Essential Supplies for Back to School: Elementary School Edition

We are fortunate the main needed supplies are on a list at Wal-Mart. Judging from what was needed last year in my son's Kindergarten class; we have some idea of what items are on the list and most needed. Fortunately these tend to be the items on sale during the months of August and September. The first grade (my son's class) has a focus on glue sticks, crayons, some markers, construction paper, and more. The only item that needed to be replaced for the entire school year was markers (because they dry up easily) and crayons (because they break easily).

Our Wal-Mart (and most I believe if not all) sells glue sticks two for thirty cents. Crayons, the Crayola kind that break less often are for sale for .25 each. Actual school supplies are inexpensive this time of year and I usually stock up for the children's class at church while I am shopping for my children.

Going back to school involves more than much needed school supplies. Yesterday I took my children shopping for new school clothes. We are on a budget due to my being unable to work a full-time job with thanks to breast cancer two years ago and going through the loss of our lives with my mom losing her battle to colon cancer. Consignment shops often offer new clothes or clothes that have not been worn much. I took my particular five and six year old with me to pick out their clothes and they were happy with the choices.

An absolute necessity outside of buying what the teacher asks for is being certain your children have a good pair of shoes. It is tempting to buy them second-hand but by that point the shoe is accustomed to someone else's foot and may be more difficult for your child to walk in. The one splurge you should make is on a pair of new shoes. Children are on their feet often during the day and when they come home with blisters it is not a fun experience.

Winter coats are an important investment as well. Because the summer heat is horrible in August that investment can take a while. Be sure to find a coat your children want to wear. My son left his coat on the playground last year (on purpose) and it got lost because he did not like it very well.

There are other items that need to be bought during the school year but here is the list of items we bought immediately to save later on when finances become more tight.

1) All children need a backpack. My daughter chose Barbie. My son chose How to Train a Dragon. What they pick does not matter as long as they are happy and both of mine are. My children are a lot like me in wanting to play with their office suppliies and I have been forced to hide their backpacks and school supplies for two more weeks. Our backpacks were in the range of $10-12.

2) Children need crayons and a lot of them. Thankfully they are currently for sale for .25 each. I believe both teachers asked for four packages each.

3) Glue sticks are an absolute most have. Again, Wal-Mart decreases prices on these and I have been known to buy them to help with scrapbook supplies as well.

4) Composition books are something both of my children have been asked to buy. These are the little black, red, etc colored notebooks I used for college for a report on the moon phases. At this time, they cost .25 at Wal-Mart.

5) I stock up on loss-leaf paper for both my children and myself.

6) Markers are important though they seem to be more important above the first grade. At $1.00 each I stock up for my church Sunday school class also.

7) Another item on their list was Ziploc bags (galloon for boy and quart for girl). I am unsure of what these will be used for but they were the most expensive on the list.

8) Start thinking about cooler weather. It seems like a long time between August and November but it isn't and the earlier you think about buying winter clothes the better off you are.

9) An item I believe is mostly used for the teachers is a box of Kleenex per child. Who can blame them? They are exposed to a lot of germs and do not like being sick more than anyone else.

10) Safety scissors are important but be careful. Even small children can cut their hair with them. My poor son had to go to Kindergarten graduation with his hair chopped to shreds simply because it happened within the hour of graduation.

There were many other items on the list such as pencil cases, construction paper, and more. These are the ten items I have learned are most important through my son's two years of pre-school, Kindergarten, and my daughter's year of preschool. Each of my children is back to wanting to go to school and very excited about using their new supplies and wearing their new clothes.

My children are more ready to go back to school than I am ready for them to go back.