Kindergarten School supplies

[hulagirl87]

So DD is starting kindergarten in a few weeks and we've been given a list of what we need to supply to be used by the whole class. Am I the only one who things that 10 large glue sticks per student might be excessive? I know this is our first year going into school and our first year buying supplies, but I can't believe the amount of things we have to buy! 4 boxes of markers, 3 boxes of crayons, 2 boxes of kleenex, safety scissors, dry erase markers, etc.

I remember back to school shopping when I was younger and we needed to buy for ourselves, not all the students to use. One box of crayons, some spiral notebooks, a Trapper keeper... I have a Trader joe's bag filled with supplies that I need to bring in for her the day before school starts. Anyone else have a list with a million things?

 

[MSLRAC]

So DD is starting kindergarten in a few weeks and we've been given a list of what we need to supply to be used by the whole class. Am I the only one who things that 10 large glue sticks per student might be excessive? I know this is our first year going into school and our first year buying supplies, but I can't believe the amount of things we have to buy! 4 boxes of markers, 3 boxes of crayons, 2 boxes of kleenex, safety scissors, dry erase markers, etc.

I remember back to school shopping when I was younger and we needed to buy for ourselves, not all the students to use. One box of crayons, some spiral notebooks, a Trapper keeper... I have a Trader joe's bag filled with supplies that I need to bring in for her the day before school starts. Anyone else have a list with a million things?

I teach 1st grade and I personally don't find that list excessive . By about 2 weeks into school, I am replacing those items daily in my class and it adds up quickly. And it just depends on the teacher as to whether they do communal or individual supplies but from what I was told by numerous colleagues, they need the same amount of stuff either way.

 

[jrmasm]

I never found large glue sticks on sale. I sent in the small ones and nobody died.

 

[Mkrop]

Glue sticks go quickly. We dont do the community supply thing, but that is the one thing I was constantly resupplying for my kids. Some kids use way too much glue, or they press to hard and they break.

 

[kirstenb1]

As a parent and a substitute teacher, our kids burn through glue sticks. Our K classes do a lot of drawing, coloring, cutting and gluing.

 

[disykat]

Four boxes of markers seems excessive. 10 glue sticks does not.

 

[MSLRAC]

Four boxes of markers seems excessive. 10 glue sticks does not.

Maybe but at that age, they've not mastered the concept of putting caps back on markers (even when reminded to do so countless times) and not pressing down with all their might. So some kids do blow through markers that quickly.

 

[Squishypig]

Having done craft/art projects with my own kid, 10 sticks of glue for the year doesn't seem that far fetched. As a matter of fact, our kindergarten list asked for 12 sticks and I ended up buying 48 so I can send in two sets for the beginning of the year and then again three and six months into the school year if needed. Glue sticks are never as cheap as they are right now.

Honestly I thought our list was almost too small after reading about insane school supply lists for years. I seriously bought 4 complete sets of supplies for less than $20.

 

[bsblady01]

they use a lot of glue at this age. I still ask for five in first grade

 

[bethy]

10 glue sticks is totally reasonable for K.

 

[bethy]

Personally I am thrilled to supply anything reasonable that helps things run more smoothly in a chaotic classroom. It's one of the few ways I can have some impact.

Worrying about running out of glue sticks or markers is the last thing I want the teacher spending time or emotional energy on.

 

[Lilliputian]

I homeschool, so I just buy what I want, but that seems like a good amount to me. It's much easier to get all of those things when they're on sale. The regular prices of things like crayons and filler paper can make you cry when you compare them to what you would have paid if you would have stocked up when they were on sale. I imagine the teachers get better compliance at the beginning of the year than they do if they send out supply requests later in the year.

 

[aprilgail]

When my daughter went to kindergarten it was like 24 glue sticks and 144 pencils. I questioned if they were building their own classroom from pencils and glue!

 

[hulagirl87]

It's interesting to read everyone's input on this. I haven't had to buy supplies before so I was wondering if this was the norm. Sounds like it is! There are a few other things on the list that were curious to me, like white paper bags and gallon size ziploc bags, but I guess I will be seeing those coming home in the form of some kind of craft project Anyone seen white paper bags anywhere?

 

[Mizzoufan]

I miss glues bottles, Doesn't seem like you get as much as use out of glue sticks

 

[jahber]

Around here (east Orlando), you also have to factor in that not every kid will be able to bring in all those (or any) supplies. So parents end up subsidizing other kids' supplies. Personally, I don't have a problem with that. We have several schools that have gone to all-school free breakfast and lunch because more than 80% of the kids qualify. When you're at a school like that, your kid may be one of only a few who can actually afford any supplies at all. Of course, that's not everyone's situation. But it explains what's going on around here

 

[MrsDuck]

Sounds about right for kindergarten.

 

[MSLRAC]

It's interesting to read everyone's input on this. I haven't had to buy supplies before so I was wondering if this was the norm. Sounds like it is! There are a few other things on the list that were curious to me, like white paper bags and gallon size ziploc bags, but I guess I will be seeing those coming home in the form of some kind of craft project Anyone seen white paper bags anywhere?

Check the party aisles at Walmart or Target for the white bags, they aren't usually with the brown lunch bags. And you'd be surprised what you need Ziploc bags for at that age.

I miss glues bottles, Doesn't seem like you get as much as use out of glue sticks

I request one glue bottle per child. Glue sticks just don't work as well on things likes yarn and noodles. But I have to watch them like a hawk when we use liquid glue or it is all over the place!

 

[smkohn]

It's interesting to read everyone's input on this. I haven't had to buy supplies before so I was wondering if this was the norm. Sounds like it is! There are a few other things on the list that were curious to me, like white paper bags and gallon size ziploc bags, but I guess I will be seeing those coming home in the form of some kind of craft project Anyone seen white paper bags anywhere?

I actually did find white paper bags by the regular lunch bags in our local Target last year. Check there, or like somebody else said in the party aisles by the things for goody bags. We used them in our grade level last year for sending home Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. gifts. They were easier than wrapping and the kids could decorate the outside however they wanted.

 

[powellrj]

I actually did find white paper bags by the regular lunch bags in our local Target last year. Check there, or like somebody else said in the party aisles by the things for goody bags. We used them in our grade level last year for sending home Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. gifts. They were easier than wrapping and the kids could decorate the outside however they wanted.

My DD did that in preschool for gifts sent home and they were so cute, I still do it at home for homemade gifts like breads and cookies!