The Best School Supplies

Buying Guide

Toward the end of summer, every parent gets ready to do some back-to-school shopping. School-supply shopping is a fun activity you can do with your children, getting them excited to get back in the classroom with their teachers and friends. As your kids get older, they may even want to try school supply shopping on their own.

It can be overwhelming to know what to get for your child. When you’re getting ready to buy school supplies, be sure to take a look at your supplies from the year before. Do you have anything leftover that can still be used this year? While some markers and highlighters may dry out from year to year, it’s likely that many items can still be used again. This way, you don’t have to buy duplicates of school supplies.

Consider what your child needs for school. You can start by making a list of the essentials for their class or subjects. Some schools also provide a list of recommended school supplies to have. This is a good starting point to use when making your back-to-school shopping list for your kids. Then, you can tailor the recommended list to your child’s needs and interests. For example, if you know they love bright colors, grab an extra pack of markers. If they’re obsessed with crafts, put a few glue sticks into your shopping cart.

In some schools, it’s a big help when parents provide a few extra supplies for the classroom for the children to share. While many schools supply the basics, it’s nice to be able to provide a few extra things for the whole class. Sometimes teachers have recommendations for these items as well, which often include glitter, glue, paint, construction paper and pencils.

• When you’re purchasing school supplies for your children before they head off to school, be sure to check that the items are age-appropriate. This is especially important for young children who are entering their first few years of school. For example, instead of regular scissors, you’ll need to get safety scissors that don’t have a sharp point at the end. Be sure to check that your kids can open, close and use all of the school supplies by themselves. It’s great to practice a few times before they head off to school.
• When there are several children in a classroom together, they are bound to show up with some of the exact same school supplies. If those get mixed together, they could forget which ones belong to them. Friends may even take items that don’t belong to them by mistake. That’s why it’s best to label the large items with your child’s name to reduce any misunderstandings.
• If you’re not sure which items to get for your child and you don’t have many supplies leftover from last year, consider getting a school supplies kit. This is a set that includes the essentials your child will need, all packaged together so you don’t have to purchase them individually. It’s a great time-saver for busy parents.
• In addition to the school supplies, make sure your child has a way to store and organize their supplies — both at home and at school. This way, they won’t lose or forget their school supplies anywhere.