11 Must-Have Homeschooling Supplies

The homeschool year is close to the horizon for our family, and that means it is time to start stocking up on my favorite homeschooling supplies. I won’t lie – I love to buy school supplies. I chalk it up to the years I spent pretending to be a teacher and my parents purchased me “toys” from an actual teacher store in Pittsburgh. Then, I went to school to become a teacher, and my obsession with purchasing school supplies continued.

We are entering our 5th year of homeschooling – I can’t believe it! 5 years! I’m so excited for the year ahead. Caelyn is entering “4th” grade and Brayden is in “2nd” grade.

I use quotes because grade level is so subjective with homeschooling. Connor is our wild preschooler, and Jolene is the family mascot – right?

I want to share with you my favorite homeschooling supplies that are in my Amazon cart right now waiting for payday! 

1. Prismacolor Pencils 

   There is no way we could complete our art projects with Prismacolor Pencils! These soft-core pencils are so vibrant and beautiful. We use a nature journal for science, so drawing is a weekly – often daily – project. We keep lower-quality, colored pencils for when we are doing other tasks.

2. Laminator

   I love to laminate everything. It’s one of the top ways we save money homeschooling. I laminate flash cards the most, like the phonics cards I get with reading curriculums. You can laminate word searches, tracing pages, and anything that you don’t want your kids to ruin. Make sure you have plenty of laminating sheets available. Luckily, a single pack has plenty, and I usually only need to purchase one pack a year.

3. Watercolor Paint

   Our kids love to watercolor. We use a nature journal to record our nature walks and the discoveries we make along the way. For these tasks, I like my kids to use nice quality watercolor paints. I save the Crayola and RoseArt watercolor paints for when my toddler decides he needs to make a masterpiece as well.

   I love the Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paints. They come in a self-contained box, so we can carry them in bags for journaling at parks.

4. Water Brush

   If you spend any time using watercolor paints, a water brush is a good investment. The handle of the brush holds water, so it makes painting easier for young kids and on-the-go art times. The Pentel Aquash Point Water Brush is our personal favorite choice.

5. Pencil Sharpener

   All homeschoolers need to have a pencil sharpener available! You are going to use A LOT of pencils and colored pencils. So, invest in an electric pencil sharpener to save yourself the stress.

6. 3-Hole Punch

   A 3-hole punch comes in handy! If you are copying pages and doing them for several kids, a 3-hole punch lets you separate them into binders. It really is a convenient item, and they aren’t too pricey!

7.  Dot Markers

   I love dot markers! They are so fun for toddlers – it keeps them occupied for a while! I’ve found tons of usages for dot markers throughout the years. Get a set – you’ll love them.

8. Binder Rings 

   Organization is my jam when it comes to homeschooling supplies. I’m adamant about only wanting to buy one set of certain things, like our favorite bird watching flash cards. So, I laminate them and keep cards on a set of binder rings. You can also use them when kids make homemade books or just to keep sets of papers together.

9. Printer

   I like to use a printer that is hooked up to Google Print Cloud because I can print things from my phone if I find something I love. That is really convenient! I keep an extra carton of ink on ahead, as well as a lot of printer paper.

10. White Board

    I have a huge magnetic whiteboard on my wall. It is essential! We keep the letter tiles used for All About Reading and All About Spelling on the board. We also use it for handwriting, and the toddler loves to draw on it.

11. Kwik Stix

    Kwik Stix is one of our newest must-have items. Do you hate painting with your kids? I’m ashamed to admit it, but sometimes acrylic paint drives me nuts. Kwik Stix are the answer! They’re solid, tempera paint in a stick. Your kids can make drawings without the mess. Kwik Stix are my favorite! I keep an abundance at home for the kids – even the 2-year-old loves them.

What are your favorite homeschool supplies? Let me know in the comments. I need to add more to my shopping cart!