Back-to-School Supply List

Back-to-School time is here. As public school families are busy with supply lists and back-to-school shopping, many homeschool families are doing the same. Well, it’s the same but different.

For a lot of homeschoolers, the fall is when they re-start their year. Either they’re coming back after a summer off, or they’ve been homeschooling all year and consider it their “new years day” of homeschooling. And it makes sense. While we aren’t tied to the school year calendar, the fall is often the time when many things pick back up. Co-ops, classes and lessons often start their new session in the fall. And then there are the sales.

While my kids aren’t going to school, I am taking advantage of all the back-to-school sales. Now is the best time to stock up on stationary items and school supplies for the year. I like to purchase everything that we’ll use for the whole year because the prices are the really the best. I also like to add a few little things that might make a good add-in for Easter baskets and Christmas stockings. Crayola markers are often less than $2 during back-to-school sales but are over $6 or $7 every other month of the year. So it can be a great way to save a little by stocking up now.

But since you’re homeschooling, you don’t get a back-to-school shopping list. So what should you be purchasing? Here’s a little shopping list that I’ve come up with, based on what we go through in a year. It’s at least a start when it comes to what you’ll need for your family.