Can you believe it’s already time to start shopping for preschool homeschool supplies?? I know, I can’t either. It seems like just yesterday I was holding that fresh, squishy baby in my arms. And now it’s time for preschool!
My philosophy when it comes to gathering supplies for preschool homeschool is this. If it’s disposable, go cheap. If it’s not meant to be thrown away, get the good stuff. So when I look at things like art supplies, workbooks, or posters, it’s ok to just get dollar store supplies. But if I want to keep things around for a few more years, I always look for the high-quality, deluxe versions.
So here’s your shopping list before school starts! Plus, you have my permission to go wander around Target or spend some time surfing Amazon by yourself. It’s for the children, after all. 😉
Preschool Homeschool Supplies…
Art Supplies
The best part about art supplies is they get used for work in every other subject! They’re kind of the foundation to a good preschool homeschool.
You probably won’t need all of these, and that’s ok! But you’ll definitely want to stock up on at least five of them to start. You can always add more after your child starts to master certain skills. That way, they’ll stay challenged and excited about learning.
- Crayons
- Markers
- Glue sticks
- Pipe cleaners
- Safety Scissors
- Construction paper
- Pompoms.
- Plenty of stickers. (Dealer’s choice, but I suggest the slightly puffy/raised kind of stickers for kids still developing the fine motor skills necessary to peel them independently.)
- Paint
- Popsicle sticks
- Butcher paper
- Play-Doh
Language Arts Supplies
- Beginner lined paper. This isn’t like the lined paper of a spiralbound notebook. It’s extra big with a broken midline to help kids visualize letter sizing. To save a bit and give your child more variety, you can try printable lined paper.
- 3D letters. Getting preschoolers used to the shape and size of each letter is a critical pre-reading activity. There are so many options out there right now: magnetic letters for the fridge, foam letters for the tub, and letter puzzles for everyday play.
- Books. So many books.
Math Supplies
- Manipulatives: You can make these yourself at home with literally anything countable: shoes, dry noodles, books, whatever. But you can also purchase things like linking math cubes.
- Pattern blocks
- Dominos
- Number line
Science Supplies
- Weather chart
- Magnifying glass
- Water/sensory table. Alternatively, you can grab lots of tubs, totes, and ladles and head to the tub!
Social Studies Supplies
- A dress-up box. Kids at this age LOVE to play pretend, and what better way to introduce them to historical figures than through dress up?
- Colorful Maps, especially of your local state or city. If you really want to get fancy, you can get a globe.
Preschool Homeschool Supplies to Splurge On:
These are the supplies I personally feel are worth spending slightly more on. They’re high quality, will stand up to regular use, and don’t have a great cheap counterpart. Some of these have dual purposes so your child can continue using them as they get older (especially if you plan to keep homeschooling them). Finally, if you have multiple children, they should last through this preschooler and still be in good shape for future ones!
- Balance board. This is great to help kiddos get their wiggles out, build gross motor skills, and can also be used as a scale to learn about concepts like weight.
- An easel. This one has a white board, a magnetic chalk board, and it comes with a bunch of magnetic numbers and letters. Plus, I have a serious weakness for Melissa & Doug products.
- A printer. On the plus side, a lot of preschool homeschooling curriculum can be found for free online. On the other side, a lot of it requires printing out all your own worksheets, coloring pages, and more. My husband works in IT and he swears by the Brother brand for at home printers. This is the Brother printer we have at home, and it works like a charm.
The Preschool Homeschool Supplies You DON’T Deed:
- A laminator. Let’s be real. It doesn’t matter what you do to try and preserve those cute pages or posters. The preschooler can probably still destroy it.
- A big organization system. You don’t need to worry about keeping records for compliance or an end-of-year portfolio like you would if your child was of age for compulsory attendance rules. Save a few cute art projects, take lots of pictures, and you’ll be set.
- Fancy desks. As cute as it might sound to develop a whole one room schoolhouse aesthetic (or is that just me?) you don’t need them. A kitchen table, couch, floor, tree branch and/or car seats are going to serve you perfectly.
For more reading on this topic:
- Pre Reading Skills: Build Your Toddler’s or Preschooler’s Future Literacy
- Pre K Homeschooling: Teaching the Littlest Learners
- 85+ Fine Motor Activities for Toddlers- Guaranteed to Keep Them Busy!
- Help My Child Focus Naturally: 5 Tried and True Strategies for Home
Hillary is a former teacher who went rogue and became a freelance writer. When not offering support and advice to homeschooling families, she tends to her own garden, family, and cat. You can connect with her on her website, homegrownhillary.com.