School supply shopping is an experience for you and your youngster, but on the other hand it can be quite a chore. New is fun—fresh starts, new teachers, new friends, new clothes, new shoes, new school supplies, new lunch boxes, and new backpacks.
Be that as it may, it can be overwhelming. (Your child is growing up way too fast—and is presently sulking in aisle two.)
Don’t panic! Here’s a guide to what you will need to get.
Before starting, you should check with your school to see if they provide a supply list. Compare it to what we have here to see what else you might want to get. Your child’s backpack might be worn out from last year, for example.
Some schools have the teacher buy the majority of the school supplies to guarantee every kid has similar things—and to make sure they have exactly what is needed. In these cases, a donation to the teacher is never a bad idea, to help cover the cost of these supplies. There might also be organizations that help obtain supplies for your student.
Kids grow like weeds, so now is the time to update your child’s wardrobe. This might mean new school uniforms, or just new clothes that your child can feel comfortable in.
Clothes and clothing accessories:
- Three to five pairs of jeans
- Four to six short-sleeved tops
- Two to four long-sleeved tops
- Two to four hoodies
- Two to four sweaters
- Two to four pairs of pants, shorts, and/or skirts
- Five to seven pairs of socks and/or leggings/tights
- Seven or more pairs of underwear
- Five bras(for teenage girls)
- Two sports bras(for teenage girls)
- Sneakers
- Casual/dress shoes
- Flip-flops/sandals/slip-on shoes
- Backpack
- Belt
- Ponytail holders and/or hair clips
School Supplies:
- Two to five spiral notebooks
- Two to five folders
- Three-ring binder (these often come with a shoulder strap)
- Five to 10 pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Five to 10 pens
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- Markers
- Scissors
- Glue or glue sticks
- Tape
- Highlighters
- Pencil box or pouch
- Calculator (usually just for middle school on up)
- Hand Sanitizer
- Face Masks
- Facial Tissues
- Wet Wipes
Lunch Items:
- Lunchbox or lunch bag
- Juice boxes
- Reusable water bottle
- Sandwich ingredients
- Snack items (like applesauce, pretzels, and string cheese)
- Convenient fruits/vegetables (like raisins, other dried fruit, clementines, and baby carrots)
- Yogurt
- Freezer packs to keep food cold
Electronics:
Some schools are using cell phones, tablets, or laptops for their studies. It’s not usually required for students to bring their own, and oftentimes their use is limited or completely prohibited. Check with your school to see what the rules are on electronics for your student.
It is highly recommended you have a laptop or computer and internet for students as more frequently these are used for studies: for homework that might be turned in electronically, for research, or for typing up those book reports or term papers.
When involved with distance learning, computers and a reliable WiFi are necessary, so contact your school district administration, as sometimes they can help provide them for your student.
