Starting or refreshing your homeschool setup can feel exciting, but also a little overwhelming! Whether you’re teaching preschool or middle school, having the right supplies makes daily learning smoother, more engaging, and a lot more fun. Here’s a list of homeschool must haves that keep our days organized, creative, and low-stress. If you are just starting out, please don’t let this list overwhelm you. Start with a few essential items and build from there.

The Basics:

• Pencils (Ticonderoga are the best!)
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils
• Erasers
• Manual or electric pencil sharpener
• Index cards- We use these during our school day to write our memory verses for the week and for sight word flashcards
• Notebooks- We use a notebook for each of the kids for their science lessons and for journals for the personal writing.
• Personal Size Whiteboards and Dry-Erase Markers– We use these all of the time to switch things up from paper and pencil. We practice writing letters and words and use them to solve math problem. We use the whiteboards that are blank on one side and have the writing lines on the other.

Tip: Stock extras during back to school time when supplies are on sale!

Core Curriculum & Workbooks

Whether you follow a boxed curriculum or a DIY plan, having structured materials helps guide your week. The list of curriculum needed will depend on the grade level that you are teaching, but this is a basic list of curriculum to look into. If you are interested in seeing the curriculum we use for our 3rd grader and kindergartener, check back soon. I plan to make a full list a review within the next few weeks.

Math workbooks

Reading, grammar and writing curriculum

Science Curriculum

History Curriculum

Bible or character-building studies

Art & Creativity Supplies

My kids love to do art and be creative. Sometime I plan an activity for them to do, but most of the time they make their own projects with the supplies at hand. We like to keep a bin with some art supplies that they can use freely. Other items like Play-Doh and paint are put away for special times.

Especially for the younger grade levels we like to incorporate activities that work on fine motor skills and creativity. A simple activity of cutting and gluing or stringing beads on a pipe cleaner are great ways for younger learners to develop these skills. These are some ideas of are supplies you could keep on hand, but of course you do not need them all.

• Washable paints, brushes, and smocks
• Construction paper
• Glue sticks, Elmers School Glue, tape
• Scissors
• Play-Doh
• Craft sticks
• Pipe cleaners
• Beads
• Stickers

Learning Tools & Educational Games

• Manipulatives- Counting bears, pattern blocks, cubes, bingo chips. Especially for younger learners, manipulatives can be so helpful when learning math concepts.
• Dice, spinners– These can be used for all sorts of printable games and activities.
• Magnetic letters and numbers- We use these when we are learning letters/numbers and when we begin to put sounds together to form words.

Tools That Simplify Your Day

Even if you prefer a low-tech homeschool, a few digital helpers go a long way:

• A printer/scanner– I upgraded our printer this year to an Epson with refillable ink compartments. We were paying for a monthly subscription for prints, but so far refillable cartridges seem like a cheaper option. We print some worksheets, digital curriculums and handwriting books.
• Tablet or laptop for printables, planning and online learning apps- I use my computer quite a bit during planning to add some supplemental activities. Teachers Pay Teachers are resources created by teachers for worksheets and activities. Pinterest has great ideas for homeschooling too. My kids have a shared Ipad they use for some educational apps that they use a few times a week.
• Daily or weekly planner- Using a physical or digital planner has helped keep us organized and on track this school year.
• Laminator– I use our laminator anytime I need to make a printable more durable- Especially if it is something we plan to use a lot or for multiple kids. I also laminate the covers of our printable books.

You don’t need to buy everything at once. Start with the basics, build gradually, and adapt as you learn your family’s rhythm. Remember-homeschooling is a journey, not a checklist.

What’s one homeschool supply you can’t live without? Share it in the comments below!

If you had told me a few years ago that I would choose to homeschool my kids, I might have smiled politely, but I wouldn’t have believed you. As a former kindergarten teacher, I truly believed in the school system I worked in. I poured my heart into creating an enriching, safe classroom experience for every child who walked through my classroom door. But then I became a parent and some things began to shift.

Our decision to homeschool wasn’t made lightly. It came from a place of both professional insight and deep personal conviction. I saw firsthand how powerful education can be, but I have also seen where the system falls short. And when it came time to think about what we wanted for our kids, we realized we wanted something different that public school couldn’t provide. Here’s why:

1. A More Personalized Education

Every child learns differently. Some need more time with reading, others thrive when they can move while they learn. In a classroom with 25 kids, even the best teachers can only do so much to personalize learning.

At home, I get to tailor our curriculum and approach to match how my kids actually learn and not just what a pacing guide says they should learn. We slow down when something is hard and we go deeper when something sparks curiosity. Homeschooling allows the freedom to choose learning topics based on interests. My son has been into Egyptian history lately, and we have been able to take a short break from our normal history curriculum to investigate Egyptian history as well.

2. More Free Time to Be Kids

When I had my first son I was crushed when my maternity leave ended and he had to go to daycare for 8 hours a day. Those few precious hours after work didn’t seem like enough time. As the years went on, we had our second baby, then third and our lives were a lot busier. Rushing in the morning to get to work and daycare, then rushing home to put dinner on the table, clean up, spend a few minutes together then bed. Adding sports and dance to the mix added a whole other layer of busy.

One of the biggest surprises about homeschooling was how much time we actually get back.

Without the long school day, bus rides, transitions, and homework battles, we found ourselves with time to just be together. To slow down in the morning, take nature walks, to build Legos, and to just let our kids be kids without rushing all the time.

3. Protecting Their Hearts and Minds

This one is a little harder to talk about, but it matters deeply to us. Like many parents, we’ve grown increasingly concerned about the negative influences and behaviors in school. Things like peer pressure, exposure to inappropriate topics way too young, and a decline in respectful behavior.

We want to give our kids the tools to stand strong in their values before they’re thrown into environments that test them. Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to focus not just on academics, but on character, kindness, and faith as well.

4. Faith at the Center

Our faith isn’t just something we practice on Sundays; it’s the foundation of our family. We want our kids to grow up knowing God, understanding His Word, and seeing His hand in everything from science to literature to daily life.

Homeschooling allows us to include our values into many parts of the day. Devotionals in the morning. Praying together before meals. Learning history through a lens of truth and purpose. That kind of integration just wasn’t possible in the public school system.

Homeschooling isn’t the easy route, but for us, it’s absolutely the right one.

We’re still learning, still growing, and still figuring things out along the way. But we’ve already seen so much fruit from this decision: stronger family bonds, growing curiosity, deep conversations, and peace in our home.

If you’re a parent wondering if homeschooling might be right for your family, I’d love to connect or encourage you. There’s no one-size-fits-all in education, but I’m so thankful we found the right fit for us.