Homeschool Supplies That Are Essential And Affordable
Hey there! Start the school year with confidence with these homeschool supplies that are essential and affordable, we’re talking less than $10!
Are you new to this homeschool journey? Since you are reading this, I am assuming you are thinking about or have decided to homeschool, yay – that’s my new favorite thing to hear!
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase something I recommend, I may receive an affiliate commission – but it does not affect your price or what I choose to promote.*
I am here to tell you that you can do it without the complication or expense to start. With these essential and affordable homeschool supplies, you will be ready to start the school year with confidence and ease!
Does the search for supplies, curriculum, and all things homeschooling overwhelm you? Me too!
If you are about to start homeschooling Kindergarten, then this simple supply list is the perfect place to start.
A little about my homeschool supply philosophy
I am a novice homeschool mom, meaning I am finishing up my first year (Kindergarten), well, second year if you count our year of preschool. But I have a love and passion for homeschooling and want to give all the encouragement I can.
If you are budget-conscious like myself, then this list is also for you.
Below you will find a simple supply list to start your homeschool journey, with items mostly from Dollar Tree or Walmart.
Remember, your homeschool supplies do not have to start out perfect or even robust.
The aim here is not for an aesthetic or even the best-quality materials (I’m talking to you Instagram and Pinterest). But practical and simple supplies you will use daily.
Depending on the ages of your kids, you need very little homeschool supplies to complete meaningful lessons, especially in kindergarten.
After all, the most important homeschool investments will be your time, dedication, and attention spent on your children, followed by the core curriculum (Math and Language Arts) that you choose.
I am all about saving money where I can. Using inexpensive products when beginning your homeschool journey makes sense for many reasons, here are 2:
- You don’t know what works or doesn’t; you may spend a bunch of money on all these notebooks or special pencils, only to find your kid prefers other pencils and using a whiteboard to practice writing. Start small and expand your supplies as needed.
- space in your home; I prefer minimal supplies as long as I can get away with it simply for storage purposes. You could overflow your home with all things homeschool supplies and curriculum. Again start small and add more as you see fit.
This list is best suited for Kindergarten to 3rd-grade students but is easy to modify for older children based on their needs.
Essential and affordable homeschool supplies:
- pencils
- scissors
- flashcards
- small whiteboard with dry-erase markers
- plain white paper or construction paper
- crayons or colored pencils
Find the above items at Dollar Tree for roughly less than $10, or better yet, you can shop from around your house as you probably own most of these items already!
Below are some non-essential extras that add variety and creativity to break up the day-to-day.
The fun supplies:
- paints or watercolors
- tape
- glue
- calculator
- math manipulatives
- linking cubes – great for math skills and general play
- globe or wall map
- play money – great for learning coin and dollar recognition and for pretend play
- additional age-appropriate books
- shape blocks
- teaching clock – this is fun and interactive, and can be played like a game
This list could go on forever, but the beauty is you can go without all of it or add in as much as you want.
Is online shopping more your jam? Below are some links to the essentials. Remember they will likely be more expensive than your Dollar Tree or Walmart options.
However, it is always a good idea to check the price per unit because they could be cheaper in the long run and possibly better quality!
Essential Homeschool supplies:
Scissors – Perfect size for kids
Pencils – Perfect starter pencils to help littles with their grip. I love the quality of these, my son uses them every day!
Crayons – Classic and not overwhelming
Colored pencils – You can’t go wrong with erasable colored pencils
Flashcards or sticky notes – Great for sight word practice or math facts
Construction paper – If you want something in addition to white or lined paper
Dry-erase whiteboard and dry-erase markers – Great for writing practice and Language Arts lessons
As an extra, I have loved the ease of this electric pencil sharpener (also a hit with the kids)! This one is great too with fun colors to choose from!
Homeschool resources for added support:
With homeschooling comes the freedom and flexibility to do as you please regarding lessons and extras – which is a beautiful thing!
I know firsthand that this can feel overwhelming with all the resources out there. I highly recommend checking out Pinterest and Google for free printables and resources.
TeachersPayTeachers.com is an excellent resource that allows you to search by grade, topic, etc.
We have used many of their free resources in our lessons this year.
All that to be said, it is very helpful to have a computer and printer at home. There can be quite a bit of printing at home when using online resources!
Until recently, I had been using my older Epson printer just fine but I decided to invest in the Epson Eco Tank ET-3850 and it has been amazing so far! If you want to splurge, I have heard great things about this HP Wireless Smart Tank Printer or the ET-2850 version of the Epson Eco Tank.
You can do this!
Are you interested in what a simple homeschool day looks like for our family? Get a glimpse into our school day In this day-in-the-life post, with ages 5, 2, and 1 year!
As you can see, these essential yet affordable supplies are all you need to start your homeschool journey. Core curriculum and your time are the most valuable aspects of this homeschool life. Don’t get caught up in needing the perfect homeschool room and set-up. In time you will discover what makes sense for you and your kids.
For some affordable homeschool organization tips, check out my post here.
I can’t wait to hear how your homeschool journey is going, I would love to be an encouragement in any way I can!
Be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what year of homeschooling you are in!
Don’t overthink it mama and know that you are doing Kingdom work, that’s everything to Rejoice About!
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase something I recommend, I may receive an affiliate commission – but it does not affect your price or what I choose to promote.*
Happy homeschooling!
