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It’s Back-to-School Time!
If you’ve ever dreamed of your very own personal shopper, especially during back-to-school season, you’ll love our QUICK-CLICK GUIDE to 107 carefully curated back-to-school essentials! There’s something for every budget.
This list doesn’t JUST include your standard-issue pencils and paper—it also features a fun assortment of goodies that will make everyone excited to start school again. And the best part? Whether your kids are homeschooling or in traditional school, there’s something for everyone— from toddlers to teens!
Preschool Playschool
Preschoolers learn best through imaginative play, which puts hands-on activities at the top of the list. Young children love activities like this engaging story basket. Your little ones can spend hours on this type of “play learning,” freeing you up to work with the older kids. Or, you can play too!
Story Basket Fillers
- Wooden puzzle pieces in the shape of vehicles or geometric shapes, or foam magnets of familiar objects
- Hot Wheels or other small vehicles made of wood, metal, or plastic
- Small plastic animals, dinosaurs, water creatures, or insects
- Family and animal finger puppets
- Tiny dishes, utensils, and play food
- Wooden doll family and furniture or community helpers
Let’s Play School!
- Letter-tracing practice and pre-handwriting activities help toddlers and preschoolers feel like one of the “big kids”
- Wipe-clean early learning activity books and markers — a fun way to practice learning fundamentals!
- Ergonomic triangle-shaped pencils from Koala Tools — perfect for small hands, and won’t roll away
- Twistable, washable, silky-smooth gel crayons in vibrant colors
- Finger paint pad and a carrying case of washable finger paints
- Play-Doh tools for creative rolling and cutting
- Practice fine and large motor skills with The Very Hungry Caterpillar lacing cards and floor puzzle
Kindergarten Corner
Will kindergarten be the first year you do “real school” with your young child? If so, focus on fun and keep learning light with a combination of schoolwork and play. Look for homeschool essentials that bring balance to your kindergarten year.
- QUICK-CLICK BUNDLE of brand-name kindergarten school supplies
- Photo props to celebrate the first & last day of kindergarten
- Chubby pencils and crayons to help little hands master new tools
- K-2nd draw-and-write story journals in lots of kid-friendly styles
- Art smock, jumbo paint brushes, and height-adjustable easel
- Washable kids’ paints in classic and glitter colors
- Fun Band in a Box that teaches music and rhythm
- Modeling clay or PlayDoh
- Jumbo activity books to practice matching, counting, and more
- Art box or pencil box in colorful monster or unicorn designs
- Classroom play set for hours of fun “playing school”
- Alphabet Island board game to encourage letter-sound recognition
Elementary Essentials
Pencils, paper size, and a backpack in the perfect color: these are the back-to-school supplies elementary kiddos will love choosing on their own. Have fun browsing through these elementary essentials.
- QUICK-CLICK BUNDLE of elementary school supplies
- Character backpacks featuring Pusheen, Pokémon, or superheroes
- Fantastic assortment of construction paper
- Composition notebooks for boys or girls in lots of styles
- Race car pens or unicorn gel pens to make writing fun
- Exciting {but educational—shhhh} board games like Tall Tales or Brain Games
- National Geographic Kids magazine subscription filled with facts and photos
- Computer coding projects subscription boxes for ages 6-12
- Science experiment set with over 65 easy activities they’ll love
- Lego Creative Kit to feed imaginations
- Small and large book racks to display favorite picture books
- Calming weighted blanket (great gift for kids with anxiety disorders)
Middle School Must-Haves
What happened? School just got really serious. Say goodbye to the Snoopy binder and unicorn backpack—your homeschooler is in middle school now! Chin up, mama. Tweens still need your direction, even for school supplies. These middle-school must-haves will keep you firmly in the “too cool for school” camp.
- QUICK-CLICK BUNDLE of middle-school necessities
- 3-ring hole punch that stores right in the binder!
- Notebooks for creating your own story boards
- Pocket folders featuring motivational sayings or extreme sports
- Zebra creative markers – great for taking notes or underlining
- Everyone’s favorite! Ticonderoga No. 2 pencils
- Stash ’em in this anime Totoro pencil case
- Battery-operated electric pencil sharpener
- The Synonym Finder to help tween writers find just the right word
- Basic geometry tool set
- STEM subscription boxes to engage future scientists and engineers
- Beginner microscope kit and set of unbreakable prepared slides
- Gorgeous inspirational posters with literary quotes
- Insulated stainless-steel lunch container in fun colors
High School Headquarters
During the high school years, most moms learn to master the subtle art of suggestion. Gone are the days when you can simply tell your teens what they’ll need for school. They’re growing up, but don’t worry—it’s a good thing! Feel confident about handing over some responsibility of choosing supplies and marvel at the young person transitioning to adulthood right before your eyes.
Just remember … it’s still your credit card. 🙂
- QUICK-CLICK BUNDLE of high school essentials
- Wireless printer & ink cartridges
- A tablet or e-reader offers loads of school-related applications
- Flash drive multi-pack in assorted colors
- Essential math and geometry set
- Graphing calculator
- Weekly academic planner (Or try this one or this one—filled with tools to help them stay organized and manage their time like pros!)
- Yoobi small spiral notebook with attached pencil pouch
- Coordinating Yoobi gel pens
- Bright sticky-note tabbed dividers to organize spiral notebooks
- Colorful Panasonic ergo fit earbuds (bargain priced!)
- Stretchable book covers to dress up textbooks with color
- Trendy desk set organizer in fun colors and neutrals
- Itty Bitty desktop tool kit has mini scissors, stapler, etc.
College Collection
Nothing here can prepare you for the transition from high school to college. Trust me, the first time you help your baby set up a dorm room will probably wreck you. Even commuter college comes with challenges. It’s a whole new world! This college collection of back-to-school essentials is infused with wisdom from a homeschool veteran who’s been there. Go ahead, dry your eyes and get your shop on.
- QUICK-CLICK BUNDLE of essential college supplies
- Kit of indispensable writing supplies like this one or this one
- Free 6-month trial – Amazon Prime Student
- The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation for handy reference
- Top-rated yet affordable noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones to drown out dorm distractions
- Small but mighty desk organizer to corral office supplies
- Assorted sticky notes with fine-tip colored pens
- Stylish college book bag or backpack
- Desk lamp with USB port
- Cozy plush + fleece throw blanket for late-night studying
- Command hooks and poster strips won’t damage dorm walls
- Practical power strip surge protector with USB ports
- 32GB USB flash drive at a bargain price
- Every dorm room needs a hot pot for boiling water and making ramen!
- Don’t forget a laundry basket (like this collapsible one). After all, a mom can dream…
Back-to-School Essentials for Mom
Regardless of the phase of homeschooling you find yourself in, we all need a little reminder of why we’ve put so much effort into teaching and learning. Hang on to these simple back-to-school essentials just for you.
- Live your parenting years one day at a time.
- Take time to play with the Legos. Or the dolls. Or whatever the toy of the moment is.
- Keep a long view of academics. Your eight-year-old reluctant writer’s writing will eventually work itself out. (We have tips for you here.)
- Don’t be afraid to let go when the time comes. You’ve got this!
You can count on WriteShop to come alongside you on your teaching journey. We’ve got you covered with the perfect writing curriculum that will inspire your kids to be successful writers.
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Writing Curriculum for All Ages
WriteShop is an award-winning writing curriculum that has been equipping homeschooling families since 2001. We have resources for all ages, from kindergarten through high school.
- WriteShop Primary. WriteShop Primary is all about helping your child feel successful. Picture books, games, and crafts make writing fun. If your child isn’t reading or writing, that’s OK. Every activity can be done orally. Learn more…
- WriteShop Junior. This upper-elementary curriculum introduces children to the excitement of writing in different genres, including mysteries, science fiction stories, and nonfiction reports. It’s still important to have fun while learning, so WriteShop Junior activities keep kids engaged with fun games that teach skills but don’t require any writing. Even the editing process is fun! Learn more…
- WriteShop I and II. Older students in junior high and high school will tackle descriptive, expository, narrative, and persuasive compositions and essays. They’ll learn to use sentence variations, make strong word choices, and improve their self-editing and proofreading skills. Learn more…
Teaching writing has never been easier! Whether you’re a new or veteran homeschooler, we encourage you to explore our website and blog to see how WriteShop can help you along your homeschooling journey.