Writing essentials
- No. 2 pencils (Stick with this classic to avoid classroom competition over whose writing utensil is the coolest — or most impractical.)
- Colored pencils
- A pencil sharpener (hand-held with a top to collect shavings)
- A large pink eraser (The old-fashioned ones do the best erasing.)
- Ballpoint pens
- A box of crayons (Teachers recommend buying a 16-pack for younger kids, more for older ones.)
- Washable markers
- Spiral-bound or composition notebooks
- Loose-leaf notebook paper (Teachers can be picky about paper. Schools usually supply specially ruled handwriting paper to help younger children with letter formation. Older children use wide-ruled paper.)
NOTE: Feather pencils, light-up pencil sharpeners, or pretty erasers that don’t work should be avoided
Organizational helpers
- Expensive folders with multiple pockets and zippers are often too bulky to fit in desks. Better to stick with more streamlined (and cheaper) models.
- A three-ring binder
- Pocket folders (If you get a folder with two pockets, label one “keep at home” and the other “bring back to school” to help your child organize his papers.)
- A box for storing items (Teachers recommend one that’s eight inches long by five inches wide by two inches deep to hold pencils, crayons, erasers and scissors.)
- Highlighters (These are probably unnecessary for kids in kindergarten through second grade.)
- Index cards, ruled and unruled (for making flash cards)
- A sturdy, supportive backpack (Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations, so check with your school before purchasing one.)
Craft materials
- Dioramas and other 3-D projects provide a hands-on learning experience for students. Most teachers recommend having these items available:
- Drawing paper
- Construction paper
- A ruler with English and metric measurements
- Glue sticks
- A four-ounce bottle of white glue
- Scotch tape
- A stapler
- Scissors (blunt ended for younger kids, pointed for older ones)
- Watercolor paints
Home computer supplies
- Printer paper
- Ink cartridges
Nice to have
- A sturdy lunch box
- A stainless steel water bottle (To be extra safe, you might want to avoid plastic bottles that contain bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to such health problems as heart disease and diabetes.)