Back to school is a thrilling time of year for many elementary school students. The prospect of embarking upon a new grade, making new friends, catching up with old ones, connecting with a new teacher and of course, learning new things is very exciting. One way to ensure that your scholar is ready to hit the ground running this school year is to equip them with the tools they will need for a strong start. Check out our list of must-have back-to-school items for elementary school students.
Hand Sanitizer
Elementary school classrooms are only one step above daycare when it comes to the presence of germs. Having a personal-sized bottle of hand sanitizer handy or even donating a larger one to the classroom stash will help to protect your grade-schooler from germy surfaces and will, in turn, cut down on the days of work you’ll have to miss because you’re home caring for a sick child.
Pencils, Sharpeners, Erasers, & Pencil Cases
In elementary school, a student can never have too many sharpened pencils. You can reduce the number of pencils you’ll have to purchase over the course of the school year by equipping your scholar with a pencil case where he or she can keep all of their materials in one place. They will be more likely to use it if it has a fun design or features a favorite television, book, or movie character.
The primary grades are where creativity is harnessed. There will be numerous opportunities for students to demonstrate their creative skills this school year in the form of projects with artistic components. You can help your student to show off their inner Picasso by with an arsenal of tools such as markers, crayons, colored pencils and perhaps even some watercolor paint.
Every elementary schooler needs a set of sturdy folders to transport homework assignments and important notices, such as field trip permission slips, to and from school. Otherwise, those papers end up floating around loosely in their backpack and that gets chaotic with the quickness.
Notebooks
Composition notebooks are a must for students in the primary grades because they’re not quite ready for binders and looseleaf. You can jazz it up by purchasing the multi-colored notebook or the notebooks that feature cartoon characters.
Glue Sticks, Scissors, & Construction Paper
Every parent has or will find themselves in a predicament where their child casually informs them about some school project the night before it’s due. It’ like a rite of passage into being an elementary school parent. One thing that will help tremendously when you find yourself in a pickle such as this one is having those arts and crafts materials on deck. The last thing any parent feels like doing is running to Target after work on a school night.
Index Cards
Common Core Learning Standards require students to begin delivering oral presentations as early as third grade. Index cards will help your scholar to remember key talking points as they delve into the world of public speaking. Index cards are also helpful for the memorization of vocabulary and spelling words.
Rulers
Speaking of Common Core State Learning Standards, students are introduced to the mathematic concept of measurements such as length and weight as early as kindergarten. These concepts will also reappear in science, which is why a ruler is a must-have in elementary school classrooms as well as at home.
Comfortable Backpack
Stylish backpacks are a big deal in elementary school, but while you’re on the hunt for an adorable book bag that fits your child’s personality, don’t forget about comfort and back support. When in doubt, look for wide straps and shoulder cushions.
Lunch Bag
If you’ll be sending your kiddo to school with lunch this year as opposed to buying school lunch, you’ll want to think about investing in a quality lunch bag. Bags leak-proof and can maintain the temperature of both hot and cold foods are ideal.