The School Supply List

My kids love shopping for school supplies.  Just yesterday my daughter asked me when we were going to start shopping for school supplies.  I said, "Katelyn, school doesn't start until the end of August for you!  We've got plenty of time!"  Tyler's online school always starts the first part of August, so I always buy his school supplies first, and Katelyn looks on longingly the whole time.  Then her time comes and we troop excitedly down every aisle.  We go through the list the teacher has sent and debate over red folders or green.  What kind of pens?  Will these markers last all year long?  So fun!  Buying school supplies is truly a perfect way to start the school year.


Now, since I am not rich and increased with goods, I am going to attempt to keep our preschool as frugal as possible.  For me, this means rather than relying on already made up curriculum that cost big bucks, I will be utilizing the resources and supplies that I already have here at home, like my printer, and purchasing any necessary items as inexpensively as available.  Dollar Tree (my favorite dollar store), Hobby Lobby with a coupon, and Amazon are my favorite places to purchase items.

So, here is our school supply list:

1.  ALPHABET LINE OR WALL CHART TO DISPLAY

I recommend having the whole alphabet displayed for easy visual access.  If you are using a dedicated school room where you can hang a large wall line, a set like this one here would be handy

This alphabet line measures over 14 feet long when assembled.

If you don't have a place or the space to permanently display an alphabet line (I don't), then the next option would be a portable wall chart like this one.

I've also seen alphabet wall charts at Dollar Tree.  They come in a big box that has all of these posters in it:

Affix the wall chart to a piece of display foam, also sold at Dollar Tree, for durability.  You can pull the board out when you are doing school and slide it into a closet or behind the filing cabinet when you're done.

A final option would be to print an alphabet chart on cardstock. I found some great options online like the one here.

 

Now, I went back and forth about whether or not to display the alphabet in our home in Manuscript (Print) or in Cursive, since Jason will be learning to write in cursive in Kindergarten.  I decided to display Manuscript because the Cursive wall charts were not in the Abeka style.  I also checked the Abeka website to see if their alphabet flash cards were in Manuscript or Cursive.  They are in manuscript.  So I will be displaying my alphabet in Manuscript.

(I was in the Kindergarten classroom last Sunday, teaching Sunday School, when I noticed that the Kindergarten teacher has the Abeka Large Flashcards displayed above the board like a line chart.  So, that could be an option for a line chart, too.)

Other fun wall charts to display would be numbers, colors, and shapes.  I found this set on Amazon and it has the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes, plus a few other fun ones.  Perfect!!

2.  LAMINATING MACHINE, CLEAR CONTACT PAPER, OR CLEAR PLASTIC PAGE PROTECTORS. 

We will be printing lots of pages throughout our preschool year, and many of them we will want to reinforce for durability so that we can reuse them throughout the year.  This is especially true if you will be printing off your alphabet chart rather than buying one.

The best option is to buy a laminating machine, especially if you plan to homeschool beyond one year, or more than one child (for example, I will be preschooling Justin at home after Jason goes to school).  Amazon sells a wide variety of laminating machines.  Bare in mind that you will need to purchase pouches, too.

If you don't want to use a laminating machine, you can also cover your papers with clear contact paper or place them in clear plastic page protectors. 

One of the advantages of laminating or covering your papers is the ability to complete the paper by writing on the plastic with a wet erase marker, which can then be wiped clean.  The page can then be reused.
 

3. PENCILS, MARKERS, SCISSORS, GLUE, TAPE

We will be doing lots and lots of writing, coloring, pasting and cutting as we work on our preschoolers' fine motor skills.  I will give you a list of specific materials each week for the projects we will be doing, but I recommend stocking up on these basic items during the "Back-to-School" sales.


4. WASHABLE PAINT IN A VARIETY OF BASIC COLORS AND PAINTBRUSHES

I didn't include paint the first time I wrote this list.  Then I wrote the first two weeks of lessons and realized that we will be painting a lot.  I don't know about your kids, but my kids love to paint.  So, stock up on a variety of basic colors.

I know that I've purchased a large variety package of paintbrushes at Walmart for under $2 in the past.

You'll also want to start collecting lots of newspaper (those free papers that they dispose on your driveway twice a week!) or purchase an inexpensive plastic tablecloth at Dollar Tree to protect your painting surface.


5. PRINTER PAPER AND INK

We will be printing lots and lots of pages.  Stock up on paper and ink so you don't run out in the middle of printing a fun page. ;)


6.  LOTS OF CONSTRUCTION PAPER, DRAWING PAPER, PAINTING PAPER, SCRATCH PAPER, PAPER, PAPER, PAPER

What's a project without construction paper?

Save all those junk mail fliers that come in the mail for scratch paper.  Sometimes they come in pretty colors!
 

7. STAPLER AND STAPLES 

A stapler was another things that I didn't include in the first draft.  We will be using a stapler for projects at least once a week it looks like, so it would be a good idea to have one handy.  Don't forget the staples!
 

8. AN AMERICAN FLAG AND/OR A COPY OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

As Americans, it is our responsibility to teach our children about the rights, responsibilities and privileges of being an American citizen.  One of the first ways to do that is to teach our children to respect the flag and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  Katelyn and Jason's school says The Pledge of Allegiance every morning; we say it at home.  Last year I printed this one out, pasted it to red construction paper and posted it on the wall.

9.  A BIBLE AND/OR A COPY OF THE PLEDGE TO THE BIBLE, IF DESIRED.

The same thing holds true for Christians.

Optional, but good to have: A DRY ERASE BOARD OR ANOTHER TYPE OF BOARD THAT YOU CAN WRITE ON.

Don't forget markers and an eraser.


Ready to go shopping? :)

**You can print this page by clicking on the green PRINT FRIENDLY button at the bottom of this post.  You can also print a PDF version by clicking on the link below.

School Supply List Printable PDF

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