Homeschool Supplies: Must-Have Tools for at Home Learning

Every fall, schools provide a supply list to families of what students can expect to bring with them when the year begins. What about homeschool supplies? As more families have opted to homeschool, there may be questions about what is really needed for your students and parents to be adequately equipped. We’ve got the must-have tools for at home learning!

Essential school supplies

School supplies for homeschoolers are pretty similar to traditional school supplies with one maybe not so obvious difference. With homeschool, parents become teachers which means, they will need school supplies too. This list of essential school supplies makes it easier for parents to become well-equipped teachers.

Writing Tools

Both parent and child will need adequate writing tools. These are the basic necessities to create a well-stocked homeschool supply cabinet.

• Pencils– Ticonderoga is a personal favorite. They sharpen to a fine point and write better than most standard pencils. For the younger students, the My First Pencils are perfect for little hands to grip.
• Pens– As a new homeschool teacher, the Pilot G-2 pens in multiple colors is a must! The kids will love the cool colors for assignments, but you can use them to create an awesome grading system.
• Highlighters– These are a MUST! Get a variety of colors and sizes.
• Dry Erase markers– They allow students to make mistakes and correct them quickly. Lots of color and marker size options available make them appealing to learners (and teachers) of all ages.
• Dry Erase Boards– Any veteran homeschooler will tell you that dry erase boards are invaluable tool in a homeschool supply inventory. They come in a variety of sizes. Some are even lined which are great for young learners beginning to hone their writing skills. They are great for conducting lessons and charting agendas.
• Dry Erase Pouches– In addition to dry erase boards, dry erase pouches are a great investment. They are an excellent alternative to a costly lamenating machine. Save tons of paper (and money) by inserting worksheets into the pouch for writing or math practice. Simply wipe them clean and save the sheet.
• Single-subject lined paper notebooks and composition books– A good homeschool supply stockplie will have at least two notebook per subject per child plus a few extra for the teacher.
• Loose-leaf paper

Organizing and Planning

Staying organized is key to a successful school year. New homeschool teachers will need supplies to organize their supplies.

• Wall calendar– A wall calender is good for teacher and student. It helps to keep the school day and home life visibly organized.
• Weekly planners– Personal weekly planners are great for tracking and planning work.
• File folders and 3 ring binders with lables– Binders are a great addition for organizing materials for each student by subject. Label them for easy and quick access.
• Small plastic bins and/or desk caddy– Use them organize your homeschool and art and craft supplies.
• Cube organizers– Perfect for larger bin storage. They are especially handy for when you have multiple learners and varying ages in the same home, you’ll want to be able to organize everyone’s materials and personal things into their own space.
• Post-it Notes and Index cards– lots of color and size options!

Art Supplies- Get crafty!

Don’t forget the fun stuff! Homeschool is the perfect environment to relax and get crafty. Be sure to stockpile these supplies for arts and crafts projects.

• Sketch Books
• A big roll of easel paper for larger projects
• Markers
• Tempera paint & watercolor paint
• Brushes and plastic cups for mixing and cleaning
• Crayons
• Colored pencils
• Construction paper
• Elmer’s glue and glue sticks

Bonus Supplies

You are not only a homeschool teacher, you are an administrator as well. As such, you will have tons of paperwork, errors to correct, and files to organize. Be sure to grab these bonus supplies and keep them replenished.

• Pencil sharpener– Invest in a quality electric one (with multiple pencil width holes!)
• Three- Hole Punch– Helps you organize materials into binders for easier reference and keeps everything in one place for each student.
• Clear Tape
• Masking Tape
• Stapler
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Paper Clips and Binder Clips