Nobody knows exactly what school’s going to look like in the fall, but one thing is clear – back-to-school shopping isn’t going to be the same. While our kids likely won’t need a full wardrobe of school-ready outfits, they will need to be prepared for remote learning in some fashion. So instead of stocking up on the regular supplies, consider working some of these things into your back-to-school budget.
Good, comfortable headphones. You probably don’t need to invest in a ton of technology as many districts are providing laptops to students who don’t have access to one. But headphones are a really good thing to buy for your kids. They’ll help reduce the noise chaos in your home so you don’t have to listen in on all their zoom calls or video lessons, and a high-quality pair will keep your kid comfortable. You may want to consider one with a mic.
Desk or dedicated school space. Dedicate an area in your home for school. If you have the space, consider buying a small desk or work table to keep all the technology, materials, and supplies. This doesn’t have to be fancy – make a request on your local Buy Nothing group or keep your eye out at thrift stores and garage sales to snag one on the cheap.
Comfortable chair. As working parents have learned over the past several months, the chairs in our homes were not ergonomically designed for sitting in 8 hours a day. Make sure your child has a comfortable place to sit when they’re doing their school work.
Desk organizers. Help your child keep their space tidy with a dedicated space for all their supplies. Use desk organizers to keep all of their things neat. A space is much more enticing to work in if it’s not a disaster.
Comfy clothes. They might not need “school” clothes, but if your kids are anything like mine they’ve grown a ridiculous amount over quarantine and still need some new things to wear. Invest in a few comfy clothes for them to wear while schooling at home.
Printer. This is obviously a bigger-ticket item so it might not be possible, but getting a printer halfway through quarantine schooling changed everything. Assignments were easier and the kids spent less time on technology. This is probably more useful if you have younger kids that will do things like worksheets. Save money on expensive ink by using ink refill kits.
Chalkboard or Whiteboard. Someplace for your kiddo (or you) to visually organize notes, assignments, etc. This can be a calendar if you’d like, but doesn’t need to be. A simple board will do the trick!
Traditional Supplies. Your kids will still need the normal stuff – crayons, colored pencils, regular pencils, pens, paper, etc. You might also want to buy a cheap stapler, stock up on scotch tape (especially if you have a younger kiddo), and a fun pencil sharpener.
This season isn’t easy, but we can help set our kids up for success by preparing our homes as best we can to be an effective learning environment. What would you add to this list?
