Essential School Items: Prepared Parents Should Keep These 23 Supplies Handy to Avoid Late-Night, Rushed Target Shopping at 9 P.M.
Top 23 School Supplies You'll Cherish When Your Little One Has That Last-Minute Homework Surprise
Gear up for those unexpected homework emergencies like a boss! Our expert team has handpicked must-have supplies to keep in stock, because we all know how hectic life gets.
❗️Please note: Some items may have been gifted or independently selected, but all were carefully chosen by our savvy team. As an affiliate, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners might earn a commission from your purchases using our links.
1. A Blazing Pack of Astrobrights Construction Paper
A lifesaver when you suddenly realize you forgot about your kid's art project due tomorrow. Perfect for last-minute creative assignments and adding a splash of color to your kid's masterpieces.
👉 georgia loved it: "This is a fantastic choice for school projects - a variety of vibrant colors plus the added bonus of great quality for printing as well! You definitely won't be disappointed."
Get a pack of 150 from Amazon for just $9.23.
2. Eye-catching Colorful T-shirts
Always be prepared for your kid's school events, like "Grinch Day" or any other special occasion. Grab a pack and forget about last-minute errands searching for a green shirt.
💗 Deborah D. and Denny approve: "The fabric is thicker and not cheap-feeling, the colors look amazing, fit great, and don't shrink! On top of that, the collars are structured well. It's perfect!"
Select a pack of four from Amazon in sizes 3T-13 and various color combinations for $34.99.
3. Irresistible Iron-on Letters
Personalize those T-shirts for class trips, field day, or spirit week with a few words or your child's name. No need for frantic trips to the store for iron-on letters again!
🌟 Wendy Deer loved it: "I needed letters for a quick T-shirt project for my daughter. These arrived quickly, worked great, and were easy to use!"
Pick up a pack of 440 letters from Amazon. Available in packs of 500 and 880 too. Price: $9.99.
4. 12-pack of Hand Sanitizers
Keep classrooms stocked with these handy germ-busters and avoid running out when a notice pops up in your child's folder.
👍 silverfox loves it: "This hand sanitizer leaves a clean scent and doesn't leave any residue on hands. Feels fresh even with repeated use."
Grab a pack of 12 eight-ounce bottles from Amazon. Available in other sizes and packs too. Price: $25.99.
5. Delicious Starbucks Gift Cards
A sure-fire way to show gratitude towards your valuable teacher. Teachers appreciate these little boosts during the school year, so stock up!
🤗 iiian and E. Lawry approve: "Starbucks cards are appreciated by all teachers. It's a thoughtful gift for any occasion."
Secure five $20 gifts cards from Amazon for $100.
6. Attractive Presentation Boards
Got a last-minute class project? No worries! You'll always have a presentation board on hand with these around.
🙌 Judy loved it: "These were great! Sturdy enough for middle school students!"
Buy a pack of four from Amazon. Available in packs of 12 and 24 too. Price: $24.99.
7. Adorable Reusable Snack Bags
Ditch disposable bags and save the environment — with these handy reusable bags! Plus, you'll never run out of snack bags again! They're dishwasher-safe.
🎉 ktbauman loved it: "The perfect size for snackies! I love that I'm not using and throwing away plastic bags anymore."
Snag a pack of two from Target in four color/style combinations for $7.99.
8. Iconic Ticonderoga #2 Pencils
These classic pencils are highly recommended — they go missing like socks. This pack even comes pre-sharpened!
💗 Christopher and Maggie and courtneyhennagir loved it: "This is a must-buy for teachers throughout the school year. They're high-quality, last longer, and come pre-sharpened. Plus, Pink Pearl cap erasers stay put and work exceptionally well!"
Get a pack of 72 from Amazon. Available in packs of four, 10, 18, and 30 too. Price: $11.24.
9. Practical Pink Pearl Cap Erasers
Your handy dandy backup when pencil erasers have been worn down to the nubs. Reviewers rave about these erasers — they stay put, work great, and create less residue!
💃 Shopper loved it: "Best erasers ever! These are so good that I donated a box to my daughter's class. The quality is like a standard rectangle eraser, they don't rip, and the tops don't pop off. Highly recommended!"
Get a pack of 144 from Amazon. Price: $7.18.
10. Clear Scotch Tape
Keep a few rolls on hand for a quick mend if something rips or your child's classroom needs supplies.
💭 Renee Smith loved it: "I bought this for my son's sixth-grade classroom (he's the teacher!). He uses this during group projects."
Buy a pack of six rolls with dispensers from Amazon. Price: $13.49.
11. Colorful Colored Pencils
Prepare for those last-minute color assignments without panicking!
🤩 Desirae loved it: "Great class gift. I bought for my son's classroom, good value."
Buy twelve packs of 12 colored pencils from Amazon. Price: $25.11.
12. Neat College Ruled Composition Notebooks
Stay ready when your child's teacher needs more — these composition notebooks fill up fast!
💪 rkmdjm and JIW loved it: "These composition books arrived in a timely fashion and are sturdy. The cover is thick enough and doesn't get damaged easily. My son uses these daily and goes through multiple a week, so it's a great buy!"
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon. Price: $19.70.
13. Trendy Water Bottles
Say goodbye to inconveniences when your kiddo loses or breaks their favorite water bottle! These bottles open and seal shut on their own, and they're waterproof too.
💧 Momof3 loved it: "Great for kids. It's leakproof, dishwasher-safe, and easy to use."
Buy two from Target. Price: $18.50.
14. Powerful Multi-pack of Batteries
Avoid those tricky math equations and have extra batteries handy for calculators, sharpeners, and other battery-powered gadgets.
🎉 Sherry A Foster loved it: "I've purchased double and triple A for the past two years. Never had a problem with them being dead on arrival. They last longer and are durable. These work in drones, remotes for TVs, desk calculators, smoke detectors, and mini flashlights."
Get a pack of 24 from Amazon. Price: $12.82.
15. Versatile Sharpie School Supplies Kit
Stay prepared with all the essentials on deck when you run out of supplies like highlighters, pens, or glue sticks.
💪 Kristine loved it: "Pretty much has everything a student needs to begin school!"
Get it from Amazon. Price: $18.75.
16. Portable Kindle Paperwhite
Save yourself the last-minute hustle for book stores or libraries for those unexpected book reports. A Kindle will save you tons of time!
👍 I had a Kindle in college and new adventurer loved it: "In college, I was an English major and had a Kindle. I loved being able to download a book instantly instead of searching through aisles at the bookstore or library only to discover they didn't have what I needed. Plus, I didn't have to lug around a bunch of books!"
Get it from Amazon. Price: $139.99 (available in 8 GB or 16 GB and three colors).
17. Cool Arts & Crafts Kit
Elevate those last-minute projects, like science fair projects, and make them look professional!
🙌 am loved it: "My kids are back in school and have been requiring a ton of projects. Instead of going to the store all the time and losing supplies, I now have some of each thing all in a waterproof plastic container. It makes life a little easier."
Grab it from Amazon. Price: $15.98 (available in a jar or storage box and in various sizes).
18. Plentiful Looseleaf Paper
Don't get caught off guard when your high schooler mentions they've run out of sheets for their homework. Stock up to be ready!
🤩 Pdxgenesis loved it: "I love this paper for college. Color-coded by class keeps me organized, the paper is thick, and I can use both sides for note-taking. Great investment for classes!"
Get a set of three from Amazon (available in college, wide, and graph styles, assorted colors, and packs of three, four, 12, and 24).
19. Durable Five Star Spiral Notebooks
If your teen uses spiral notebooks instead of binders, keep a few around for those quick replacements.
🤩 Klunk and teachers love it: "My son especially requested this brand for school. He loves them, and teachers do too!"
Buy a pack of six from Amazon. Price: $19.99.
20. Monumental Pack of Elmer’s Glue Sticks
Eliminate annoying sticky situations and never run out of glue again! You'll be set for the entire school year and those cut-and-paste worksheets.
💪 Amy loved it: "A perfect teacher's gift. I've taught first grade for nine years. You would be surprised by how many glue sticks a first-grader uses in a typical year. You might think that we asked for a lot of glue sticks at the beginning of the year, but I can almost guarantee you that those glue sticks will be gone by Christmas. The rest of the year, the teacher buys the glue sticks."
Get a pack of 30 from Amazon (also available in a pack of 60). Price: $10.99.
21. Alluring Felt Tip Pens
Forego lost pens and yourself a few extras — these vibrant pens are a joy to write with, and teachers adore them!
🌟 mndyj33 and Christopher Canales loved it:
mndyj33: "Fantastic teacher's gift. Apparently, teachers LOVE these! I got more 'thank yous' for sending these to my kids' teachers than I ever do with a Starbucks gift card."
Christopher Canales: "My favorite school supply. I am a middle school teacher, and I don't think I could ever have too many of these Flair pens. I like the way they feel in my hand, and how vivid the color is on paper. I use them on everything, and the kids notice because I always get some for Christmas!"
Get a pack of 24 from Amazon (also available in packs of 12, 16, and 28, as well as two styles). Price: $19.59.
22. Useful Sharpie Highlighters
Keep your student in top form for studying — these highlighters will be their essential study tools!
😍 Dustin F. loved it: "Bought this for my children's teachers. Split one box between each kid and found it way cheaper than the $4 pack of three skinny ones from local stores. It also helps the teacher out by donating to a child whose parents may not be able to get the basic resources for them. I also believe these highlighters help young kids grasp better because they're big and easy to handle!"
Get a pack of 36 from Amazon (available in yellow and two assorted color options). Price: $15.99.
23. Sharp Scissors for Students
Equip your child with scissors that will last through many projects and assignments — these scissors will be game changers!
🤩 Haikaichi loved it: "My third-graders' hands are too big for the 'safety' scissors so we bought these big kid scissors. Great value, and they love using the bigger, easier to handle, and faster to use scissors! It cuts the cutting time down! (Pun intended!)"
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon (also available in packs of five and 60). Price: $16.31.
You, grabbing an extra notebook from your supplies when your kiddo runs out:
Needed supplies like a boss? These picks have you covered! Stay prepared with all the essential back-to-school supplies. From multicolored T-shirts to durable pencils and handy scissors, you won't be caught off guard by those last-minute project requests. Happy schooling!
Here are three sentences following the text that incorporate the provided words while staying in the same theme:
- Crafty kids can craft impressive scenes with Astrobrights craft papers, adding a splash of hues to their teacher-approved masterpieces.
- Keep the market-Amazon-majority satisfied with a buzzworthy pack of 3T-13 colorful T-shirts, no last-minute rush for green shirts will be needed for school events.
- Personalize custom t-shirts for class trips or spirit week with astrobrights iron-on letters, fyi - you'll never run out of iron-on letters again!
