Best School Supplies 2017

School supplies are one of the most important parts of success. If your child doesn't go to school prepared, it makes the day harder. They waste time finding someone to borrow supplies from and start their work already frustrated. Every parent wants their child to succeed in school. One of the best ways to make this happen is to make sure your child is prepared, right from the first day. Trying to find the best school supplies can be overwhelming as you wonder just what your child needs.

As a teacher, I have seen a wide range of school supplies and I have always found that the most successful students are also the most prepared. They are always the ones who are lending supplies to classmates rather than spending time trying to find someone to borrow them from.

Make sure your child is prepared for the 2014-2015 school year by giving them the school supplies they need to succeed. Have your child shop with you, too, so that you know they like the supplies you buy. If you choose something they hate, they won't use it, but if you buy popular and cool school supplies, your child will be more motivated to use them and to take care of them.

Image by Chrevre used under Creative Commons License.

It's tricky trying to figure out which supplies you should buy. I've put together a list of the most important school supplies. A few of them could be at your discretion (for example, the laptop), but every student should have virtually all of these. Some schools supply the basics, such as pencils and pens, but many schools now expect students to come prepared with all of these, or will provide only one pen or pencil, etc. to get started...then if you lose them, it's up to you to replace them. In high school, you need to come with all of your own supplies.

One school supply on the list that you may think is "optional" is the USB memory stick. Actually, though, this is a vital tool. So much work today is done on the computer and it can be extremely useful for students to be able to save work done at school on a USB stick, then take it home to work on.

Some of these supplies will be ones your child already has. Of course, they don't need to be replaced every year, but you should make sure they are in good condition and are suitable for your child's age. I don't mean in terms of style (they'll tell you that!) but, for example, a high school student needs to have a decent sized backpack.

Most Important School Supplies:

Backpack

Lunch box

Pencil case

Pens/pencils

Highlighters

Pencil crayons (markers can be good, but many teachers don't allow them)

Ruler

Eraser

Glue stick

Calculator (scientific for older grades)

Geometry set

Scissors

Notebooks

Binders

Dividers

Paper (lined especially, but also blank and graph)

Planner/organizer

Laptop

USB memory stick

One of the most important keys to success in school (or life) is to keep everything organized. I have seen so many students fail because they do not hand in assignments. Most schools supply planners for students, but very few students actually use them. If you want your child to stay organized and succeed in school, try giving them a funky, unique planner that they will actually WANT to use.

Every student needs a backpack. The problem is, kids want one that's cool and parents know they need one that's practical. Here are a few choices that should fit both categories if you need a new backpack for 2013.

Pencil cases are essential to keep a student organized. It's so easy to lose things, especially small items like pens, pencils, and erasers. A great pencil case is the best way to help keep everything where it should be.

A unique and funky, colorful binder or notebook can make anyone more motivated to study and do well in school. Even if that fails, they will make it much easier to keep notes and assignments organized.

In elementary school, some art supplies are a must have for every student. Most schools supply the basics, especially things like scissors and glue, but pencil crayons are usually lacking in the classroom. If the class does have it's own pencil crayon supply, it tends to dwindle as the year goes on, and students have to share, which means they are often waiting till someone else is done with the color they need. It's a great idea to bring your own pencil crayons to the class so you're as prepared as you can be.

Erasers are critical for younger grades (and for math, science, and art in older grades). I've seen kids spend ages asking to borrow and eraser instead of just crossing out their mistakes. This means that it's important to make sure your child has an eraser (and a few extras, in case it gets lost).

Anyone can get a USB stick, but school is more fun if you choose a funky and cool USB memory stick. Plus, if you have a unique USB stick, it's less likely to get mixed up with anyone else's. Older students might want a more standard flash drive, though. Whatever style you choose, USB sticks are a wonderful and often necessary tool that will help your child to succeed in school.

Technology is a must in school today, especially for high school or college/university students. There's so many choices for transportable computers. Here are some great options for laptops, netbooks, or ipads. It's important to keep up to date with technology so that when projects are assigned, you have the right programs and you can complete the work speedily and efficiently without fighting with an out of date and slow computer or ipad.

Here's a few tips to help your child (or you!) succeed in school:

1. Organize: Write down everything that's due so you don't forget, even if it's just nightly homework.

2. Work ahead: Don't do assignments the night before they're due. You never know if you're going to get sick.

3. Read the textbooks: Mainly for older grades, make sure you read the textbook, even if your teacher doesn't assign it. It may not be on the test, but it'll help you be more familiar with the material.