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The Essential Homeschool Supply Checklist

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Back-to-school supply lists are everywhere this time of year, but what supplies do you actually need for homeschooling?

After more than 20 years of homeschooling, I’ve bought a LOT of school supplies. Some were worth every penny, and plenty weren’t! Over the years I’ve figured out which homeschool supplies we actually use again and again—and which things can make learning at home easier.

If you’re brand new to homeschooling, don’t feel like you need to go out and buy everything on this list at once. You probably already own many of the basics, and you can add other supplies as you discover what works best for your family.

Below you’ll find the homeschool supplies I’d recommend having on hand, along with a free printable homeschool supply checklist you can use while you’re shopping.

printable homeschool Supply Checklist

If you’re just getting started, you may also want to read my post on How to Homeschool!

Basic Homeschool Supplies

Let’s start with the things you’ll probably use constantly. Back-to-school sales are a great time to stock up on these because many of them need to be replaced throughout the year.

homeschool supply list

My Essential Homeschool Supply List:

This is literally the stuff that I use ALL OF THE TIME in our Homeschool.

pencil for homeschool

Pencils(opens in new tab)

Lots and lots of pencils! I prefer good-quality pencils like Ticonderoga because they sharpen well and seem to last longer.

And don’t forget erasers. Somehow those always disappear!

Pens(opens in new tab)

The pens are mostly for me! I generally prefer kids to use pencils for schoolwork so they can easily erase mistakes.

A few good pens, highlighters, and permanent markers are helpful for planning, grading, labeling, and organizing.

Paper and Notebooks

We go through a lot of paper in our homeschool. I like to keep several kinds on hand:

Back-to-school sales are usually when I stock up on inexpensive notebooks for the year.

Scissors, Glue and Other Basics

You’ll also want a stash of everyday school supplies such as scissors, rulers, glue sticks, bottles of glue, tape, staplers, hole punches and sticky notes.

I especially love the little Post-It page markers(opens in new tab) for marking our places in textbooks and read-aloud books.

Homeschool Supplies That Are Worth the Investment

There are a few bigger-ticket items that I wouldn’t necessarily tell a brand-new homeschooler to buy on day one. But these are things we’ve used so much over the years that they’ve earned their place in our homeschool.

A Good Printer

If you homeschool, chances are you’re going to print a LOT.

We’ve used a laser printer(opens in new tab) because the toner lasts a long time and the cost per page can be much lower than constantly replacing ink cartridges. Whatever kind you choose, a reliable printer/copier is one homeschool purchase that can get a lot of use.

Keep plenty of regular printer paper(opens in new tab) and cardstock(opens in new tab) on hand, too.

Laminator(opens in new tab) and Laminating Pouches(opens in new tab)

Is a laminator absolutely essential? No.

Do I love having one? Yes!

A laminator is especially useful for homeschoolers because you can make printable games, flash cards, reference sheets and other learning materials more durable and reusable.

dry erase pouch

If you don’t want to buy a laminator, dry erase pouches(opens in new tab) are a great alternative. Slip a worksheet inside and kids can complete it again and again with a dry erase marker.

A GOOD Pencil Sharpener(opens in new tab)

Emphasis on good.

I went through more cheap pencil sharpeners than I care to admit before finally buying a better electric one. Ours has lasted for years and gets used constantly.

electric pencil sharpener- homeschool supply checklist

This is one of those boring homeschool purchases that I have never regretted.

Whiteboards and Dry Erase Markers(opens in new tab)

A large whiteboard(opens in new tab) is great for teaching lessons, working through math problems or writing things everyone needs to see.

mini dry erase board- homeschool supply

We also love small individual whiteboards(opens in new tab). They’re wonderful for spelling practice, math problems, handwriting, games and quick answers without using another sheet of paper.

We have also used LCD writing tablets(opens in new tab) for the same kinds of activities. They’re fun, but I would consider them an optional extra rather than an essential homeschool supply.

Heavy-Duty Stapler(opens in new tab) and Hole Punch(opens in new tab)

A regular stapler is fine for everyday use, but if you print larger packets or make your own books, a heavy-duty stapler comes in handy.

We also use both a three-hole punch and single-hole punch regularly for notebooks, binders, games and projects.

Homeschool Organization Supplies

Homeschooling has a way of generating a LOT of books and paper.

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect homeschool room, but having a place for everything makes life easier.

Some of our most-used organization supplies include:

We’ve often used a crate or bin for each child’s books. Simple systems are usually the easiest ones to maintain.

You can also take a look at our homeschool room setup for more organization ideas.

Art Supplies for Homeschooling

Art supplies are absolutely essential at our house—not only for art lessons, but for all of the hands-on projects we do in science, history, geography and other subjects.

I like to keep a good basic art stash with:

Big rolls of paper are especially fun for oversized art projects, tracing bodies, maps, murals and easel painting.

You certainly don’t need every art supply imaginable. Start with the basics and add things as you need them.

Math Manipulatives Worth Having

Hands-on math tools have been some of our most-used homeschool supplies, especially during the elementary years.

A few favorites include:

Manipulatives help kids actually see abstract math concepts. They can be especially helpful when a child isn’t understanding something from a worksheet or textbook explanation.

And unlike consumable school supplies, these can usually be used for years and passed down from one child to another.

Science and Geography Supplies

You don’t need a fully stocked science lab to homeschool science! But there are a few tools we’ve gotten a lot of use from.

Microscope(opens in new tab)

A microscope is wonderful for science lessons and for examining all the interesting things kids bring home from nature walks.

Add a set of prepared slides, or make your own slides from things you find.

microscope for homeschool

World Map and Globe

These are two of my favorite homeschool resources because we use them across so many subjects.

world map for homeschool

Keep a world map(opens in new tab) somewhere accessible so you can quickly find countries and places that come up in history, geography, literature and current events.

A globe(opens in new tab) is wonderful for helping kids understand how all of those places relate to one another on the actual Earth.

What About Computers and Tablets?

Technology can certainly be useful in homeschooling, but I don’t consider a tablet something every homeschool family needs.

Depending on your curriculum and your children’s ages, you may use a family computer, laptop or tablet for online classes, research, educational apps, videos and other learning resources.

Choose technology based on how your family actually homeschools rather than feeling like you need to buy a particular device.

What Do You Really Need to Start Homeschooling?

If you’re a new homeschooler looking at this list and thinking, That’s a lot of stuff!—don’t worry.

You do not need all of this to start homeschooling.

Begin with the basics:

  • Pencils and erasers
  • Paper and notebooks
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Basic art supplies
  • A few folders or binders
  • Whatever books and supplies your curriculum requires

Then homeschool for a while.

You’ll quickly discover what would genuinely make your days easier. Maybe that’s a printer. Maybe it’s a whiteboard. Maybe your child loves hands-on math and you’d get a lot of use from manipulatives.

There is no single perfect homeschool supply list because every family homeschools differently.

Free Printable Homeschool Supply Checklist

I also made a printable homeschool supply checklist with the typical school supplies we use up and replenish throughout the year.

I especially like to pull this list out during the back-to-school sales in July and August when notebooks, pencils, crayons, glue and other basics are often inexpensive.

printable homeschool Supply Checklist

Print it out, check what you already have, and use it to make your back-to-homeschool shopping a little easier.

Download it Here!

More Homeschool Help

Getting ready for another homeschool year? Here are a few more resources that may help:

How to Homeschool in 10 Easy Steps

Called to Homeschool Podcast(opens in new tab)

How to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum

Homeschool Preschool

The Ultimate Printable Homeschool Planner

Have a leftie?  Check out Left-Handed School Supplies for Kids

And remember: you don’t need the perfect homeschool room or every educational supply on the market to give your kids a wonderful education. Start with what you need, use what you have, and add things when they genuinely make learning better for your family.

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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8 Comments

  1. I love this! There are so many great resources on here and tips. I need a new pencil sharpener, I got the cheapest electric I could find and it is not very good 🙁 Thanks so much for sharing! Popping over from the blogging homeschoolers group, I will schedule to pin as well 🙂

  3. What a fabulous list of supplies!

    We love our world map. We have it in a plexiglass frame (so we can write on it with dry erase markers) and it’s hung in our kitchen.

    I also love our whiteboard and laminator and printer. I’ve been wanting an electric pencil sharpener but I was wondering if it was a “luxury”. Maybe I should purchase a good one after all.

    Pinning this to my Deliberate HOMESCHOOLING board.

    Thanks for sharing.
    xoxo

  4. I bought the laminator a couple years ago because everybody said homeschoolers just had to have one. I’ve used it *once* in all that time. Not worth it for me, but everyone’s different. I wasn’t thrilled when my husband brought home a white board and put it up in my school room, but that, I use ALL the time.

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