It’s that time…Local stores are rolling out the school supplies! Which kinda makes me cringe (didn’t summer just start??)–but also...I couldn’t pass up the $.97 markers! In a few weeks–the panic will be palpable…Aisles filled with moms and kids clutching supply lists from all the local schools. No thanks to all that mania (another reason I love the homeschool life)! BUT–I do try and take advantage of some great back-to-school sales! It’s the perfect time to stock up! I’m pretty much a homeschool minimalist (no laminator or fancy desks over here)…However, there are items I keep using year after year–Here’s my list of Must-Have-Homeschool Supplies:
**I’ve created a list with many of these items in my Amazon Shop.
General Homeschool Supplies to Have on Hand:
- Pencils (I like to buy them already sharpened!)
- Mini Pencil Sharpeners
- Black Pens
- Colored Pens
- Regular Markers
- Skin Color Markers
- Skinny Markers
- Permanent Markers (Black Sharpie–but other colors come in handy too!)
- Dry Erase Markers
- Small White Board
- Crayons
- Colored Pencils
- Watercolors
- Printer Paper (My kids color and create on regular white printer paper a lot!)
- Watercolor Paper
- Construction Paper
- Notebook Paper
- Lined Index Cards
- Blank Index Cards
- Post-It-Notes
- Rubber Bands
- Paper Clips
- String/Yarn (We just keep one or two colors on hand.)
- Tape
- Stapler
- Elmer’s Glue
- Glue Sticks
- Kid Scissors
- Mom Scissors
- 12 inch ruler
- 3 Ring Hole Punch
- Blank Sketch Book (My kids love blank books for nature journaling or creating their own stories.)
- Folders–Check your curriculum for specific needs. I use them for organizing student work or weekly assignments.
- Spiral Notebooks–According to your curriculum needs/requirements–you may need one for each subject. OR–The curriculum I’m using this year doesn’t call for individual notebooks, but I like to have at least 1 for each child. I have my kids do any work that needs to be written in that one place. Your child may also enjoy keeping one for journaling.
- 3 Ring Binders–Again, some curriculums will utilize these more than others. Often I’ve kept a yearly binder for each child’s completed work (or art/stories/projects) that I want to save.
Helpful Bonus Items:
- *Large Calendar
- *Judy Clock
- *Base Ten Blocks
- *Erasers
- *Unifix Cubes
- *Pattern Blocks & Puzzles
- *Teddy Bear Counters
- *100 Chart (Some math curriculum come with these–but worth grabbing a heavy duty one.)
- *Plastic/Play Money
- Meter Stick
- Yard Stick
- Globe
- Laminated Maps
- Large Whiteboard
- Magnetic Letters (I currently use the All About Reading Set.)
- Play-Doh and/or Clay
- Chart Paper (I really love the Post-It Sticky Easel Pad!)
- Grid Paper
- Sentence Strips (These can be found in stores like Walmart & Target during back-to-school season and teacher supply stores! Ideas for use: Cut them up for vocabulary cards. Practice sentence writing. Cut up a sentence and have your child put it back together…Lots of possibilities!)
*These items are part of my Top 10 Math Manipulatives for elementary ages–you can learn more about them here!
Storage Supplies:
I don’t have a formal school room, and I keep things pretty simple in the storage department…
- Plastic Baggies
- Plastic Caddy (We keep all the art/general supplies in a couple of these!)
- Large Tote Bag (I carry curriculum around the house wherever we are doing school.)
- Bins/Boxes/Baskets
I use empty drawers and cabinets in areas we do school (our kitchen and dining areas). I keep most of my folders, binders, and curriculum books in old armoire in my living room.
We have a variety of book shelves throughout our house that help keep the book situation under control(ish)…
Helpful Technology/Bigger Ticket Items:
- Printer (Right now we mainly use a black and white laser printer–much more affordable and fits our needs. We also have a color printer that I use as needed…It goes through ink pretty quick!!)
- iPad
- Laptop (My husband and I share our personal laptop–the little kids use it with us occasionally. Our big kids got their own laptops in late high school.)
Enter the Giveaway to My Favorite Homeschool Store!!
Planning for a new school year and finalizing curriculum choices can sometimes be overwhelming and stressful, especially when you’re trying to stick to a tight homeschool budget.
I’ve gotten together with a great group of bloggers to make getting ready for your new school year just a little bit easier and hopefully a little less stressful for you. How does $200 sound in helping you buy curriculum, books, games, puzzles, and educational supplies? Three people will win a $200 gift card to Rainbow Resource Center!! Our hope is that we can bless a few homeschool families (although we wish we could bless many more) so they can buy the curriculum and supplies they need for their school year.
To enter for your chance to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Now I know this is quite a few entries, but each of these bloggers has generously chipped in their own money to make this giveaway possible, so I hope you will take the time to do all of the entries. And hey, the more entries you do, the better your odds are of winning!
Giveaway ends July 22, 2022 at 11:59pm ET. Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a resident of U.S. or Canada to enter. Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their prizes or another winner will be drawn. By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers (see the Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter form for the complete list).
Where to Buy Homeschool Supplies:
I love, love, Rainbow Resource for all things homeschool! (Heck–I even buy toys from them at Christmas! They have such good stuff!!)
If I’m buying homeschool curriculum or supplies, I almost always open a couple tabs on my computer and compare Rainbow Resource with Amazon or the individual curriculum company. 9 times out of 10 Rainbow Resource has the best deal!
**Side note I’m not connected or an affiliate of Rainbow–I just love sharing a good deal!! 🙂
Keep it Simple
Please remember homeschooling doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive! (A library card alone will get you really far!)
Your home is the perfect place for teaching your precious kids…You have the most important supply–lots of love!!
Cheering you on always! Feel free to reach out anytime: jen@jenmerckling.com
With Love,
Jen xo