It’s back to school time which means you’re going to see your first Kindergarten supply list. Did you expect it to be that big?
We have already started our back to school shopping. Luckily, our school has just published their school supply list for all the grade levels. As a teacher, I looked forward to all these supplies coming in. As a parent, I see this list with new perspectives. How does your school’s kindergarten supply list compare?
How Does Your Child’s Kindergarten Supply List Compare?
My friend and I just had our annual – can you believe our kids school supply list conversation on the phone this afternoon.
The first school I taught at supplied all of our classroom materials including paper, pencils, markers, scissors, and crayons. We filled out a form and the school delivered it to our classrooms during pre-planning. If we needed more, we asked for it. The supply closet was stocked and all the kids needed to bring was their own backpacks.
As the years went on, the teacher supply closet concept ended and as a teacher I was left to find supplies for 26 kindergartners with a $100 budget. YES. I was expected to purchase enough supplies [paper, pencils, crayons, glue, ect] for an entire year of projects for 26 young children with $100.
Needless to say, I went over budget because, well… kids need pencils and paper to learn and even with sales shopping and planning, paper and pencils alone for 26 kids for an entire school year come out to way more than $100.
You know that! Why? Because I’m sure your school supply list comes close to that amount – for 1 child.
Now days, parents are big contributors to the classroom supplies. It’s hard on the budget these first few weeks, but so very important for kids to have the needed materials.
CLICK TO TWEET: How does your #kindergarten supply list compare?
I just printed out our supply list for this school year. Thankfully, the stores have decided that it’s back-the-school sales this week, so we are going to be picking up some supplies. Unfortunately, it seems that most of the sales are for the brands not called for in our list.
Yes, the brands were specified on the lists we received.
As a teacher, my supply lists never specified brands, but I can understand why they do. Some brands of crayons, for example do not color as brightly or last as long as others. Rather than buy more than you need, choosing a brand that you know works better ends up saving time and money in the long run. I did shake my head a bit at the “presharpened” pencils. Sure, they save you a couple minutes of time, but is it really necessary????
Amazon affiliate links to products. Surprisingly, some of our supplies are less expensive [the sharpened pencils] when ordering online and having them shipped to my door [I have prime].
- 1 pack Crayola Ultraclean Fineline Classic Markers [10 Count]
- 1 pack Crayola Ultraclean Broadline Classic Washable Markers [10 Count]
- Crayola Crayons 24 Count – 2 Packs
- Elmer’s All-Purpose Glue Sticks, .77 oz, 12 Pack [E517] [not large]
- 1 pair of Fiskars 94917097 No. 5 Blunt Tip Scissors
- 24 Dixon Ticonderoga Pre-Sharpened with Erasers Pencils, #2, Yellow, Box of 30 [13830]
- 1 Backpack[NO ROLLING BACKPACKS, please]
- One Box of Facial Tissues
- $10 cash donation for miscellaneous classroom supplies
- Girls bring:
- Boys bring:
What is missing from the school supply list?
There are some things that we use every single day that are not included on the back to school supply list provided by our school.
- Tennis shoes
- School uniforms
- Lunch Boxes
- Lunch Box Containers
- Cold Packs for lunch boxes
- Water bottles
- Small gift for the teacher
Yes – you read that right. Do NOT wait until teacher appreciation week in the spring to give your child’s teacher a gift. A gift card and a heartfelt note does wonders for developing strong relationships.
Sample Back to School Messages for Your Child’s Teacher:
Pack of kid-friendly stickers – I saw these in the store and thought you may find a good use for them!
$20.00 Gift Card to Target: I am so excited that ___ is in your classroom this year. I’m sure there are some extra things that you may need for your classroom and hope that this little bit helps.
$20.00 Gift Card to a local cafe / restaurant- Back-to-school is such a busy time of year.Dinner’s on us tonight!
Small basket of extra school supplies: Looking forward to a fantastic school year with you.
Where to find your child’s school supply list?
- Most schools have published their grade level lists on their school website and/ or Facebook pages.
- Pick up a paper copy at the front desk.
- Call the secretary and ask for the list.
How to Save Money on School Supplies during Back-To-School Time.
1. My number 1 money saving back-to-school tip – Use what you already have!!!!! Buy a decent backpack and keep re-using it each year. We encourage our kids to choose non-themed backpacks so they don’t outgrow the character. Items such as kid scissors can also be re-used year after year. They do NOT need to be brand new in a package!
2. Make a list and stick to it. You don’t need all the cutesy extras – like a ruler snap bracelet or sparkly pencil toppers. Get the essentials. If your child really “wants” something special and it’s in your budget – choose ONE special item and have them keep it in their homework center at home!
3. Buy an extra set of pencils, markers, and crayons when they are on sale for you to keep at home.
With back-to-school season right around the corner, it’s time to start preparing school supply lists with everything your kids will need. Whether they’re a new kindergartener, a first-time campus dweller or a keen homeschooler, we got you.
After poring over lists from school boards across Canada, we’ve collected the essentials—from pens and pencils to notebooks and Post-its—that you’ll need to get them well-stocked for the coming year. Our curated list of back-to-school supplies also includes the nice-to-haves that will ease your child into the school year with no missteps.
It’s a big—and exciting—moment to have your little one start kindergarten. They’re off to formally learn about the world through art, literacy, math and play. Help ease them into the fun world of school education with all the right supplies from washable markers and construction paper to easy-open lunch boxes and—sigh—glue.
You blinked and your babies have hit grade school. Before your little ones can shop for themselves, it’s important to keep them outfitted with every essential. From kids backpacks to folders to a new pair of gym shoes, check off all the items in this back-to-school shopping list for grades one through three.
While standard pencils are still a must, kids in higher primary grades start needing more advanced school supplies like permanent pens [yikes!], highlighters and even calculators. Think of buying a bigger backpack for these years as binders and folders need more space than that old stuffed animal your little one couldn’t leave home without.
Help your middle schooler make a seamless transition to their teen years with the right school supplies to keep them afloat in a sea of new academic and social demands. Usually around this age, kids start wanting a much more active role in choosing their backpacks, lunch bags and binders, so why not shop online together this year?
With adulthood on the not-so-distant horizon, your high schoolers will need a strong academic foundation to cross that bridge and organization is key. With many subjects and multiple teachers, the high school supply list of essentials now includes subject dividers and the all-important assignment planner to keep them organized.
The needs of college and university students extend far beyond those of the classroom, as the dorm room is where they will spend most of their time. Outfitting the dormitory space can be expensive, so finding all-in-one products like Bed in a Bag can be a great cost-saving solution. Oh, and buying a milk frother will definitely save them trips to the fancy coffee shop.
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