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Last week I posted about some organizational must-haves for homeschoolers. This week I will focus on some of the basic classroom essentials that myself and others have found to be most beneficial for learning at home. You can easily go overboard on buying all the things you usually see in a classroom, but I hope this list will simplify some of the most useful needs for you. I left out the obvious supplies such as pencils, art supplies, glue, scissors, etc. and stuck instead to some of the most useful items that can make learning more exciting for our kids and easier on us!
Classroom Essentials
Epson EcoTank Wireless All-in-One Supertank Inkjet Printer – $199 (reg. $230)
If you are homeschooling, you will likely do a lot of printing. While you may not need this exact printer, you do need a good one, and I highly recommend this one. The Epson Ecotank includes enough ink for up to two years, and each ink replacement you make lasts the same. Imagine buying ink only once every two years!
BIC Intensity Dry Erase Kit – $7.78 (reg. $14.36)
This board is a personal favorite in our homeschool. Each board includes (9) Dry Erase Markers and (1) Dual-Sided Dry Erase Board. I love that the markers can be stored and clipped right to the board. It makes it so much easier to keep everything in place. The markers are enough to last all year long, and they make math and other subjects much more fun!
Dry Erase Pockets, Clear Plastic Dry Erase Sleeves – $8.99 (reg. $10)
-25% off digital coupon (if still available)
makes it $6.74
These dry erase pockets are essential if you are reusing worksheets multiple times, especially in homes with multiage children. No need to purchase extra workbooks or make copies. Just slide pages in these pockets when you use them and let the kids use dry erase markers to answer. Using these pockets can save you time laminating, but if you do prefer to laminate, that’s next on my list!
Scotch Laminator with 20 Laminating Sheets – $34.32 (reg. $56)
Some of you with younger kiddos may prefer more protection for those reuseable worksheets than the dry erase sleeves. Using a laminator will seal in the documents and assure they will not be pulled out and potentially damaged by little hands.
Large Plastic Portable Caddy with Handle – $18.99
I included this in my organizational must-haves post, but I think it fits nicely in here also. If you have children who enjoy coloring and art projects, it’s nice to have a caddy like this one with separate compartments and a handle so you can easily transport art supplies from room to room (or take it on the go). The separate compartments make it easy to organize crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue, and more. You can also use this for storing math manipulatives!
Electric Pencil Sharpener, Battery-Operated – $13.99
I may have left out the obvious supplies like pencils and such, but it may not be so obvious (or it wasn’t to me) that an electric pencil sharpener was an essential classroom tool. You’ll appreciate having this around when your child decides it’s time to sharpen ALL of their colored pencils at once.
Mr. Pen No Bleed Gel Highlighter, Bible Highlighters, Assorted Colors, Pack of 8 – $7.46
These no bleed hightlighters are perfect for highlighting Bible verses! We also use these a lot for other subjects – identifying main ideas, key details, new vocabulary, etc.
Assorted Food Coloring – $3.24
Why food coloring? Believe it or not, food coloring is used in lots of science experiments, many of which your kids will want to do over and over and over again!
You may be laughing, but trust me when I say that keeping a plentitude of snacks on hand is 100% essential. Something about being at home makes children feel more hungry more often. A hangry student is not a happy student (and the same goes for us teachers)! Since homeschool students are also on the go a lot, you’ll want to stock up on snacks that are easy to grab and take along with you to wherever your classroom is that day!
Yes, fidget toys are on the list of homeschool classroom essentials. Lots of kids can’t sit still during a lesson, and simply having something to fidget with while they listen to you explain a lesson (especially if it’s not their favorite subject) can make all the difference. Note that I wouldn’t recommend any fidget puzzles because that will distract them trying to solve it! However, squishy, stretchy and spinning toys can help.
Math Manipulatives
It’s important for children to see and physically touch math. Kinesthetic learners will appreciate a curriculum that allows them to do just that. While some math curricula include their own manipulatives, they tend to be pricey, and you can actually accomplish the same thing with fewer and more frugal options. Dice, mini-erasers and playing cards are just a few of the things that can make learning math more fun for younger kiddos. Unifix cubes and Base Ten Blocks are also a must.
Mini-erasers, 300-count– $6.49
Use them for counting, sorting, patterns, in 10 frames, etc!
7PCS Polyhedral Dice Two Colors – $6.99
While you probably have dice laying around the house you can use for math, these D&D game dice include higher numbers (and they’re pretty too)!
Bicycle Standard Rider Back Playing Cards, 2 Decks of Playing Cards – $5.29 (reg. $8)
While you may have a deck of cards at home, most math card games will have you combine cards from 2 decks, so be sure you grab more than one!
Learning Resources Mathlink Cubes – $10.19 (reg. $13.99)
These mathlink cubes can be used to teach most early math concepts including counting to 100, grouping, basic operations, even fractions.
edxeducation Four Color Plastic Base Ten Set – 121 Pieces – $16.24
There is no better way to demonstrate place-value!
Stay tuned for my next Homeschool Favorites post when I share about essentials for Learning on the Go!
