It’s fall, and that means it’s time to stock up on school supplies. For many parents, this school year will be different from years past because the kids will be going to school virtually at home. To make your time a little easier, stock up on school supply essentials so your kids have what they need to get through the day. Having these supplies on hand will make your at-home classroom even better!

Here’s a list of school supplies that you will need for school at home:

 

Writing Utensils and Office Supplies

Kids use a variety of writing utensils throughout the day while taking notes, filling out worksheets or drawing. Stock up on No. 2 pencils pencils, pens, erasers, highlighters, and a pencil sharpener. Office supplies that will come in handy include: tape, a stapler and staples, paper clips, folders, notebooks, lined paper, graph paper and index cards (for studying flash cards).

 

 

 

Art Supplies

Washable markers, colored pencils, crayons, blank paper, glue sticks, construction paper and scissors are a good start to building your art supply selection. A collection of old magazines and newspapers are great for collages, and while you’re at it grab a few large pieces of poster board. Allowing time for creativity is crucial for kids, so it’ll make your day easier if you have the supplies ready when their teacher says it’s art time. 

 

 

 

Organization System

Staying organized will help reduce stress. If possible, utilize a rolling set of drawers or even bins on shelf to organize school supplies.

If going with drawers label them so kids can put supplies back at the end of the day in the proper space. This will help ensure supplies don’t get lost. If going with plastic bins on a shelf, try to go with the clear kind so you can easily see what’s inside. 

 

Reading Materials

Stock up on reading materials for free time or reading time in class. Take your kids to the library each month (or every few weeks depending on check-out times) and stock up on books that interest them. Having books on hand means there are no excuses for not reading when the teacher says it’s time to read.

 

Snacks

It’s not a school supply, but having a stash of snacks is equally important. You’ve probably already gotten in this habit from summer break, but kids will need sustenance throughout the day. Keep healthy options on hand, so your kids can grab them when they need them or so you can easily prepare something on their recess or break.

 

Miscellaneous Supplies

Depending on how old your child is, and what they’re learning this year you may need to stock up on other supplies. Things like graphic calculators or rulers will be useful for math. If your child is learning another language consider grabbing an English to other language dictionary. A thesaurus or regular dictionary might be handy for a child that is working on a report or creative writing. A world map or globe is great for social studies and learning about the world. 

 

For tips about setting up your classroom at home, check out this blog! Have your kids post in the Campfire what their classroom at home looks like.