The Homeschool Supplies List You Actually Need

Just as children who attend a traditional school need school supplies, you need school supplies when you decide to homeschool. However, you need less than you might expect at the onset. Start off with the essentials and add to your supplies as you go. Homeschooling can be done well with very few supplies. This article provides an organized list of homeschool supplies to work from. 

This list includes supplies grouped by category, and an idea of what is must-have versus what is optional, so you don’t need to go out and spend a small fortune purchasing every item on the list. You can determine what is most important for your homeschool.

What You Really Need To Start Homeschooling

If you are just launching your homeschool, don’t let this homeschool supplies list overwhelm you. You can start with the basics and add to your supplies over time. There is no need to buy everything at once. Some supplies are nice to have, but many are by no means essential. We want to provide numerous supply options for you to consider, but take note of the must-haves versus the extras. 

Basic School Supplies

There are some basic everyday school supplies that most homeschools use. These are supplies you might want to stock up on at the beginning of the year or when you see sales, as you will likely use these daily. This list includes both essential and non-essential office supplies. Some of what is considered necessary versus supplemental will also depend on the age of your child.

This list includes the basic essential school supplies. If you purchase anything this school year, make sure it includes these items:

• Pencils and erasers

• Pencil sharpener

• Lined paper

• Printer

• Family computer or laptop and internet connection

These items are not essential, but nice to have:

• Notebooks, blank journals, and sketchbooks

• Scissors

• Stapler

• Highlighters

• Ruler

• Crayons and colored pencils

• Glue bottles and glue sticks

• 3-ring binders and binder dividers

• Sheet protectors

• Dry erase boards and markers

• Laminator and laminating sheets

• Clipboards

• 3-hole punch

• Paper cutter

• Cardstock

• Visual timer

Organization And Storage Supplies

With all the materials, papers, and schoolwork that are a big part of the homeschooling experience, you will need supplies to store everything. The way you organize your homeschooling supplies depends on the amount and types of supplies you have, and the space you have to store them. 

These are the must-have organization supplies you want to make sure you have:

• Bookshelves or shelving units for books and supplies

• File folders

• Baskets or storage bins for curriculum and activities

• Small manipulative storage such as pencil cases or zipper mesh bags

• Supply caddy or mason jars for pens/pencils/markers

These storage supplies are helpful to have, but not necessary:

• Three-tiered rolling cart

• Plastic snap lid document boxes

• Stacking paper trays

• Baskets

• Label maker

Books, Curriculum, And Printables

An important component of your homeschool supplies list is your curriculum and supplementary materials. Of course, this will look different for everyone depending on the curriculum they choose. It is also dependent on your child’s age. Here is a general list of books and curriculum materials to keep on hand.

Necessary physical learning materials:

• Curriculum books

• Supplementary materials as specified in your curriculum

• Good books to read (not textbooks)

• Handwriting books/handwriting paper

• Phonics books

• Maps or an atlas

• History timeline books

Optional physical learning materials:

• Dictionary and thesaurus

• Encyclopedias

• Field guides for nature studies 

• Seasonal and holiday favorites (books and unit studies)

Which materials you need depends on the approach you take, so it helps to look at the different styles of homeschooling and how to choose a curriculum before you buy.

Arts And Craft Supplies

Whether your child is completing an art curriculum or completing art projects as part of another subject, you will want to have some arts and craft supplies. These hands-on activities support creative learning.

These are essential art supplies:

• Pencils

• Erasers 

• Crayons

• Colored pencils

• Markers

• Paper (tracing paper, construction paper, watercolor paper)

• Scissors

• Glue bottles and glue sticks

These are optional art supplies:

• Watercolor paints

• Paint brushes

• Oil/chalk pastels

• Chalk

• Ruler

• Sketchbook

• Clay

• Origami paper 

• Beads

• Pipe cleaners

• Popsicle sticks

• Clothespins

• Push pins

• String 

• Crochet hook

• Knitting needles

• Yarn 

• Felt

• Hot glue gun

• Embroidery kit (embroidery, hoop, needle, embroidery thread)

Don’t forget to shop your own home or recycling bin for items you can save to use for projects. Here are some budget-friendly items to look for or keep on hand:

• Toilet paper or paper towel rolls

• Newspapers and magazines

• Aluminum foil

• Plastic wrap

• Milk jugs

• Cardboard

• Sponges

• Plastic knives, forks, spoons

• Salt

• Rice

• Sprinkles

Learning Tools And Manipulatives

Manipulatives and other hands-on learning aids make lessons more concrete. They also give children real-life practice with tools they may use in the future.

These learning tools are necessary for homeschooling:

• Math manipulatives (number timeline, base ten blocks, 100 board, etc.)

• Tray or bin for using manipulatives

• Play money

• Coins

• Clock

• Ruler

• Maps

• History timeline book

These learning tools are nice to have for homeschooling, but not essential:

• Math flashcards

• Abacus

• Scale

• Balance

• Pattern blocks

• Playing cards

• Dice

• Legos or blocks

• Color-coded stickers

• Magnifying glass

• Binoculars 

• Microscope

• Globe 

• Tracing boards

• Educational puzzles

• Educational board games

Basic items around your house can be used as manipulatives as well. Gather some of these items that you probably already have at home:

• Paper clips

• Clothespins

• Buttons

• Popsicle sticks

• Dried beans, pasta, or rice

• Paper plates

• Egg cartons

Technology For Your Homeschool

You can absolutely homeschool with minimal technology. Books and hands-on activities can make up the majority of the curriculum. But access to some technology is integral for homeschooling today. There is no need to own all the latest gadgets, but some degree of technology supports your child’s home education.

Must-have tech for homeschooling:

• Computer or laptop

• Printer

• Headphones

Helpful tech that supports homeschooling, but is not required:

• Tablet

• Audiobooks or audiobook streaming apps (Hoopla, Libby, LibriVox, Audible, Spotify)

• Educational Podcasts

• How-to YouTube tutorials (for cooking, drawing, or making something)

• Zoom or other video chatting services for co-ops, tutors, or virtual classes

• Learning platform membership (Epic!, Khan Academy, etc.)

• Language learning apps (Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, etc.)

• Online typing or piano lessons 

• Movie adaptations of books

• Nature identification app to identify living things you discover outside

• Planning tools to help parents manage their homeschool (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Notion, etc.)

• Online community groups or forums where parents can share and ask for homeschooling advice

Setting Up Your Homeschool Space

You may have already decided on a location for your homeschool setup, or you may not be sure where you are going to homeschool. Maybe you feel short on space and don’t have an extra room to give up. A dedicated homeschool room is not required. 

Many homeschooling families rotate between different rooms of their house throughout the day. You may begin by reading books in the living room, move to the dining room for formal lessons, go to the kitchen while cooking lunch, and spend the afternoon outside before heading to the library. 

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the freedom it gives you. In reality, you can homeschool from anywhere. Wherever you decide to homeschool, you need to consider the setup items required to make a usable learning space.

Furniture

• Work surface: Your child can complete work at a desk, table, or even on a portable tray so they can move from room to room.

• Seating: Seating should be supportive but comfortable. Consider having options, such as a desk chair for computer work and a soft chair for reading. Don’t forget a chair for you! Maybe you have a favorite armchair you want to use for reading aloud.

• Lighting: Make sure there is adequate lighting in work areas to avoid eye strain. Consider which rooms have natural light coming in through windows, or add extra lamps. 

• Command center: Remember that as your child’s teacher, you will need a workspace as well. Consider where you will do your lesson planning and record keeping. Maybe you will do most of it electronically on your computer or use the same area as your children. Determine if you have space for your own desk. 

Wall Space

• Board: If you have the wall space, think about hanging a chalkboard or whiteboard. This gives the room a real classroom feel. 

• Visuals: Hang calendars, schedules, learning posters, or corkboards for reminders.

• Shelves: Use some of your wall space for bookshelves or storage units. This provides a home for materials to keep them out of the way and makes the space look neat. 

• Display: Choose some objects to keep on display, especially if you are homeschooling in a shared space. Choose items you don’t use every day. A globe, small instruments, poems, or artwork give the space a creative and inviting look. 

How Homeschool Supplies Change By Age

Homeschool supply needs will shift over time from young children to teens. Keep this in mind as you review these lists. You do not need to buy all supplies your child may ever need throughout their school experience at once. Consider the stage your child is in and only purchase for that grade rather than over-buying.

The main transitions to stay aware of are in writing, science, and art. Young children use dotted handwriting paper, which shifts to wide-ruled and college-ruled paper and graph paper as their writing and math skills progress. Washable and easy-to-handle art supplies such as crayons and Play-Doh transition to more precise tools such as colored pencils and sketchbooks. Science materials for young children include magnifying glasses for exploring nature, and become equipment for experiments such as microscopes and dissection tools at more advanced levels.  

Where To Save And Where To Spend

Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive, but it will be if you try to buy everything on these lists and purchase the best version of each item. You will have to choose areas in which you can cut corners and other items you are willing to splurge on. Some supplies are worth spending more on if you want them to last, especially if you will be homeschooling multiple children. Some of the best homeschool supplies can be found cheaply, secondhand, or free.

Invest in well-made reusable supplies. Try a curriculum that does not consist of one-time-use worksheets and notebooks so that it can be used for other children. It is worth purchasing a reliable printer and ink, a durable pencil sharpener, math and science tools such as manipulatives, maps or a globe, and a good calculator.

You can save in many areas of your homeschool. Search for used curriculum online or at a homeschool swap. Choosing a family style curriculum is another way to save on curriculum costs. Instead of purchasing all your books and audiobooks, make use of your local library to borrow books. Watch for back-to-school sales at the beginning of the school year and stock up on basic supplies. You can often find basic art supplies and paper at secondhand stores and garage sales. 

Your Homeschool Supplies List

We have put together a compilation of all basics into one homeschool supply list for you to refer to or print. 

• Pencils and erasers

• Pencil sharpener

• Lined paper

• Printer/copy paper

• Printer

• Family computer or laptop and internet connection

• Bookshelves or shelving units for books and supplies

• File folders

• Baskets or storage bins for curriculum and activities

• Small manipulative storage such as pencil cases or zipper mesh bags

• Supply caddy or mason jars for pens/pencils/markers

• Curriculum books

• Supplementary materials as specified in your curriculum

• Good books to read (not textbooks)

• Handwriting books/handwriting paper

• Phonics books

• Maps or an atlas

• History timeline books

• Pencils

• Erasers 

• Crayons

• Colored pencils

• Markers

• Paper (tracing paper, construction paper, watercolor paper)

• Scissors

• Glue bottles and glue sticks

• Math manipulatives (number timeline, base ten blocks, 100 board, etc.)

• Tray or bin for using manipulatives

• Play money

• Coins

• Clock

• Ruler

• Maps

• History timeline book

• Computer or laptop

• Printer

• Headphones

How Forbrain Supports Homeschool Learning

Forbrain is another helpful tool for homeschooling. It’s a headset and auditory stimulation tool that uses bone conduction to feed your child’s own voice back to them more clearly as they work. Hearing their voice more clearly may help them listen and focus during school tasks, and may support reading fluency, comprehension, and memory.

Forbrain is easy to wear and is simple to pair with what your child is already doing. It can be used daily alongside reading, language work, or any other homeschool activities. Forbrain should not replace professional evaluation or therapy when there are significant concerns.

Bottom Line

When you decide to homeschool, it is easy to get stuck before you even begin. Don’t let the assortment of resources and equipment for homeschooling overwhelm you. Focus on the homeschool supplies your child needs to get started, and add to your materials over time. You can launch your homeschool with several basic items. If you are on a budget, find ways to save by shopping secondhand and investing in durable, long-lasting materials. 

You don’t need a collection of perfectly curated supplies for a successful homeschool experience. Get started with what you have, knowing that you will need to adjust the supplies since your child’s needs change as they grow.

References

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