Fantastic & Frugal Back to Homeschool Fun with Dollar Tree
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Enjoy frugal back to homeschool fun with these fantastic ideas and tips for stocking up at Dollar Tree.
You can definitely make your first day of homeschool (and the entire week, if you'd like!) awesome without going broke. I'm sharing my hacks for getting our homeschool supplies for the year and this special time of celebration 🙂
My Favorite Way to Save Money as a Homeschooler
Our homeschool budget is tight.
With five boys to feed plus extracurricular activities that allow them to pursue their interests, I've got to be careful with how I spend money on our homeschool.
Fortunately, if you take the time and do a bit of research, you can find ways to save money. I prefer to buy used whenever possible. Or borrow resources from friends of the library. (And I love these tips for homeschooling on a budget!)
But, some stuff you just have to get new!
Many homeschool supplies, like pencils and paper, are consumable. My creative boys love to get into crafts and work on frugal inventions.
To make sure we have everything that we need for our homeschool and still have fun, my first stop has always been Dollar Tree. Because everything really is $1!
I visit different Dollar Trees in different areas, stocking up on what we need and squealing with delight when I find a new, affordable homeschool treasure.
As our family gets ready for a new year of homeschool fun adventures, I wanted to share my tips and tricks for planning and preparing for frugal Back to Homeschool fun (and entire year).
You can tap on any of the images below to go straight to Dollar Tree online and see all the good deals.
Quick Hacks for Frugal Back to Homeschool with Dollar Tree
Before you begin your Dollar Tree shopping (in-store or online), I suggest that you make a list.
Jot down all the things that you can think of that your homeschool will need this upcoming year. (In case you blank out or want a reminder, I share our favorite practical homeschool supplies here and below).
You can also use this free printable Affordable Homeschool Supplies List to save time 😉
While you're shopping, I encourage you to think outside the box. For example, if your kids need a place to store pencils, you can surely use a pencil box or pouch. But, maybe they'd like to try a small plastic toolbox or another container.
Practical Materials for a Frugal Back to Homeschool Time
Pens: Gather up a variety of pens in different colors and styles for writing fun.
Pencils: Get a bunch of regular and fun pencils to make back to homeschool time fun.
#2 PencilsMotivational PencilsMechanical Pencils6-Pack Mechanical PencilsBlack Ballpoint PensSoft Grip Gel PensColor Ballpoint Pens
Markers: A few sets of markers are always great to have on hand for coloring activities and creative projects.
Erasers: You can stock up on erasers for writing fun and mini-erasers for math manipulatives and more.
Highlighters: These writing tools are great for highlighting important parts of your reading. And they are such fun for handwriting practice!
Ruled Paper: You can really never have enough loose-leaf paper.
Fine Line MarkersFine Line/Broad Line MarkersFine Point Permanent MarkersHighlightersErasersRulersIndex Cards
Index Cards: Grab a bunch of index cards to make your own flashcards and more.
Handwriting Paper: My younger boys love to use this type of paper to practice print and cursive.
Rulers: You'll be glad to have a few extra rulers around for measurement fun activities and more.
Poster Board: Great for projects and creative writing assignments!
Construction Paper: Have a blast with crafts and other projects with construction paper.
Trifold Boards: If your kids like to give presentations, have a homeschool co-op project, or science fair exhibition, these trifold boards are fantastic!
Foam Board: More great materials to stock up on for projects and creative works 🙂
Handwriting PaperPoster BoardsNeon Poster BoardsConstruction PaperTrifold Presentation BoardFoam Board
Back to Homeschool Organizational Supplies
Binders: You'll want at least one binder per child plus a few binders for yourself, especially if you're keeping homeschool portfolios.
Tabbed Index Dividers: Keep those binders organized with these cool dividers.
Folders: One of the best ways to keep your homeschool organized is to assign colors to different kids. Get about 2-3 folders in each color 🙂
Spiral Notebooks: You can use spiral notebooks to plan your homeschool students' work. And, of course, use for actual written work!
Composition Notebooks: Some students prefer composition notebooks for their work. Dollar Tree has a variety of decorative ones that look cool.
3-Ring BindersTabbed Index DividersFoldersSnap Closure FoldersSpiral NotebooksComposition Notebooks
Binder Clips: You can use binder clips for so many things! Keeping paperwork together and bookmarks are two great ideas. My boys' favorite way to use binder clips is to keep chip bags closed (but not for long!).
Paperclips: These office supplies can be used for all types of {homeschool} fun.
Clipboards: Clipboards are fantastic for homeschooling on-the-go and in different areas of your home (even outdoors).
Plastic Storage Containers: Dollar Tree has so many amazing storage containers for your homeschool. Determine what your storage needs are and how much space you have. And you can give your kids stickers or washi tape to decorate!
Pencil Box: These plastic pencil boxes are excellent ways to store all sorts of writing utensils, crayons, flashcards, math manipulatives, and more. I always buy at least 10 to use throughout our school year. Hint: You can also use these plastic pencil boxes to store pieces to board games!
Binder ClipsPaper ClipsClipboardsPlastic Storage ContainersPencil Boxes
Super Cool Stuff to Boost Frugal Back to Homeschool Fun
Dry Erase Boards: Dollar Tree has a great variety of dry erase boards to choose from 🙂
Reusable Dry Erase Pockets: Great for printables and workbook pages! My boys use these dry erase pockets for handwriting, copywork, math fact drills, and more.
Dry Erase Markers: Dry erase markers are delightful for handwriting practice, math drills, and more.
Dry Erase BoardsColorful Dry Erase BoardsReusable Dry Erase PocketsDry Erase Paddles2-Sided Dry Erase Practice BoardsDry Erase Markers with ErasersFine Point Dry Erase Markers
Doodle Paper Pad: Awesome materials to have on hand for using doodle prompts and more!
Stickers: Get a bunch of reward stickers and stickers just for fun for your kids to use in your homeschool.
Bubble Wrap (use permanent markers to write letters, numbers, facts, etc. then kids pop when answering)
Magnifying Glass: Your kids will have a blast with a magnifying glass. Great for observations, reading fun, and nature study.
Measuring Tape: Enjoy more math fun with measurement activities and more.
Flashcards: You can find a variety of flashcards for math facts and more at Dollar Tree.
Puzzles: Stock up on jigsaw puzzles to give your kids hands-on activities while they wait for siblings to complete work or if they need a brain break.
Playing Cards: You can use cards for fun math games and challenges like a card tower.
Dice: Dice are also great for math manipulatives and practice.
Craft Supplies: Get a bunch of craft supplies for brain breaks, craft projects, and other creative projects. We often stock up on pompoms, glue, woodcraft sticks, googly eyes, feathers, beads, and glitter glue.
Doodle Paper PadReward StickersBubble WrapMagnifying GlassMeasuring TapeFlash CardsPlaying CardsDiceModeling ClayCraft BeadsWood Craft CubesColor Glue
Frugal Back to Homeschool Party Fun
Want to make your first day of homeschool extra special? Make it a party!
Pick homeschool colors or theme for the year. Then, go to Dollar Tree for your back to homeschool party needs.
Do you like to shop at Dollar Tree? What are your favorite frugal back to homeschool supplies to get there? And what did I miss? Please your suggestions in the comments area below 🙂
If you want more awesome and frugal back to homeschool fun ideas, you'll love:
Very interested in this relaxed approach. This is what I have been looking for.