- 833-265-6771
- [email protected]
- Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 5:00 EST
Back to school is usually an exciting time for kids and teachers alike, but getting ready for the school year can be a bit more challenging. Figuring out the must-have items for each year, the things you can do to help your kids feel valued and appreciated, and the things you can bring to boost engagement and passion for learning all seem to change year to year.
If you’re looking for more ideas for how you can get ready for the new school year this year, we’re here to help! Here are 10 things you can get to make this school year great!
We’ve tried to balance this list between things that your kids will love and utility items that will help you and your classroom stay better organized each year.
Staying on top of having a fun classroom and keeping your kids engaged throughout the year can make a big difference in their learning experience. It’s also a great way to bring your personality to the job, and help show school kids how having their own unique personality can serve them as adults.
Of course, some of this stuff is just functional, and some of it is just for fun, but a mix of those things will help you and your kids really connect in the classroom!
Organizer bins can be a huge part of keeping your classroom organized, especially if you have a lot of worksheets, assignments, and other physical pieces of paper you need to keep track of.
These bins can also be a fantastic option for holding shared school supplies like markers, colored pencils, and crayons. If you’re providing snacks or anything like that for your kids, this is also a good way to keep those things organized.
Every grade is going to be a little different for how many organizer bins you really need, but we’d recommend getting more than you expect to need. That way if you have a bin get broken or cracked, or realize you need more through the year, you’ve already got them available.
Chair pockets can be a fun way to connect with your kids, and they can also be useful depending on the age and what kind of classroom you’re in.
Pockets can be for your use, like putting the day’s worksheets and assignments in the pocket for your kits to get out at the beginning of class, or they can be for your kids to store things like water bottles, snacks, and other things they need day to day in school.
You might think that these pockets only apply to younger kids, but you’ll probably be surprised by how much older kids can appreciate having little pockets available.
Want a way to communicate more anonymously with your students? You can also use pockets to ask for feedback on your teaching, teaching requests or questions, or to give your kids individualized encouragement or progress reports.
Anytime some of your students might be using wooden pencils over mechanical pencils, or if you have colored pencils on your supplies list, an electric sharpener is a good thing to have.
In fact, you might want to have a sharpener and a backup sharpener in case one gets clogged or breaks down through the year.
This is a small thing, but having these kinds of tools available for you and your students to use can make a big difference in their school experience.
Anytime some of your students might be using wooden pencils over mechanical pencils, or if you have colored pencils on your supplies list, an electric sharpener is a good thing to have.
In fact, you might want to have a sharpener and a backup sharpener in case one gets clogged or breaks down through the year.
This is a small thing, but having these kinds of tools available for you and your students to use can make a big difference in their school experience.
This is another rolling cart, but this time it’s more designed for papers or craft supplies. Particularly useful in art classrooms or classrooms for younger kids where you are likely to have a lot of communal supplies that everyone needs.
But this can also be a good way to present different informational handouts, classroom assignments, or other school supplies your students need through the day.
Plus, the bright colors can help make your classroom feel more open and inviting for your students!
Teachers generally have a lot of paperwork, grading, and other things they need to take back and forth from work and home. This bag might not make a big difference for your kids in the classroom, but it will help you stay on top of classroom organization and make sure you feel calmer and more comfortable.
Much like keeping a pencil sharpener in your classroom can make a huge difference for your kids, a stapler can make a big difference for both you and the kids.
This particular model of stapler is designed to give you a little more leverage to help the staple go through papers without as much difficulty.
Your hands will thank you if you’re having to staple paper packets and other paperwork together, and your kids will appreciate being able to staple things when they want and need to as well!
In fact, this is another item where having a few different staplers around the room could be helpful, as well as keeping one in your desk or at home for your own exclusive use.
Animal stickers are the perfect all-ages option for kids. Teens will love the throwback to their younger days, and may surprise you, looking through the sticker options for a favorite animal or design. Younger kids will appreciate the wholesome cute designs, and will absolutely be looking for their favorite animals or stickers.
Plus, with how affordable stickers have gotten these days, they’re a fantastic way to offer a little extra motivation and encouragement without breaking the bank.
These modern designs include a lot of different animals, including some that might have been less common or less well known even just a few years ago.
Consider getting this set, along with other designs, and paying attention to things like your student’s favorite animals and creatures so you can customize which stickers you give them!
Motivation stamps are another school supply that can sometimes feel like they are just for little kids, but that can be encouraging and motivating even for older students in middle and high school.
Having more than one stamp you can use, in different colors and messages, can also help you communicate more easily as you grade. Putting a stamp next to impressive paragraphs in an assignment, or creative thoughts that you love, can help give some silent feedback that’s really meaningful for your students.
Ranging from wholesome to silly, different stamp sets can also make it easy to customize your responses to your students’ personalities and preferences. Even if you already have one set of these stamps, another set can give you more options!
Are you ready for back to school? Already planning your color powder back to school party, or a fundraiser for your class or for the school?
Every new school year comes with opportunities, new students, and chances to make a real difference as a teacher. Teaching can be difficult though too, and it’s fair to look for things that help you express your personality, destress, and connect.
Your school supplies aren’t just for the kids. They’re also for you. So feel free to customize your own supplies, and looking for different options to bring a little of your authentic self into the classroom.
Kids of all ages appreciate when their teachers are organized, on top of things, and most of all, actually real with their students.
So having creative supplies, both practical and fun, like multicolor baskets, color powder for celebrations, stickers for encouragement, and individualized pouches for your students, can make a bigger difference that you’re likely to expect. Not just for you, but also for your students.
And teachers, good luck this year, and thank you for doing the work you do!
