What Every Homeschooler Needs to Start

What supplies do you need to start your school year? Every year is different, but I have compiled a list of essentials for anyone interested and one that contains optional supplies based on age and subject requirements. (I will be adding to this as things come to me, but the school year is about to get here so this might help you if you are anxious to go buy.) Of course, this is what I think I need, but some people would argue this is over kill and not necessary. You know your family, go with what you need.

My Essentials:

Gobs of paper, lined and plain ...throw in some tracing paper to make it fun and your kids will love you!

Stapler and staples

Scissors for the teacher and one pair for each of the children...they tend to disappear, so the more you have
the better.

Glue

Lesson Planner- I make my own and put it in a binder. Out of all the ones I have tried, this is my favorite way to do it.

Crayons, Markers AND Colored Pencils (My older children use the colored pencils for Science sketching and Art class.)

Sanity

Pencils

Pencil Sharpener...motorized is best, less mess!

Tape, dispenser, and refills

Curriculum (Maybe that was understood :))

Globe

Wall Map of the US or whatever country you reside in and a World Map

A refrigerator to display your children's work.

Big Binders  and 1 inch binders

Jesus

Notebooks. I like individual ones and 5 subject ones depending on who needs it and for what. I love the idea of filing all their compositions, maps, sketches etc. in an organized binder, but after a couple of years, that quit working for me. I didn't make my kids file their own work, so it fell to me. My mistake. Going to the 5 subject notebook meant it was already filed. I like that.

In/Out trays...I use this for loose leaf papers that do need to go in the binders.

Hole punch -3 ring and individual

Dividers for those binders and slip covers. I like to keep my Master Copies each in a slip cover in it's own binder.

A printer and computer if at all possible

Internet access

Support from other Homeschoolers

Stop watch

Prayer, LOTS of it!

Grade Oriented

Compass

Scientific Calculator and a regular one

Protractor

Graph paper

Index Cards

Folders

Paper Clips

Report covers

Lg. paper for Time Lines or preprinted time lines

Flash Cards for pretty much anything you need help with: math, the States, money, time, letters etc...

Manipulatives- blocks, beans, m & m's, change, whatever you have in your house that can be counted and
grouped.

Charts that assist with telling time, math, place value, Periodic Table of Elements...whatever floats your boat.

I personally like having the ABC's around the wall and a cursive reference guide on hand.

Chemistry set

Telescope

Microscope

Construction Paper

Modeling Clay

Plaster of Paris

Day planner for the middle school and high school student to keep track of their own assignments.

Did I miss anything? Please leave a comment below and let me know.