at least one other person’s page in the book – in addition to their own!

Tennis Shoe Printable – Need an easy tennis shoe cut out template to make your own activity? Here is a printable tennis shoe that is Pete the Cat inspired.

Other Pete-books

Here are activities and printables to go along with other Pete the Cat books.

Cavecat Pete Dinosaur Pages – These printable dinosaur worksheet pages are awesome to go with this lesser-known Cavecat Pete book.

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses Retell Activity – Grab a pair of Dollar Tree sunglasses and make your own character masks or character signs to retell Pete’s Magic Sunglasses as a class. No templates needed!

Positional Words Activities, Reader and Worksheet for The Wheels on The Bus – This is a great landing place if your class is working on positional words (like above, between, below, behind). This teacher has you covered with an anchor chart idea in addition to an emergent reader, playmat set and worksheet.

Bedtime Blues Stickers – Call it a pajama day and read a full day of Pete the Cat books complete with comfy slippers and a reading of Pete the Cat and Bedtime Blues. Send home these fun stickers after a day full of reading!

Pete’s Magic Sunglasses Coloring Page – Color Pete riding on a skateboard wearing his magic sunglasses.

Pete the Cat Pilgrim Craft – Make a cut and paste pilgrim Pete at Thanksgiving time when you read Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving.

Pete the Cat Valentine’s Day Craft – Add a cute pink border to Pete holding a Valentine heart to make a cute Valentine’s Day is Cool craft.

What are the best Pete books for the classroom?

Not sure if you have all of the best Pete the Cat read-aloud versions for the kindergarten?

Here is a list of the current titles available that I think are a good classroom fit. (And just a heads up that these are affiliate links)

• Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
• Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
• Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons 
• Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving 
• Pete the Cat Saves Christmas 
• Pete the Cat and the New Guy 
• Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses 
• Pete the Cat: Too Cool for School (My First I Can Read) 
• Pete the Cat: Pete’s Big Lunch (My First I Can Read) 
• Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day Is Cool 
• Pete the Cat: A Pet for Pete (My First I Can Read) 
• Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure 
• Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach (My First I Can Read) 
• Pete the Cat: Play Ball! (My First I Can Read) 
• Pete the Cat: Construction Destruction
• Pete the Cat and the Bad Banana (My First I Can Read)
• Pete the Cat: Rock On, Mom and Dad!
• Pete the Cat: Cavecat Pete

This is also the same order I’d introduce these books to my kinders – if I wanted to read this many – but I’d probably just pick 4-5 if I’m being honest. I’d keep the rest on hand to sprinkle throughout the rest of the school year.

Free audio downloads

Use these audio downloads to make your own listening center CD’s or to play for your class while you hold up the book as a read-aloud.

• “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” Song
• “Rocking in My School Shoes” Song
• “I Love My White Shoes” Song
• “Pete the Cat Saves Christmas” Song
• “Pete the Cat Saves Christmas – with Kids!” Song

Let’s wrap it up

What an incredible collection from fantastic teachers. If you like this collection – pin or share it.

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