As classroom teachers we spend hundreds of dollars over the years on classroom supplies. There are many times that we really want that one specific classroom supply that’s a nice-to-have or that we just want extra of because we just know that we will truly need it before December even comes, but instead we choose to buy something else our classroom needs right then. Let’s face it, there are always things we can use for our classroom but choose to go without. Many times parents didn’t offer to send anything else, but if I asked them by simply putting a classroom wish list up during meet the teacher night, they gladly picked something and donated a little something extra!
I never went one day without using magnetic letters in kindergarten. I used them during whole group as we did word work, small group during guided reading, and always placed them in a literacy station for the students to do word work independently. THESE are my favorites, but you can even find them at the Dollar Tree sometimes! It’s so nice to have several sets of them!
You are probably thinking I’m crazy right about now, but I’m serious. I used glue from a bottle every single year with my kinder kids and here is why–it was GREAT fine motor and self-control practice for them. I modeled and modeled this at the beginning of the year. We would sing a little tune–dot, dot, not a lot. They have to learn eventually and glue sticks just made a sticky mess everywhere when I tried them! Glue bottles are the way to go, in my opinion!
I used the plastic ones with handles for several years, but I just didn’t like how yucky they would get and how easily they would break. My last year in the classroom I splurged on some from the bathroom section at Target. Best decision ever! They no longer have the exact ones I bought, but you can browse HERE.
Seriously! Where were these when I was in the classroom still? No more guessing or wasting time hopping back and forth to exchange markers during whole group times of using dry erase boards! They have that amazing clear ink barrel that shows how much ink is left, they come in six fun, bright colors, write in 3 different widths (Think-three markers in one!), are low-odor, and can be found easily HERE on Amazon! Save yourself a headache and add these to your wish list!
There are a classroom must-have because they made clean up so simple! I never hesitated to give one to a student to have them help wipe a table. I never loved the idea of letting them handle any other type of wipe, but THESE baby wipes were a must!
I never understood the love of plastic folders by teachers until my third year of teaching. That year we used them during writer’s workshop and as our take-home folders. We also cut up our extras and made them into transportation tags for the kid’s backpacks! Best. Thing. Ever. You can snag them HERE instead of chasing them around all of your local stores as they sell out!
There is another brand of marker that I have always loved and still keep in my home and use daily, but when it comes to anchor charts, there is no better marker than a Mr. Sketch Marker! The first school I ever taught at introduced them to me because they stocked them for us!! Isn’t that incredible?! THESE lasted a while on our anchor charts as we kept them up most of the year.
We used a date stamp every day of writer’s workshop! At the beginning of the year, I walked around and stamped each child’s writing. Eventually, there would be a table manager who would do this. Using THIS date stamp saved so much time for little writers!
What are you must haves for your classroom wish list? I love gathering new ideas! Leave a comment and let us know!
A big thanks to Expo for sponsoring this post! I received compensation and/or free product from EXPO for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
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