School Supplies

momofone wrote: We have a list of 25 things to bring to school including paper towels baby wipes hand sanitizer tissues crayons markers ruler reading books coloring books etc....

Is everybody elses list long too?

amymom replied: No! Private school or Public school? Our community is very pro education and the public school is well funded. The supply lists are short.
Here is Mary Beth's list:

1 speckled composition notebook
1 package loose leaf paper (NO spiral notebooks)
Several pencils (NO pens)
2 glue sticks
student scissors
1 sturdy folder of your choice with pockets
2 boxes of crayons
1 box of colored pencils (no markers please)
2 large highlighters
1 pencil box or case to hold pencils, erasers, glue, etc.
1 ruler (both inches and metric measurements)
1 package cap erasers or 1 large eraser

Please do NOT bring in any ringed binders
or Trapper keepers as they take up too much room in your desk.
Please read a good book over the summer
to share with the class the first week of school.

Here is a link to the school's lists. Now that I look at them I see that they may be longer than I thought.... SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS

momofone replied: Her school is a public school.

msoulz replied: 3rd grade supply list

Here's a link to our list too. It is similar to amymom's list.

Crystalina replied: We haven't received our list yet.

Kentuckychick replied: Wow, we were looking at the lists for the two children I babysit (4th grade and 1st grade) for private school here and their lists are incredibly short compared to those. They had to get a roles of paper towels OR boxes of kleenex (depending on the number on their sheet) and then a pencil case, folders, notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, and glue and 'A' had to get a Bible since she's in 1st grade now. But that was it

I looked at the list in amazement thinking it always seemed way longer when I went there! But again that was many years ago

luvbug00 replied: Mya's school supply list has never failed to cost us $$$
the list isn't long but it HAS to be cirtin types of sissors and stuff. not to mention the new backpack and all that jazz.

2 double pocket folders (sturdy, glossy ones)

One pair of Fiskars Scissors

One box of unscented, washable markers

Two dozen yellow No. 2 pencils

Two pink Pearl erasers

Two boxes of tissues

One marble-colored composition notebooks

Four glue sticks

One box of 24 crayons

One bottle of Elmer's glue

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Yes! Public school here. I can understand some of the things, but the other things like baby wipes and paper towels...the school should be supplying those, IMO. I'm hitting the dollar store.

julesmom replied: My kids go to public school, but we haven't gotten the lists yet. We don't get them until the end of August.

But the lists from previous years looked about the same as yours.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Well I have 4 kids to buy for and by the time you buy that times 4 and 4 new back packs it's awful. The only thing that bothers me is when they say Don't put the names on them. They throw them in the supply closet and everyone uses. Well I am sorry but when I buy for one of my children and it cost this much he should at least get to be sure he will use it.

High school is easier except for the 200.00 Texas Instrument Alegrebra calucator that I despise.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Mel, that is why I'm going to the dollar store! If HE isn't going to be the one to use what I buy, then I'm going cheap!

Kentuckychick replied: Just on a side note, I've heard a lot of parents saying they're having to buy their children new backpacks every year. In my honest opinion this is craziness. I know the woman I babysit for does this because they "outgrow" the old one (in other words no longer like the design) or they wear out. But she says she buys cheaper ones because she knows she'll replace them each year (she still spends approx. $20 a year each on their backpacks).

I remember going through my entire schooling (kindergarten - highschool) with three backpacks (each lasting at least 3 years) The last one I had lasted from 7th grade through the end of highschool and it was an Llbean, this one I think with my initials on it.

Llbean backpack

It just seems kind of sad to think of the waste of buying so many backpacks when honestly a child can go a long, long time with just one. And if a school were to suggest my child needed a new backpack each year I'd have to challenge that suggestion.

alice&arik replied: Our list is pretty similar, but they get to bring 1 plain towel for rest time. NO cots. I thought that was kind of dumb. They could at least have those little mat things to lay on. How comfy would the hard carpet and a towel be? I know Arik won't need a nap forever, but I still think nap/quiet time is a good idea. I know I fell asleep almost everyday when I was in kindergarten.

Does anyone else have to bring a towel instead of a blanket or something?

redchief replied: At the risk of posting a blatant PC boost, while filling out your list items, please don't forget that Parenting Club partners and advertisers may sell many of the things on your school lists at competitive prices.

3xsthefun replied: We haven't even gotten a list yet. Probably won't until the day she starts school.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: lol Ed!



I have to get Zach a new bag, his bag from last year is WRECKED. I am amazed it survived the last month. It's seriously see through on the bottom, it's so worn.

We only need to have :

school bag (doesn't need to be new though)
lunch bag (again - doens't need to be new)
container (like Le Kit - they got similar ones at the dollar store)
Blanket\teddy bear for rest time
box of Kleenex

Teh school provides the first glue stick, box of markers, pencils, etc, and it's then on the parents shoulders to replace them as needed. The name of the kid needs to be put on each one, and they go in their container to leave at school in their cubby. When they need to be replaced, we get a note and 2 days to get the stuff.

luvbug00 replied: the back packs don't HAVE to be new. she brought home NADA in kindergarden ( she had a $10 H&M bag) and then for first grade she had a one shoulder diagnaly hanging backpack she wrote all over and this time i want her to have just a black bag, of any style to her choosing, that she will have until she busts it.

maestra replied:
In Az, there's no blankets, mats, or anything. No naps- there's no time.


As for sharing supplies, I use classroom supplies that way, because unless I write one kids name on every little bitty bit of materials, including each crayon, there tends to be a fight about it at some point. "He stole my crayon!" Well, I can't tell the crayons apart, so how am I supposed to tell whose it is? So I have two crayon boxes per table (they are pencil cases with two or three packs emptied into them) and the people at that table share. However, my school buys scissors, glue and crayons. The school only buys the 8 pk though, and I like having more colors for the kids, so I buy the .20 24 packs at Target, and empty those into the collection too.

I'm surprised to hear of schools demanding so many items. In the past, all we've been allowed to do is to ask parents for a "donation" and give them a list of items to choose from. The top of my list is always good tissues (like puffs or kleenex), because the school buys the sandpaper ones, and when they get sick their noses get so sore. I know some of the specific brands might make people upset, but the teacher might have a good reason for asking for those. Just an idea.

alice&arik replied: We also have our lists available at Walmart. They are right inside the door and they have all the elementary school lists. Pretty convienient, I remember loking last year just to see what to prepare for.