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We can talk all day long about brainstorming techniques and editing methods, but honestly—is there anything more inspiring to a young writer than brand-new cool writing tools? It might be that time of year—that wonderful back-to-school season when every imaginable school supply is on sale, or maybe holidays or birthdays are approaching and you’re looking for goodies to tuck into packages or Christmas stockings.
No matter what season it is, new office and school supplies are always a good idea!
Old-Fashioned Joy
As a child, I loved visiting my grandma and grandpa at their brick apartment building in Chicago. My brother and I were allowed to walk the short block to Simon’s Drugstore at the corner of Roscoe and Broadway, where we’d head straightaway for the school-supplies aisle.
I loved them all: yellow #2 pencils sharpened to a fine point; clean, fat, pink erasers; and pads of crisp white paper that whispered, “Write. Here. Now.” And I grew positively heady over an unspoiled box of Crayola crayons.
Cool School Tools
No one is motivated by a handful of chewed pencil nubs and that pile of last year’s paper remnants. Thriftiness has its place, but a few inexpensive new items can make all the difference for a reluctant writer of any age.
Create a little writing buzz simply by investing in some brand-new school supplies, including cool writing tools! Hop on over to Target, Staples, or the dollar store at the beginning of each school year, when the sales are crazy! Or find great deals year round online!
- Look for inexpensive but stunning pocket folders, assorted mechanical pencils, highlighters, and pretty gel pens.
- Decorate juice cans with self-stick paper and fill them with a fresh supply of colorful fine-tip markers or luscious colored pencils.
- In addition to white notebook paper, brighten up your writing corner with ruled paper in fun colors.
- Pick up a handful of composition books and spiral notebooks in different sizes for journaling and other writing. During back-to-school sales, you can find them for a quarter at some stores!
- And for extra fun, grab a roll of adhesive vinyl chalkboard paper for your school room or kitchen wall!
Don’t Forget Mom
My love of office supplies hasn’t diminished over the years. I’m a sucker for Sharpies in rainbow colors, and I still stroll up and down the aisles, drooling over filing systems and desktop organizers.
Delicious new office supplies aren’t just for students! So tickle your own inner child by indulging in a few goodies for yourself, too. Or use this as a teacher’s gift guide and fill a basket for your favorite educator!
- Toss a pack of colored sticky notes, a box of funky paperclips, and some new correction tape into your shopping basket.
- Grab a package of cool pens for editing the kids’ papers—bright, but not red.
- Round out your writing supplies with an assortment of reward stickers or self-inking stamps that proclaim a job well done.
- Filing doesn’t have to be boring with these gorgeous mom-favorite file folders!
The best news is this: Though you certainly could, you really don’t have to spend much at all. If you hold out for those great back-to-school sales, you can load up on simple supplies and cool writing tools that will put a sparkle in your children’s eyes and make everyone much more eager for writing time.
You can find tons more ideas here. What are you waiting for?
