Episode 155: 10 Homeschool Supplies We’d Never Be Without
What You’ll Learn
We’re back, and we’re talking homeschool supplies today! Just like when you set up a beautiful nursery for your brand new baby, you can over-supply your homeschool!
The truth is, our homeschools don’t require all that much. So, we sat down and thought about what homeschool supplies we would go out and buy first if our own stashes were wiped out…
Plain White Paper (01:10)
It sounds ridiculous, but this is one of the MOST used items in Brittany’s house. You can never have enough! Brittany gets the plain copy paper (20lb) for everyday stuff…it goes in the printer, and art cart, and is always available!
For those special projects, try the 24lb paper! It’s great! (I accidentally bought it once, and it was AMAZING!). The thicker paper is great for special projects, printing any of our planners, you name it!
The Right Planner for the Job (03:25)
Brittany is a bit of a planner addict, but it is SO fun to have and use great planners!
First, our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother is our absolute favorite! I’ve been filling mine out for a few weeks now, and it has brought up some BIG thoughts for me. Brittany enjoys the Student Narrative page (an idea we learned from Julie Bogart). This ONE page allows us to focus on each of our kids individually and see where we can best offer encouragement and support… if you have a particularly challenging child, it can help you learn to see them in a much better light.
The next type of planner is a month-to-month version. I’m an Erin Condren girl (because of the paper quality), and Brittany is a Plum Paper fan.
Brittany enjoys the personalizations and add-ins that Plum Paper offers. She used to have a weekly planner, but it became redundant because of the spiral notebooks and portfolios, so she’s gone to a monthly planner spread.
When Brittany was writing down the lessons for the week, if they didn’t get done, she had to contend with thoughts of guilt, failure, frustration, and blame. Now, she goes daily with the spiral notebooks and this gives her a broad idea of what needs to be done (with fewer negative thoughts about being ‘behind’).
We can get in our heads about this stuff, but we are all making our own schedules…they’re made up! No one is getting through the whole book! (Not even in public school…I’ve had kids there and they’ve come home with unfinished books!)
Finally, the Deliberate Day Planner is a GREAT option for day-to-day planning! You can look at the planner, quickly see what you did, and anything that wasn’t completed can be moved to tomorrow!
Ear Gear (13:25)
Bluetooth headphones and Loop earplugs…Brittany swears by both!
Sound can be very overwhelming, and that’s where the loop earplugs come in. These work for Brittany AND her kids! This can help everyone focus on what’s most important while blocking out the overwhelm.
Bluetooth headphones are great for audio or video lessons! When multiple kids are listening to multiple lessons at the same time, a pair of these can be helpful!
Watercolors (16:25)
Brittany loves watercolor palettes not only for herself, but also for her kids! (And y’all know I’m on board!)
Pro-tip, use a spray bottle to wet the palette and you’ll get a much more vibrant color! Grab the list of our 10 School Supplies here for some great options! (This list contains affiliate links that help support our families at no added cost to you).
Laptop & Printer (19:25)
Having a laptop and a printer are not a make or break item, but they are extremely helpful!
As far as printers go, Brittany and I both have HP, and we’re Instant Ink subscribers! It gives us the option to print in color, the cost is the same, you can change your subscription at any time, and the cost is fairly low (and they magically send the correct ink every time you need it).
Sidenote…we’ve interviewed several homeschool moms now, and many have mentioned (while talking about curriculum) how their kids LOVED beautiful color images (y’all…we’re naturally drawn to beauty!)
A Paper Cutter (22:42)
Even a small one will do the trick! Brittany and I both use ours ALL the time. It’s WAY faster than using scissors!
Please make sure to educate your children on the proper way to use the paper cuttter, and keep it in a safe location while not in use.
Good Writing Utensils (24:06)
Starting with pencils, moving through erasable pens, and on to highlighters.
For highlighters, we use gel (although little kids have a hard time managing how hard to push). Brittany likes the Frixion Highlighters because they have beautiful colors.
In MY house, there are LOT of feelings about pencils. I have one son who will only write with dull wooden pencils, and my daughter loves mechanical pencils. Brittany has a son who would protect his mechanical pencils with his LIFE!
Finally, frixion pens. We BOTH love them, but we like different sizes (no surprise). Brittany likes the .38 for herself, and .5 or .7 for her kids. In our house we use .7. They are erasable, but beware…they can be erased by heat.
Whiteboards & Chalk (29:25)
Having a big place to write is a fantastic place to do some work. Changing the environment for math (or any difficult subject) can make a BIG difference. You can do math on a whiteboard, with chalk on a driveway, and if you need ‘proof’ for a portfolio, take a photo and store it in a ‘homeschool’ album on your phone or computer.
Good Scissors (31:50)
Scissors get up and walk away in Brittany’s house, or there are theiving gnomes. So, getting scissors for your kids is important…yes, but don’t forget to get a really good pair for you (then hide it).
Sidenote, if your kids like crafting with cardboard, get the makeado kits! They come with a cardboard saw that is great!
Notebooks (33:40)
Notebooks have a use in every single subject in every single home. A good quality notebook can make ALL the difference. Older kids especially will treasure a lovely notebook, and one way to support your kids as writers is to give them a beautiful place to write. This year, I actually purchased one Leuchtturm1917 notebook for my two middle boys, and my daughter purchased a special notebook from her favorite artist’s shop. Also-notebooks hold stuff together!
Don’t forget to check out the shop (Brittany has been working very hard to make it even more beautiful!)
Brittany has created this entire podcast in list form, and you can get it here! (This list contains affiliate links that support our families and allow us to continue serving more mommas just like you).
Finally, sweet mommas, please remember…
You are doing beautiful work!
