Best Homeschool Supplies

You do not need all the things, but a few of the best homeschool supplies will go a long way.

Here are our must-have supplies: the best homeschool supplies we have found so far:

Paper – Of course, you will want some writing paper.  I prefer to keep ours in notebooks, as opposed to loose leaf, in order to corral all of the prolific schoolwork.  Notebooks are less bulky to store than binders, too.  But really, any paper will do the trick.

Twistable crayons – Nobody likes crayons once they are dull, down to the paper, or broken.  The result?  A bunch of broken, unloved crayons that accumulate over time.  I donated all of our regular crayons and invested in the twistables.  Totally worth it.

Scissors – make sure to get the good ones that actually cut.  For the youngest learners, we like the kind of scissors that convert between regular children’s scissors, and having a little spring action to help weak little hands open them. For older kids, get a good pair of scissors that will cut cardboard, because what child doesn’t like making things out of a cardboard box? 😉

Letter stamps – These are really helpful when the little ones are learning to read and spell simple words, and it makes a fun and interesting variation.  Plus, my kids continue to use them even when they’re older to make cards and posters.  These are definitely optional, but they get a lot of use in our home.

Do-A-Dot Stampers – I don’t know why my kids love these so much, but they do.  These, like the letter stamps, are in our home to keep learning interesting and fun for the youngest years.  You can find all sorts of FREE do-a-dot printables online.  I tend to save them on my Preschool and Kindergarten Minimalist Homeschooling Pinterest Board, so if you like this idea, you can follow me on Pinterest.

Construction paper – We get ours in a jumbo pack from Costco.  There are all kinds of cool papers that inspire creativity beyond construction paper, if you feel alike a treat.

Good Sketchbooks -Sketchbooks that can accommodate water colors, pastels, and pencil drawings are a favorite among homeschoolers.

ORGANIZATION TIP: We get each child their own sketchbook, and encourage them to always do their creative work there.  They can always rip out a perforated page if they’d like to display or gift their favorite artwork, but this way, we cut-down on the random papers floating around the house, and nobody has to worry about their beloved masterpiece accidentally being thrown away.  I, personally don’t mind keeping a stack of old sketchbooks as keepsakes – be sure to date them.  But, you can always go back after-the-fact and select your favorites, and discard the rest, if you prefer to keep fewer samples.

Pencil sharpener – Again, it is worth the investment to get a good one.  This is the one we have now, and it has served us well for a couple years.  I like that it is electric, not battery-operated.

Markers – Keep a great set of markers on-hand that your children like.

MINIMALISM TIP: Set-up a system for when you will replace your markers.  When half are spent?  We have found that markers in our home need to be replaced every 6-12 months, depending on how many were in the pack.  Any markers in the set that still have life are set aside as supplies for our homeschool coop (if we are active in one), or donated to our church.  Or, I sometimes have a separate set of mismatched markers in a to-go bag that we take to the older kids’ sports and activities to entertain the younger ones.

Creative supplies – A select assortment of creative supplies go a long way.

MINIMALISM TIP: Instead of stocking up on all the crafty things right from the start, choose a few of your favorites, and then replace them with something new once your existing supplies are spent.  This way, you avoid the overwhelm and clutter that can come from too much of a good thing, while still encouraging creative pursuits.  Here are some ideas for your creative supplies:

• a maker space with tape and recyclable materials suitable for repurposing,
• play-do, clay, or model magic,
• beads,
• string, yarn, and/or ribbon,
• glue,
• washi tape,
• stickers,
• a mud pit,
• water and liquid measuring tools,
• watercolor paints, finger paints, or washable tempura paint
• Bobbles like googly eyes, sequins, feathers, pipe cleaners, or buttons
• felt, fabric, or thin colored foam sheets,
• popsicle sticks,
• dry pasta, beans, or rice,
• anything else your children will enjoy.

The key is to not have all the things all the time, and to remove items once they have served their purpose.

Clipboards or Lapdesks – Take advantage of learning at home, and make it easier to move around the house to work where you are most comfortable.  We keep clipboards handy for kids to grab so that they can solve math equations, write lists, or use as they see fit anywhere.

ORGANIZATION TIP: All of our scrap paper is stored on our clipboards, so they are always stocked, and ready to go, and our scrap paper has a home where it will actually be used.  Perhaps you prefer the idea of a lapdesk, but the concept is similar: cater to the learning in a comfy environment.