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Before you shop for back-to-school supplies, it鈥檚 best to get a list of what鈥檚 required from your child鈥檚 school or new teacher. If the school list isn鈥檛 available yet, you can still take advantage of back-to-school sales by sticking to the basics that you know your child will need.

Basic writing supplies

  • No. 2 pencils
  • Colored pencils
  • Pencil sharpener (handheld)
  • Large pink eraser
  • Ballpoint pens
  • Box of crayons
  • Water-based markers
  • Spiral-bound or composition notebooks, wide-ruled
  • Loose-leaf notebook paper (Teachers can be picky about paper. Schools usually supply specially ruled handwriting paper to help younger children with letter formation. Older children use wide-ruled paper.)

Basic organizational supplies

  • 3-ring binder
  • Pocket folders
  • Box for storing supplies
  • Pencil case
  • Highlighters
  • Index cards, ruled and unruled (for making flash cards)
  • A sturdy, supportive backpack (Some schools do not permit rolling backpacks because of space considerations; check with your school before considering this option.)
  • Headphones to cancel out distracting noises during study times. Check with the teacher and school to ensure they are permitted. (Very useful for kids with attention difficulties.)

Basic craft supplies

  • Drawing paper
  • Construction paper
  • A ruler with English and metric measurements
  • Glue sticks
  • 4-oz. bottle of white glue
  • Scotch tape
  • Stapler (A mini stapler is best for last-minute stapling emergencies.)
  • Scissors (blunt end for younger kids, pointy for older ones)
  • Watercolor paints

Basic supplies for your home computer

  • Computer printer paper
  • Printer ink cartridges

Hygiene kit

  • Facial tissue
  • Disinfecting wipes
  • Ziploc storage bags (in case clothes get wet/dirty)
  • Bandages

Lunchtime necessities

  • Sturdy lunchbox
  • Water bottle / Thermos (Stainless steel is recommended. Avoid plastic bottles; many contain bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, birth defects, and cancer. If choosing plastic, look for a BPA-free label.)

Shopping tips

Twenty-four , when state sales taxes are lifted. (New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, and Delaware levy no sales tax year-round).

Check our 10 tips for smart shopping for more advice to save your time, money, and sanity. Also, peruse our list of supplies to keep on hand at home.

This list is meant as a broad guide to get you thinking — there鈥檚 no need to run out and buy all of this! Every teacher鈥檚 list is a little different. Some recommend specific brands; some recommend larger quantities than we鈥檝e listed. Many will give you a shorter list. So check with the teacher.

See the lists of back-to-school supplies your child will need in kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade, and in middle school, too.