Free printable
Homeschool supply list template
A checklist of what a homeschool actually needs, by category, with room for your own. Cheaper and shorter than the school list.
The school supply list is long because thirty children need thirty of everything. A homeschool needs one good version of a short list, most of which you already own, plus a few things that make the difference between a lesson that starts in two minutes and one that never starts because the glue is missing.
This checklist is organised by category (writing, math, science, art, organisation, books) with the essentials pre-printed and blank lines for your own. Tick what you have, buy what you lack, and put it all in one place. The single most useful homeschool purchase is a box everything lives in.
The printable sheet
One page, US Letter or A4, black and white. Prints or saves to PDF from your browser.
Homeschool supply checklist
Writing
- ☐ Pencils and sharpener
- ☐ Erasers
- ☐ Lined and blank paper
- ☐ Notebooks, one per subject
- ☐ Pens for older children
- ☐ Whiteboard and markers
- ☐ ____________________
Math
- ☐ Counters or beans
- ☐ Hundred chart
- ☐ Number line
- ☐ Ruler and tape measure
- ☐ Play money
- ☐ Manipulatives your program needs: ____________
- ☐ ____________________
Science
- ☐ Magnifying glass
- ☐ Thermometer
- ☐ Kitchen scale
- ☐ Measuring cups
- ☐ Science box: vinegar, baking soda, balloons, string, magnets, food colouring
- ☐ Nature notebook
- ☐ ____________________
Art
- ☐ Crayons and coloured pencils
- ☐ Washable markers
- ☐ Student watercolours and real brushes
- ☐ Glue sticks and white glue
- ☐ Scissors
- ☐ Construction paper and card
- ☐ ____________________
Organisation
- ☐ Binder per child
- ☐ Folder for the portfolio
- ☐ Rolling cart or boxes
- ☐ Laminator (optional, worth it)
- ☐ Timer
- ☐ Clipboards
- ☐ ____________________
Books
- ☐ Library card
- ☐ Atlas and globe
- ☐ Dictionary
- ☐ Read-aloud list for the term
- ☐ Program books: ____________
- ☐ ____________
- ☐ ____________________
How to use it
Using the homeschool supply list
- 1Print one; review it each summer.
- 2Tick what you already own. Most families own most of it.
- 3Buy the rest in one trip or one order. The items are chosen to be cheap and available everywhere.
- 4Put everything in one rolling cart or a set of labelled boxes where school happens. Discoverability beats quantity.
- 5Add your own lines: the manipulatives your math program needs, the microscope for biology, the instrument.
Skip the filling in
Let Kuraplan fill it for you
Describe your children and what you use, and Kuraplan drafts the plan, the report or the record so you print a finished page instead of a blank one.
- “Make a supply list for a homeschool starting Math-U-See, All About Reading and Real Science Odyssey with a 5 and 8 year old”
- “List the household items I need on hand for a year of elementary science experiments”
- “Suggest a $150 starter kit of art supplies for two children”
Homeschool supply list FAQ
What supplies do I need to start homeschooling?
Pencils, paper and notebooks, a whiteboard, a binder per child, basic art supplies (crayons, markers, student watercolours, glue, scissors), a ruler, a few math manipulatives (counters, a hundred chart, base-ten blocks if your program uses them), a library card, and a box to keep it in. The list on this page covers it with blanks for your own.
How much does homeschooling cost per year?
From nearly nothing (library, free curricula, printables) to several thousand dollars (boxed curricula, online classes, co-ops). A typical family spends a few hundred dollars per child on curriculum and supplies. See the cost guide on the blog for a breakdown.
Do I need a homeschool room?
No. A shelf, a box and the kitchen table serve most families well for years. A dedicated room is nice, not necessary.
Where do homeschoolers buy supplies cheaply?
Back-to-school sales in August, dollar stores for basics, Rainbow Resource and Christianbook for curriculum, used curriculum sales at co-ops and online groups, and the library for almost all books.
More free homeschool templates
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