7 Must-Have Homeschool Supplies (and 3 Things You Can Do Without)

Homeschool can feel overwhelming. And when you first get started, you think you need all the things! Am I right? Whether it’s homeschool supplies, curriculum, or books. We think that the more we have, the better prepared we’ll be. But in truth, sometimes more is just more and it all becomes overwhelming. 

It’s easy to forget that so many of the things we use for homeschooling can already be found around the house. You can easily make Playdough with a few kitchen ingredients. Common household and nature items like coins, beans, and small rocks can be used for math manipulatives. And many handcrafts are as simple as a needle and thread.

I think one of the biggest hurdles to homeschooling is that we over-complicate it, believing that we aren’t doing enough if we keep it simple. This list will help you remember that it’s in the very act of embracing simplicity and stripping away all the excess that we usually find that sweet spot where we’re connecting with our kids and they’re having breakthroughs in learning.

What supplies do you really need to have on hand to homeschool well? 

Here are 7 basic things that I think every homeschool mom needs and 3 that you can definitely do without. 

1. A Good Children’s Bible

A child’s spiritual education is one of the most important aspects of their upbringing. We teach and train our kids all day long, but we often neglect carving out a dedicated time to immerse them in God’s Word.

In our home, we add Bible study to our morning time. Starting our day by surrendering in prayer, intentionally embracing gratitude, and reading about the heroes of our faith. 

I’ve found that it’s very hard for my young kids to connect with scripture when I’m reading it from my “grown up Bible,” so I think a good children’s Bible is essential. 

My favorite for young learners is The Jesus Storybook Bible. And though I haven’t used it yet, I plan to purchase this NiRV Adventure Bible to start slowly introducing my oldest to actual scripture and memory verses. 

2. Number 2 Pencils

I know this seems basic, and it is! But I had to include it here because when I started my homeschool journey, I was so wrapped up in the pretty purchases like craft supplies and sensory material, that I found I didn’t have any pencils on hand when I needed them. 

Besides the basics of writing, a pencil is often all you need for language arts, especially in the early years when an oral or written narration and some copy work get the job done. 

My favorite for little hands are these golf pencils with erasers. They have a hexagonal grip and seem to be more comfortable in tiny hands. 

3. A Good Printer 

There is so much curricula available today for a fraction of the price because you can print it yourself. And even if you choose to buy a physical teacher’s manual, or even have it sent off to be professionally printed and bound, you’ll want to have a printer on hand to reproduce student worksheets when a new child is entering that grade level or life happens and something gets ripped or damaged. 

You can print your own nature studies and letter flash cards. Your art and composer studies. The list is endless. It’s really worth the investment to have a good printer on hand when you need it. 

4. Crayons

Besides being used for art, crayons are a great first writing tool for preschoolers. We use them often in our elementary studies as well. Mapwork, illustrated narration, and nature journaling are all prime places to put your crayons to work. 

In our house we prefer oil pastels to crayons, and in particular these pastels because the hexagonal shape helps with early hand grip. 

Another good option is Stockmar Beeswax Crayons, either stick or block. These are a staple in Waldorf schools, and are really high quality homeschool supplies.

5. Paint, Paint Brushes, and Art Paper

Creating art is a highlight in our homeschool. But we also use our paints for nature study, history, and geography to name a few. 

Yes, it can be messy, but with a little prep work, you can set up a space that requires little cleanup and still allows your kids to express themselves artistically.

We have have tempera, acrylic, and even oil paints because I’ve been strongly influenced by the Reggio Emilia Approach, and I believe kids are capable and deserving of using real materials. 

But in all honesty, our favorites are simple watercolors and cold press paper, and you could totally get away with these being the only paints you keep in your homeschool supplies.

6. A Good Math And Reading Program.

The two subjects that I usually go all out for are math and reading. These are both difficult subjects, especially when you’re just starting out. 

We tried a few math programs before discovering that they my high energy, kinesthetic learner was going to need something more hands-on. So we went with Right Start and I’ll never go back.

It has a ton of manipulatives, but I bought a bin to keep them in which tucks nicely onto a shelf with the rest of our homeschool supplies.

Reading was even more of a challenge for us, especially for my ADHD child, who has a hard time sitting still, especially when he’s struggling for comprehension.

We love All About Reading, which will be our core reading curriculum this year.

7. A Library Card

You don’t have to break the bank buying every book ever recommended for a child to read. That’s what the library is for. 

Literature, history, science, and even art can often be taught from the pages of a borrowed book. 

Once you know which books you keep coming back to or the ones that have become family favorites, you can add them to your home library.

Now for the homeschool supplies you definitely don’t need...

1. Tons Of Workbooks

I knew from the very beginning that I didn’t want a lot of workbooks. I was heavily influenced in my teaching methods by Charlotte Mason and the Waldorf and Reggio Emilia schools of education. And I knew I wanted a literature rich, nature immersed, hands-on kind of education for my boys.

But when things got overwhelming, I’ll admit, I turned to the workbooks because they’re easy. Now there is nothing wrong with using workbooks, and some of you may prefer this method. But it isn’t where my teaching shines.

What I learned was that fighting with my kids over a dry (for them) education was no easier than the hands-on prep that was wearing me out. So I took a long, hard look at what I was doing, and realized that Charlotte Mason wasn’t about doing the most. She presented a feast and let the kids come to the table and choose.

So we implemented short lessons, more living books, and a beautiful morning time. Over time, as discover what the kids do and don’t like, and the schedule gets tweaked and expectations adjusted.

I’m not saying workbooks don’t have their place. Some kids (and moms) actually enjoy them. But you don’t have to buy a million workbooks for a solid education.

There is a lot of benefit in a varied education (both for your child and your pocketbook!). And before you stack your shelves full of workbooks for child after child, I’d really encourage you to look into whether a borrowed library book and piece of scrap paper will do the trick!

2. Loud Toys

When my first born was a preschooler, and my middle guy was an infant, I was battling late onset postpartum and complete overwhelm. It was in this darkest hour that I discovered minimalism and began the process of purging the clutter and excess from everything we own.

One of the first things I did was purge the kids’ toys. During this process, I read Simplicity Parenting and discovered that the kinds of toys we are presenting our kids with are just as important as the number of toys cluttering their shelves. 

Most learning toys are one dimensional at best and obnoxious at worst. And honestly, they are no a substitute for a good read aloud while snuggled on a parent’s lap. 

Your kids will learn both their letters and numbers in time. You don’t need a dancing robot with strobe lights to teach them.

In our family, we allow any toy gifted to our boys to come into our home and be given a chance, and if they love them, of course we let them keep it. But we’ve found, almost exclusively, that the toys with staying power are the ones that are open ended, promote imagination, and/or focus on sensory rich materials.

So this is me giving you permission to keep the loud, flashy, give-you-a-migraine toys to a minimum!

3. A Stockroom Full Of Craft Material 

I’m a huge proponent of educating the whole child: head, heart, and hands.

But when it comes to handcrafts and homeschool supplies, I’ve found that it’s better to invest my time, space, and money in things my kids have an interest in. I’ve made the mistake of buying every item for every handcraft various curricula suggest, and they just end up sitting around and taking up room when we move on to the next thing without looking back.

Instead, I try to pick projects where I have most of the items on hand, or my chid is showing a sincere interest. That was I know the investment in materials is worth it.

One of the best resources I’ve found for quality handcrafts is Rooted Childhood. Meghann Dibrell was really intentional when she put these seasonal collections together, and many of them take time to complete.

I know this seems super simple, and it’s meant to be! You don’t have to break the bank to give your kids a quality education. You don’t have to clutter up your space with every craft and art supply ever made.

Because I believe in a sensory rich education, we do keep a decent amount of supplies on hand, so I have one shelf and a rolling cart with drawers, and when they start to become cluttered, I purge. We don’t add space.

I’m very intentional about what I allow to take up space in my home, and I’m not going to let homeschooling my kids become a source of stress and clutter. 

When I start to feel like what I’m doing isn’t enough, or isn’t Pinterest worthy, I have to remind myself that for hundreds, even thousands, of years, people didn’t have all our modern tech, supplies, or convenience, and yet the most brilliant minds of all time received stellar educations. 

It really can be that easy. Keep in mind, the most important part of an education is knowing your child and what they need in order to learn best. That means the most important part of a homeschool education is you, mama. 

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Does the idea of simplifying your homeschool make you feel lighter?

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