How to Create a Home-School Supply List Back-to-school Season

Home-school kiddos can enjoy the back-to-school season and realize that they aren’t that different…they just get to have a little more fun!

I remember being  a home-school kid and looking longingly at all the back-to-school supplies, cute notebooks, and awesome back-packs that were in the store…thinking that “regular” kids got all the cool stuff.

What I didn’t realize then, is that home-school children usually use most of the same supplies as their “school-going” peers.  It’s just that home-schoolers don’t often get to do the whole “back-to-school” thing.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Home-school kiddos can enjoy the back-to-school season and realize that they aren’t that different…they just get to have a little more fun!

Home-school kids usually need tons of supplies and oftentimes they need more supplies than their peers (either because normally a classroom would provide the supplies or because they use more supplies throughout the year due to the nature of homeschooling).

When I realized this, I decided to try and make the back-to-school season special and memorable for my kids.  Obviously, I want my kids to thrive in academics, but I also want them to love it.  They seem to enjoy the whole process of learning more when they are actively involved in the process.  So, why not let them help get things ready for the year?

I put together a tailor-made-for-our-family home-school supply list.  I’m super excited to give it to them (it’s part scavenger hunt!) and have them own yet another aspect (this time part of the preparation) of their educations!  If you’d like to do the same for your kids, keep reading!

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Want to make an awesome list for your kids too?  

Here’s step-by-step help for you to make a list for your kiddos:

First off, make the list!  Include all the supplies your kids will use throughout the year… Here’s the key though – include everything you can think of that your children will need.  The more you can add to the list, the more anticipation will build over the coming year.  Even add the things that you already own and have in the house.

Here’s the fun part; give your children the list!  Give your child a shopping bag and let them go “shopping” through the whole house looking for things on the list, collecting them, and checking them off the list.  It’s like a good old fashioned scavenger hunt (especially if they have to go digging through closets!).

After your child finds everything they can on their own, you go “shopping” in the house with them and find everything else that you know is there somewhere.

Then and only then is it time to go back-to-school shopping in a real store.  You might only have two or three things left on your list, but that’s ok!  It’s not about the amount you end up buying, but the experience that the kids have in the process.  They get to share in the back-to-school excitement, but you don’t have to break the bank!

 

Need some list ideas to get you started?  Here are my personal lists for my kids below.

One is for elementary age kids (my daughter is entering 5th grade) and the other is for Kindergarten age.

These are just for ideas though.  Every homes-school is going to look different and need varied supplies.  For instance, my daughter will be taking an online crochet class this year so her list will include yarn etc.  By the way, that will also make this list more exciting for her, since I didn’t tell her yet!  She’ll freak!

So, use my lists as a jumping off point if you want, but have fun tailor making a list(s) just for your kid(s)!  And don’t forget to add a few special surprise supplies that will give them a sneak peek at what is coming this school year and how exciting it’s going to be!

 

Elementary Age

Back-to-School List:

scissors (sharp tip)

glue sticks (9)

Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils (72)

Pencil top eraser and big erasers

3×5 index card box

3 packs of index cards

mini-cards on ring 4

Blank index card dividers

Twisty Crayons

Colored Pencils

Markers

3″ Binder

Supply Box

Subject Dividers

Loose leaf Wide Ruled Paper – 10 reims

Highlighter

Math Flash Cards 4 sets

Lunch Box – for co-op and field trips

Backpack (2) – 1 co-op, 1 dance

Pencil Sharpener

Drawing Sketchbook

Drawing Pencils

Yarn

Crochet Hook

tape

graph paper

 

Kindergarten Age

Back-to-School List:

Construction Paper

Scissors (rounded tip)

Plain Paper

2″ Binder

3″ Binder

Dividers

Crayons reg.

Twisty Crayons

Markers

Pencils (shared) see above list

Glue Sticks (9)

Elmer’s Glue (3)

Lunch Bag – 1 for co-op and field trips

Backpack – 1 for co-op

Hope this helps to fire up ideas for your own list.  Happy Back-to-School-Season!

Ok, just one more thing.  I just have to share our number one favorite back-to-school supply!  After using free and cheap pencils year after year, I finally realized what a waste it was!  I don’t even remember when we first tried Dixon Ticonderoga Wood-Cased Pencils, but  they are amazing.  They sharpen fantastically…in other words they don’t keep breaking off in the sharpener (my pet peeve) – provided you have descent sharpener.  They are made well.  That means they can be used all the way until they are too small to write with.  Like I said, I never knew what I missing out on until I tried them.  They are well worth the price.  I have read recently that some people say their quality has dropped…I have not yet had that experience and I dearly hope that it’s not true!