At home learning is happening everywhere this fall and record numbers of families are deciding to make the leap into homeschooling. Because of this, I’ve had many conversations about must have Homeschool Supplies and curriculum, homeschool scheduling/organization and much more. This got my wheels turning. So, I’m excited to introducing a new Homeschool topic to Miss Pettigrew Review!

I’ve been a busy homeschooling mom of 4 rascals for the last 7 years. This is when I started home(pre)schooling my first child. This same child just entered 6th grade and I seriously think we’ve been traveling at light speed through elementary school. I’m also homeschooling my 4th grader, 2nd grader and Kinder this year. Yes, that means lots of experience teaching multiple age groups. It can be done.

I have a ton of ideas for homeschool articles based on the questions I’ve been asked and all of the topics I veraciously researched when I was getting started. If you have a specific question or request for a new post, please feel free to ask in the comments section. I will be responding to each comment. And don’t forget to subscribe to Miss Pettigrew Review and we’ll take this journey of at home learning together! (Or adventure schooling as my kids like to call it.) 

Now, on to the list of my must have homeschool supplies basics.

(Most of these items can be found on amazon prime. You can click my photos/titles or the links at the end of post to shop my must have homeschool supplies list)

10 Must Have Homeschool Supplies List:

1 The World’s Best Pencil

Have I tried every Pencil in the world? No. But I’ve tried a lot. The Ticonderoga pencils aren’t fancy. They don’t have beautiful colors and and eye catching patterns. (Yes, I always grab a few of those kinds for back-to-school pencil cases because their fun.) However, they are ascetically pleasing in a classical kind of way, and my classroom is always stocked with plenty of these pencils. They are simply high quality. My kids always gravitate towards these anytime they have any serious writing to do, such as handwriting practice or journaling. They just work great. Ok, ok it’s a pencil. I’m moving on.

2 Perfect Sized Eraser Tops

So, I just got done singing the praises of of Ticonderoga pencil, but now I have to explain my only problem with these pencils. (All pencils really) The erasers are used up long before the pencil is. My kids go through pencil erasers like crazy. Once the eraser is used up, the pencil is dead to them. We tried the big fun shaped erasers. Think footballs and zoo animals, but then they weigh the pencil down and hinder handwriting and speed. These beauties are my solution. They are colorful and cheery, but also light and un-obtrusive. Now my kids can erase to their little hearts’ content and not waste our world’s best pencils. 

3 Our Golden Electric Pencil Sharpener

As if we haven’t discussed pencils enough on this list, here we go again. But honestly, why go through the trouble of finding the perfect pencil and pencil bestie if you can’t actually write with the pencil? Did I mention my kids are hard on pencils? Well, they are and we use them a ton. So, an electric pencil sharpener is a must. We tried the hand sharpeners for a while, but they take forever and took time away from other things. Also, I always found that my kids would use up every pencil until they were all dull and then we were stuck sharpening 50 pencils by hand. That’s a no for me. 

I’ve also tried other electric pencil sharpeners that didn’t sharpen well or didn’t last. We’ve had our OfficeGoods sharpener for two school years now and we love it. It looks great in my classroom, (I’m partial to the gold) has three settings for level of sharpness and is very durable. It can even be charged via usb cord. Good stuff.

4 The right scissors for the right age

We all know scissors are a must for our preschool and kinder aged students, but it’s always tricky finding a good balance between a scissor that is safe for little chubby fingers and also actually cuts through paper. (Kind of a must for a scissor) And yet, I have tried plenty of safety scissors over the years that didn’t meet those simple requirements. 

The little green scissor on the left is from Crayola, I also use the Westcott Classic Kids scissors. (They’re almost the same scissor) They are now my go-to kinder scissors and I only ever purchase one or the other.

The cool red and black scissors in the first photo are by Frisker. These are great for older elementary students. They cut even better than our safety scissors, but they are still light and manageable enough for smaller hands. My elementary age kids love these scissors. They’re kind of like grown up scissors in a kid size. 

5 A Ruler with a twist, Literally

A ruler is just a ruler right? Why is this one on the list? Well not exactly. This little guy is our favorite ruler because he’s bendy and unbreakable. This makes this ruler easily my kids favorite. Not only is it soothing/calming to bend, but it can easily measure objects that aren’t flat. You can get them on Amazon in a 4 pack of different colors. Great for my four pack of kiddos. 

6 Fun Flashcard Containers 

We use flash cards for tons of purposes in our schooling. Spelling words, latin roots, vocabulary, state capitals and the list goes on. These containers are such a great way to organize all off our flashcard categories. Put simply, it’s a win! (I can no longer find our exact type on Amazon, so I linked to a set that look even cooler.)

7 Our Go-To Choice of Markers

There are a ton of markers and pens out there, from the very fancy to the most basic. We have a few fancy-dancy kind for art lessons and the like, but these three markers are our inexpensive tried and true markers. Crayola washables are inexpensive, easy to clean up after and are great for my younger students. My 4th & 6th graders are into the Bic markers. And I always throw in a few Mr. Sketch scented stix because I’m a sucker for a bit of whimsey & nostalgia. They help make back to school special.

8 The Timer that Saved the Day

While all of the other items on this list so far easily fit under my best of the basics category, this timer stands out as unique. I purchased these (they also come in a four pack of different colors) for my littles, to help time my oldest son on his writing assignments. He’s laser focused in math and history (his favorite subjects) but was always daydreaming away when it came time to write. I gave him a timer, and his love of math and competition helped him stay on track with his writing assignments. I’ll go into further detail about tips and tricks for motivating your students in a future post. Also, it turns out all four of my kids love their timers and now use them for everything. Not only do we get a lot of use out of these for school, but apparently their good for hot wheels races and scavenger hunts! Oh, and don’t forget P.E.

9 & 10 Squishy Stickers Make Any School Day Fun!

Last on the list is kind of a twofer. My kids have cool patterned folders, but we really like to buy the basic mead five star folders in bright plain colors and then make them special with unique stickers. We do different reward & prize box systems, (which again I’ll talk about in a future homeschool post) but it’s amazing how much a simple sticker can mean to my kids. These particular stickers are squishy and silly. My kids get to pick one out and stick it on their folder if they can make it through a whole school day with no whining or complaining, and a general good attitude of gratitude and helpfulness during our school day. This method is particularly helpful at the beginning of the school year or after a holiday break to help transition your child back into a school routine. What a difference one sticker can make. 

Wrapped up like a Little Burrito

These are the first ten must have homeschool supplies that came to mind when I think of some of our must have basics. Honestly, I could easily think of ten more, but this is a great start to our new Miss Pettigrew Review Homeschool topic. If you’re a homeschool parent, or you just find yourself in the unique situation of your kids being at home learners this year, I have lots I’d love to share with you and welcome your ideas and tips in the comment section. Be sure to subscribe to Miss Pettigrew Review and join our new homeschool crew! Let’s adventure school together.

Shop Must Have Homeschool Supplies on Amazon ↓

*This post is not sponsored nor were any of these products sent to me. There are affiliate links & these are products that I love and use everyday!*

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