What You Really Need to Homeschool

Homeschool Supplies at Your Fingertips

When we had our first son, we had all the gadgets.

Bassinet, stroller, carrier, car seat, bouncy seat, playpen, baby gate, huge diaper bag, and a baby monitor for our 425 square foot apartment.

By the time we had our fifth son, we had narrowed down what we really needed: a crib, a car seat, a diaper in my purse, and a fun toy for him to play with (my car keys).

Homeschooling is like that.

There is a never-ending list of “Stuff” to help you teach your kids about dirt, insects, and history.

I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite things, but remember you just need a library card, a pair of hiking boots, and a set of keys.

1. GOALS

Before you buy pencils, books, or wall maps… Make sure you’ve established your master Homeschool Goals!

2. Get Organized!

Household planner: This is for you mama

Child’s Journal (fancy)  This is what I use with my sons.

Portable Classroom!

“A small-ish tote bag that I can put just that day’s work in and then we can travel around the house, yard, or park and have what we need is a necessity!” ~Emily

3. Set up Your Schoolroom/ Teaching Area

Kitchen Table- Don’t underestimate the power of simplicity. I have homeschooled for 25 years around our kitchen table!

Student Desk (I’ve never had them, but if I did…)

Whiteboard (I can’t teach without one!) Many Sizes:  Large (favorite) and Portable. In a pinch, you can use a three-ring binder and dry erase markers!

Dry Erase Markers: Yes, My sons do school on windows and mirrors!

Maps

US Map (Or a map of your home country) Fancy (On my wish list)  Plain

World Map Fancy   (On my wish list) Plain

4. A Pencil Sharpener that actually works for your entire homeschool career.

“Hello again! I messaged you last week saying thank you for the pencil sharpener recommendation. Mine arrived Monday, and I LOVE it (as much as one can love an inanimate object). It works beautifully, and I’ve had the joy of sharpening pencils the last two days. Thank you for taking the time to share your review of the Carl Angel-5. It is well worth it.
Thanks again!” ~ DiamondSome of my Favorites Creations- Yep, I made these…

5. Complete No-Prep/Low- Prep Lessons that can be used as a family

Bible Study Bundle

Letter Writing (Kids write a letter to their future selves)

Ant Unit (perfect with an ant farm! We waited way too long to do this! )

Butterfly Unit goes beautifully with a butterfly garden!

Naptime Training Game

Cooking Camp Bundle Teaching Kids to cook! Grab them an apron and make it a weekly routine:)

                My creations can be found here 

6. Manipulatives

Kids need to explore shapes, grouping, classifying, building, weighing, measuring, etc with “stuff” before they try to learn the abstract numbers and symbols.

(Pro Tip: Only bring them out during school. Give them a few days of playing with them before trying to turn them into a lesson)

Blocks (I always carried baggies of a variety of blocks to doctor’s offices or restaurants)

Legos

Clocks, counting bears, flash cards, pattern blocks… the possibilities are endless. I always have tons. I bought about 2 sets per year our first years of homeschooling)

7. Science Kits

Pro-tip: Subscription Kits for Kids are FANTASTIC! We use KiwiCo and Mel Science!

Magnifying glass (Never go on a walk without one!)

Microscope (Get the best one you can afford) My son is studying plankton right now and we are borrowing a scope… (Christmas?)

Computers (These are the ones our sons have for school- supervised of course. In our home, technology is only allowed in plain sight)

8. Gross Motor Development (Big Muscle Coordination- necessary for concentration, problem-solving, and brain development)

Jump Rope (I found ours at a school sale. What a score!)   You need some jump rope rhymes

Slackline

Swing (toddler- I’d put my little one in the swing and “talk through a lesson with my olders”)

Big Kid Swing (Sometimes, simply swinging resets a bad attitude. Scientifically, swinging helps connect the two sides of a child’s brain. This one looks cool. My kids had a plain one)

Mini-trampoline (Bounce, of course. But have theme recite things while they bounce: skip count, ABC’s, states and capitals, bible verses, anything)

Hilltop Set

Go-go Roller 

9. Fine Motor Development (No such thing as “too much”. Fine Motor is an essential building block for reading, math, and life)

Play doe  You can also make pretzel dough!

Doll clothes (With buttons, zippers, and snaps. I don’t have daughters, so you’ll have to share your favorites with me here)

Fine Motor Board

Pegboard

Lacing

Beads

Trains

Hotwheels and a rug track

Legos for Littles

mini clothespins  Or regular ones!

Did I miss something? Share it with me here so I can add it to the list!

---

Looking for WHAT to teach?

Homeschool Life: What to Teach Grades K-5