Whether your kiddos are going back to school in person or learning from home this year, I’ve got you covered with my favorite supplies, from a parent and teacher perspective!
This upcoming school year is one that I never in a million years would have imagined. Due to the current global pandemic, more children than ever will be learning from home or only going to school part time. There is stress on both the teacher and parent side of things.
On one hand, many teachers have to prepare to teach in a way they never have before with masks, screens, no contact and many other new stressors. While other teachers have to figure out how to convert their content to a digital format and teach through a computer screen (which is nearly impossible during those early years when hands-on learning is so incredibly important!).
On the other hand, parents have to struggle with whether to send their children to school or teach them at home. And those who choose (or are forced) to do home learning have a whole new set of challenges to face – from where their children will school, to how in the world to teach them and continue working, caring for siblings, and running the household!
If you are finding yourself in the homeschooling/e-learning/hybrid school boat, I’m here to help. As a teacher, I know exactly what you need to help your precious kiddos grow and learn at home!
What Do I Need?
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I have had many parents ask me about learning at home and, overwhelmingly, they are stressed and confused about what they need. Pencils? Paper? Building blocks? An art easel? A new computer? So many possibilities! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Don’t! I’m here to help you sort through supplies – from the necessities, to the fun little extras. You’ll be school ready in no time!
If your child is enrolled in a school, the obvious place to start is your school supply list (assuming that you get one, that is). If it’s simply a list of supplies and you are not sure your child will need all of them at home, don’t be afraid to reach out to the teacher! Ask her about items you are uncertain of. Do I need to buy extra Kleenex boxes or printer paper if my child is schooling at home? Some items may not be necessary for home learning, so it never hurts to ask!
But, what if my child isn’t enrolled in a traditional school or the school doesn’t send me a list? It can be stressful and overwhelming when you don’t know where to begin. When things first went virtual back in March, my oldest was going to preschool. The school and teachers did a phenomenal job of transitioning and continuing to teach from a distance, but as a teacher, even I was overwhelmed!
I need what?!
They posted daily videos (which my son loved!) with lessons and activities. But, at the beginning, they didn’t send a supply list in advance. So if I wanted to know what I needed to prep, I had to watch the video before my son…which just wasn’t going to happen. Not with 3 kids and other responsibilities anyway!
So instead, I watched the videos with him and prayed that we had the supplies! Thankfully, my massive classroom and crafting collections contained most of what we needed. However, there were still times that I didn’t have everything and my son was disappointed when we couldn’t do an activity. Luckily, they caught on and began sending out the supply list in advance near the end of the school year. 😉
The point is, it can be super stressful and frustrating when you don’t know what to have prepared for an activity. My recommendation? Communicate! In fact, OVER COMMUNICATE with the teacher! Ask for a daily or weekly supply list so you can be prepared instead of trying to explain to your children why they can’t do an art project or activity.
Now, you don’t necessarily have to have every supply that the teacher has in order to be successful. For instance, my son’s preschool teacher had these awesome little dinosaur counters that she used to teach counting, and we don’t have them. Did my son want them? Of course he did! But, could I teach the same concept using items that we already had? You betcha!
It’s all about getting creative with what you already have. So, here’s what you do:
Before You Buy
- Inventory
- Communicate
- Plan
Inventory
Before you buy anything, inventory what you already have. Do you have pencils, notebooks, construction paper, crayons, scissors and glue sticks? No need to buy them again then! Even if they aren’t brand new, they will do the job. At least in the beginning.
Communicate
I already mentioned it, but check in with the teacher! what do you really need to be successful at home? Do you need to send any supplies to school? Can you buy certain items later? It never hurts to ask!
Plan
Before you go on an Amazon spending spree, make sure you have a list of what you really need to get started. You can always order more after you begin. And with an awesome service like Amazon, you know your order will be there within a few days!
The List
Let’s break down what you really need to be successful this school year.
The Basics
They may not be fun, but they are necessary for pretty much every grade level!
- Pencils
- Crayons – I am a Crayola girl! I’ve tried just about every brand, and this is the only kind that lasts! Looking for something to do with those broken crayons? Check this out!
- Markers – I like the thinner variety so kids have an easier time outlining when coloring.
- Scissors – As a left-handed person, I am ALL about Fiskars!
- Glue sticks – I love that this glue starts purple so your kiddos can see where they are gluing, and then dries clear!
- Notebook
- Construction paper – I love this brand of paper! It is thicker than most and the colors are so vibrant!
- Pencil sharpener
- Folder
- Age and interest appropriate free reading books
Hands-On Learning
Do you have a younger kiddo in Preschool or early elementary? This list contains great tools for teaching in a hands-on way!
- Play dough – My kids could literally play with this stuff all day!
- Kinetic Sand – We are relatively new to kinetic sand, but my kids are hooked!
- Building blocks – Check out this post that we have used these blocks for! And here is another fabulous block activity!
- Alphabet blocks – We are absolutely IN LOVE with this block set!!!
- Pattern blocks – I love that this set comes with wooden picture boards for a quick activity!
- Counting bears – These bears make it into imaginative play regularly!
- Kid friendly paint – As much as we love painting…it’s got to be washable!
- Paint Dotters – These are great for fine motor work!
- Dry erase board and dry erase markers
- Kid friendly Calendar – I love that this calendar is magnetic and kid-friendly!
Fun Extras
Looking for more ways to keep the interest of your kiddos? Check out some of these fun educational items!
- Cookie letters – This has to be one of our all-time favorite educational toys! Check out some of our activities Here, Here and Here!
- Dino Counters – We don’t have these counters, but my son’s Preschool teacher did!
- Lacing alphabet
- Digging Dino Eggs – My kids love digging these up during their brother’s naptime!
- Art Easel – We use this daily!
- Magnetic wands
- Magnifying glasses
- Large buttons
- Magnetic letters and numbers
- Sensory bin (check this out to see how to get started!)
Getting Started
There are hundreds of other supplies that I could recommend, but then we’d be here for days! These are some of our absolute favorites for school time. The best part is that many of them double as play items too! Many times, these are the things that my kiddos want to play with when they have free time.
This time in our lives is challenging and one that we will never forget. But, we are all in this together! So, be optimistic, share ideas, and help your kiddos learn and grow this year! Follow along on Instagram @momentsenriched for more ideas and tips. <3
Be sure to check out this post for more tips on having your kids home this school year.
