What School Supplies Are Actually Worth Buying? A Teacher-Approved Guide

By: Jessie Miller, Founder of PHB

Being a parent is funny. We are constantly surrounded by information about how to raise our children, where to take them, and what to buy for them. It can be difficult to sort through all of that information and determine what is actually necessary for you and your child.

Choosing school supplies should not be another decision that requires hours of research. Teachers send home a list at the beginning of the year with the supplies students will need. But one walk through Target, and you quickly realize there are a hundred options for every item on that list.

School supplies can get expensive, so it helps to know which items are worth buying name brand, which brands or styles work best, and when the less expensive option will work just fine. As a former elementary school teacher with a master’s degree, I saw which products held up well in the classroom and which materials broke within five seconds. I wanted to compile this list to help cut down on the decision fatigue I often feel when buying things for my own kiddo.

Supply List:

Below is a school supply list that a local school sent out this year. Let’s go through each item and figure out what is worth buying for your child.

When I recommend a specific brand or style, I will include it below the item. When almost any option will work, I will let you know that too. I will also share what I would personally choose for each supply

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Pencil Pouch with Pockets and Prongs

Recommendation: Any brand

Really, almost any pencil pouch will do. Choose one based on the required size and your child’s preferences. As long as it meets the teacher’s specifications, go for it.

When the teacher does not specify a particular size, make sure the pouch is large enough to hold your child’s daily supplies but small enough to fit inside a backpack, desk, or cubby.

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Pack of Colored Pencils

Recommendation: Any brand

Colored pencils typically color a little more smoothly, but almost any brand will work for what your child will be using them for at school.

Honestly, half of the colored pencils will probably end up broken on the floor by the end of the quarter anyway.

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Pack of 10 Thick Markers

Recommendation: Crayola

I stand firm on this one. Other brands tend to dry out much faster. For whatever reason, kids also seem to hold onto their markers much longer than they hold onto other coloring supplies.

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Cap Erasers

Recommendation: Almost any brand

The only caveat is to stay away from erasers that look or feel waxy. These often smudge instead of erasing cleanly.

I personally like Paper Mate Arrowhead erasers and Ticonderoga cap erasers. Kids erase a lot. As teachers, we love mistakes because they mean your child is learning. However, students need to be able to erase without tearing the paper, and their new work still needs to be visible afterward.

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Low-Odor, Thick Black Dry-Erase Markers

Recommendation: Expo

Expo only. Other brands dry out quickly and often do not write as well.

Students frequently leave the caps only halfway on their markers. Expo markers can sometimes survive this, while many other brands cannot. You may end up replacing dry-erase markers more frequently if you do not purchase the name-brand option.

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Large Yellow Highlighters

Recommendation: Any brand

Go inexpensive on these. Almost any brand will work just fine.

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Over-the-Head Headphones and a Backup Pair

Recommendation: Any brand

These are probably going to break or get lost, so do not buy really expensive headphones for school. Choose a pair based on your child’s comfort and preferences, but know that they will probably end up in the garbage at some point.

The same advice applies to earbuds, possibly even more so.

I would also stay away from Bluetooth headphones and earbuds. As a teacher, trying to pair them with a device can be a headache. Something always seems to go wrong with the Bluetooth connection. Keep the nice Bluetooth headphones at home and send a simple wired pair to school.

**Before buying, double-check which type of plug works with the devices your child’s school uses.

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Spiral, Single-Subject Notebooks

Recommendation: Any brand

Choose these based on your child’s preferences. I have used or seen students use almost every brand, and there was no noticeable difference for the type of work they were doing at school.

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Pack of Wide-Ruled Notebook Paper

Recommendation: Any brand

In fact, the cheaper the better. Loose-leaf paper is one of the most frequently discarded supplies you will buy, outside of pencils.

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Pre-Sharpened Pencils

Recommendation: Ticonderoga

Ticonderoga all the way. These are the best, and I would not buy another brand if you have the option.

They sharpen easily, which is a huge benefit in a classroom. They are comfortable to write with, and the erasers work well. This is one item I would not skimp on.

I would also avoid mechanical pencils for elementary school. The lead falls onto the floor, breaks easily, and can leave marks everywhere. When students run out of lead, it takes time to reload the pencil, and their fingers often end up covered in graphite. You will also have to continue buying replacement lead. They are not a cost-efficient purchase and can become a headache for the teacher.

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Small Scissors

Recommendation: Any brand

My favorites are Fiskars and Westcott, but almost any pair of child-sized scissors will do.

Kids tend to hold onto scissors fairly well, but having a backup pair at home is not a bad idea.

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Tissues

Recommendation: Any brand

These will probably be used as a classroom supply. Kids use tissues for everything, so choose whichever brand you like or whichever option has the best price.

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Cleaning Wipes

Recommendation: Any brand

I personally would not go fancy with this one. From a teacher’s point of view, they all do essentially the same thing.

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Gallon-Sized Zipper Bags

Recommendation: Any brand

Choose whichever option offers the best price.

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Half-Inch Binder

Recommendation: Any brand

Most brands will work just fine. The binder will probably be discarded at the end of the school year. By that point, it will likely be dirty and worn, and you probably will not want to save it for the following year.

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Pack of Write-On Divider Tabs

Recommendation: Any brand, with one important feature

Choose the color or design based on your child’s preferences, but make sure the dividers have a durable or reinforced plastic edge around the holes.

Kids are rough on binder dividers. Without reinforcement, the paper can quickly tear around the holes and fall out of the binder.

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Glue Sticks

Recommendation: Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks

The purple color allows children to see exactly where they have placed the glue. It dries clear afterward.

Cheaper glue sticks can also dry out faster, which means you may end up buying more of them throughout the year.

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Pack of Standard Sticky Notes

Recommendation: Post-it Brand

Post-it notes have the most reliable adhesive strip.

As a teacher, I often had students write options, answers, or ideas on sticky notes and attach them to a classroom chart. Off-brand sticky notes often began falling off within about 30 seconds. When you return to the chart later, half of the notes may be on the floor.

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Multicolored Ink Pens

Recommendation: Any brand

Honestly, the cheaper the better. These get lost almost as quickly as pencils, so they are not worth spending a lot of money on.

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One Final School Supply Tip

With anything you send to school, assume that it could become damaged or lost. My suggestion is not to send anything that you or your child deeply care about or that cannot easily be replaced.

Always label your child’s school supplies. The label does not have to be fancy. Think about it, there may be 20 to 30 children in your child’s classroom with the same or very similar items. It is much easier to return something when the child’s name is clearly written on it.

Also, label your child’s jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, and other personal belongings. These items will probably find their way to the lost and found at some point, and a label makes it much more likely that they will make their way back to you.

Pro tip: Include your child’s teacher’s name or grade level on the label too.