The School Supplies That Won’t Be On the List

It’s that time again. You can’t help but notice, what with all the TV commercials, radio ads, store fronts shouting in your face….it's back to school time! Walmart has rearranged their entire store just to cater to this big yearly event. If you have kids it is important to plan ahead and having a school supply list is a must. These are easy to find but here are a few things you won’t find on those lists but can definitely help out during your child’s school year. 

Source: Athena Learning Center blog 

Terracycle takes those millions of juice pouches and upcycles them into backpacks, pencil boxes, folders, and other school organizational items. Stuff like this is all over Etsy. Get creative!

School supplies have been on display in local stores for weeks now. It gets earlier every year. Pretty soon, the schools will start posting their supply lists with all the items that make sense. But that list isn’t complete. Here are some things you might want to pick up that your child will be glad to have when the time comes.

Laminating sheets

For the older kids, laminate things that they need to keep in good condition. Schedules and important phone numbers fall into this category. It can also give certain projects a more professional look. For the younger kids, laminate their best art work throughout the year.

Fancy sketchbook

You don’t have to be an artist to find sketching and doodling relaxing. Investing in a good one gives

the book a better chance at survival. Who knows? You might spark a serious artist.

Fancy journal

Self-reflection is a big 21st century skill. There are plenty of online journaling options, but nothing beats having the ability to sit down with a pen and jot down your thoughts. Again, investing in a good one is an investment in survival.

Lap desk

Where is all this drawing and writing supposed to happen? Teachers are starting to use a more free-form design in their classrooms. It spurs collaboration and creativity. A lap desk gives your child the opportunity to work anywhere, including the floor.

App store gift card

School means using a lot of devices and a lot of different apps. Most tools a school uses are either free or through their subscription, but that’s not always the case. Other times, your child will want to use something specialized for a project. Buying a gift card now and setting it aside for these purchases is a great way to budget.

Multi-port charger cable

By now, your child is carrying around chargers and cables for their primary device. But what if they want to charge the school’s digital camera or a strange laptop? This adapter cable goes from USB to either Lightning (newer iDevices), 30-pin (older iDevices), as well as mini and micro USB (most Android phones and other small electronics).

Cool organizational stuff

Boring folders are 1,000 for 99 cents. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make your child stand out. For

example, Terracycle takes those millions of juice pouches and upcycles them into backpacks, pencil boxes, folders, and other school organizational items. Stuff like this is all over Etsy. Get creative!

I hope you found a couple ideas you can use or at least started those creative juices to “think outside the list”. Having the necessary supplies is important for your child’s education but if they are having a hard time with concepts or struggling in an area or two, that’s where we come in. If they need a refresher course, homework help or a deeper interactive study lesson to bring them up to where they need to be, we can help.

Our tutors are all certified, licensed teachers or former teachers who are experienced with training young minds and know what to look for to help them the best way possible. Want to know where your child stands and what possible weaknesses they might have? Schedule a free assessment with us. In just a short evaluation, you can see where little Johnny might need help in one area or where they are really strong in another. Give us a call at (979) 314-9132, we’d love to talk with you! We’re located at 3505 Longmire Drive College Station, TX 77845. Or visit our website. Be sure to visit our previous post about what to do the first day of school.