Top 10 Tuesday - School Supplies

As Sophie, Ian, Henry and I were all sitting around the table today coloring our pictures from our Egypt coloring book, I remembered it was Tuesday and that I needed to come up with a top 10 list. So I thought about it as I colored and sharpened everyones colored pencils. What about school supplies! There aren't the big displays in the stores anymore but I buy my supplies any time of year. Weekly in some cases. We have a number of things that we just have to have on hand. Here are 10 things I could think of that we can't live without. I seem to buy these things all the time.


1. Colored pencils - I really love colored pencils rather than crayons. And markers are used very rarely around here. Pencils are neater and make pictures much more precise. We are starting to color more intricate coloring pages and Sophie does much more detailed drawings that crayons just don't work anymore. Henry just loves to run the electric pencil sharpener I think.

2. Plain White Paper - we just use white printer paper. We used to use scratch paper (stuff that we have printed something on one side, a lot. I don't use it as often anymore because you just never know when your child will draw a masterpiece and that printed stuff on the other side shows through sometimes.


3. Masking Tape - I am always using masking tape for things. Almost everyday I get to hang up something on the wall and need masking tape. It comes off the wall and papers much easier than the clear scotch tape.

4. Printer and Printer Ink - I make copies, or print things off the internet all the time. So we go through printer ink. We actually have ended up buying a new printer almost every year too for one reason or another.


5. Construction Paper - My kids love to cut paper and then make collages. So construction paper is fun to cut shapes out of. We have large stacks of this kind of paper. We use it to make cards for friends and family as well as some copy work is done onto construction paper.


6. Glue - We have several different kinds of glue around our house. I prefer glue sticks so we use them a lot. My kids love it when I break out the elmers glue or better yet the glitter glue. Sophie often asks for a gluing project. She just wants to use glue. I usually come up with a cutting and gluing project for us to do so she can practice cutting as well as gluing. The boys just love to squirt large amounts of glue all over their papers.


7. Plastic Sheet protectors - These are some of the most useful items. We have a binder full of these sheets that Sophie is able to slip her drawings and school work into. We also use these sheets often when we tape thing on the wall because then the tape doesn't ruin the picture. We also use these to store stickers and such that we use.


8. Goldfish Crackers - Not really a school supply except that they are expected everyday when Henry starts feeling a bit 11 o clockish. We must have a snack somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00, not lunch yet, just a snack. Henry loves his fish crackers. He will often just help himself by going to the pantry and climbing the shelves up to where the crackers are. It can be Cheese-its or pretzels at times but usually fish crackers are what he really wants, so I tend to keep them on hand. I usually throw in a few raisins to round out the snack. The other kids usually participate in this snack as well but Henry is usually the one that puts the idea into everyone's head.


9. Play dough - Henry and Ian love to play with play dough. They often do this while Sophie and I do a lesson or project that they can't or don't want to participate in. I tried making it but it really smelled bad so I just buy new play dough when the old stuff dries out.


10. Soap and Shampoo - I consider this a school supply since going outside is part of our school day. My kids are not the type that are afraid of getting down and dirty. If there is any water anywhere near us, my kids can find it and get covered in mud. I often have scrub tree sap out of their hair and the dirt under the nails is really gross at times. My kids have at least one bath everyday but often have 2 or more depending on the outings and how dirty they are after dinner. As a result we go through the kid shampoo quickly!