Homeschool Supplies List – 15 Must-Have School Supplies for Homeschooling
The must-have school items to include on your homeschool supplies list this year.
Can you believe it’s almost the beginning of another school year? Do you know what’s on your homeschool supplies list for this school year?
We are a year-round homeschooling family. Our school year typically finishes at the end of July and then starts up again at the beginning of September.
I love back-to-school season because I can find so many amazing school supplies for homeschooling wondering around Target or Walmart. As a homeschool teacher, this is one of my favorite times of the year.
There’s so much promise with a new school year. You’re starting new books when you’re done and burnt out from the last school year’s curriculum. You’re picking up new folders, decorations, crafts, and so much more.
Below, I have created a homeschool supply list of our favorite items that we always have on hand during the school year.
Many items on our homeschool supplies list were purchased during our first year of homeschooling. We still have (and use) these homeschool essentials to this day.
This is our 8th year of homeschooling! I can’t believe it. I never imagined that I would homeschool my kids as a former public school student.
Let’s go over some of the must-have school items for homeschooling. I recommend grabbing some of these homeschool supplies from your local dollar store, Target, or Walmart to save the most money.
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The ultimate homeschool supplies list
Must-have homeschool supply list for the teacher
The items on this homeschool supplies list are those that you may want to purchase to make your days go more smoothly. They will make teaching more convenient and thorough.
Homeschool planner
Amazon has a ton of them to choose from but I personally love mine which is pictured below:
Laminator
My laminator was one of the first items I purchased at the beginning of my homeschool journey. It still works seven years later, and I use it all of the time.
Printer
A printer is probably the most essential big-ticket item on this list. I use it a few times every week. I wouldn’t survive teaching my kids without it.
I recommend purchasing one that includes a scanner in case you need to scan documents for submitting your records at the end of each school year.
Printer Paper
We go through a ton of printer paper because I am always printing out worksheets, tests, and papers. I try to do a lot of our work digitally to save paper, but with homeschooling you really need the printouts to show proof of work for your records.
Accordion folder
This can help you organize worksheets, printables, etc. in one tidy and easy-to-reach place.
Paper cutter
This actually comes in handy way more than you would think! When you are creating crafts and print out templates that need cutting, using this saves a lot of time and hassle.
Dry erase pockets
These are great to hold your student’s art work without damaging them in a folder. You can also put in reusable worksheets then have your kids write on the outside using a dry erase marker.
Homeschool supplies list for students
These are the best school supplies for homeschool that you may want to have on hand for your children.
White board with dry erase markers and eraser
Students can use this to practice writing, play games such as sight word hangman, and more. Teachers can use it to show math problems and illustrate concepts.
More school supplies for homeschooling:
Kids scissors – Learning to use scissors is very important at the preschool and Kindergarten level. Make sure to get kid-friendly scissors to keep little ones from hurting themselves while they get used to them.
Hole puncher – A necessity to hole punch and put papers inside of our binders.
Handwriting paper – This is great for those who are in elementary school and are beginning to learn how to write.
Composition notebooks – We use these notebooks for nature journaling, journaling, Spanish, and pretty much any other subject that involves writing.
3 Ring Binders – I like to organize my kids’ school work by subject using 3 ring binders. I love using 3 ring binders to keep all of our work from the school year in one place so it doesn’t get misplaced or destroyed.
Math manipulatives
Amazon is filled with every math manipulative you can imagine. Here you can find a ton to scroll through to see what you might need. Having math manipulatives on hand helps children learn math concepts in an easier way because they can see each problem in front of them. Find them on Amazon. You can see a few examples below:
Magnetic letters and board
These are wonderful for elementary age students to use for spelling and phonics.
Homeschool supplies list for the classroom
This homeschool supply list includes various items that you may need in the classroom.
If you need a laptop, I recommend against purchasing a Chromebook as some programs and apps may not work on them. We learned that the hard way when our one year old Chromebook wasn’t compatible with Florida Virtual School a few years ago.
Tablet – You may also want to choose a tablet to use for the school year. We like the two below the most.
Desk and chair – A lot of homeschool families do school on the living room couch or the dining room table. But if you prefer a more independent set up or a more school-like environment, you may want to get a desk and chair set up for your child to use instead. My oldest son works at his own private desk, while I work with my youngest at our dining room table.
Schedule pocket chart for the wall – This is great for showing at what times you are going to be doing what subjects. Having a routine is a key to successful homeschooling (and parenting) because when kids know what to expect, they are less likely to resist school or have behavioral problems.
Weather + Calendar Chart
Desk organizer
Educational posters – We have these posters up in our school area and review them a few times a week. You may want to use them as décor for your classroom that also doubles as learning materials.
Storage – I own the colorful rolling storage cart you see below and it is one of my favorite things in our homeschool room. Why? Because I can move it anywhere at any time and it’s so convenient.
Fun items to add to your homeschool supplies list
These are some of the best things to have on your homeschool shopping list to make your days more exciting for your kids.
Glue gun – I love my glue gun with a passion. It makes my life so much easier when we’re doing crafts.
Treasure chest (for younger grades) – I have used a treasure chest for both of my kids for the first few years of school. It gets them excited about learning and rewards them for a job well done. You can fill it with stickers, small toys, candy, and other small items that your kids would be excited to receive.
