• Here are some essential classroom supplies:
   
  • Foam blocks.
  • Crayons and paper for drawing and writing.
  • Baby dolls.
  • Play dishes .
  • One tub of books.  Make sure the books are all "disposable" ones you won't miss if they are ruined.
  • Magnetic letters in a tub and individual white boards for learning ABCs.
  • Puppet.
  • Playdough.
  • Simple puzzles.
  • Quiet Toys:  Potato Heads and Legos are great toys for fine motor skills.
  • Clothes pegs: students can use them to keep pages of a story together as they are working. They can also be used to hang work on lines around the room. They can be painted to match anywhere in your room or labeled quite easily with permanent markers for math, spelling, science, etc.
     
• Buy individual zipper pouches for each student (you can get them at Wal-Mart for $0.97). Put in 8 crayons, a pencil, scissors and a glue stick. The students store them in the back of their chair in a chair pouch. The kids are accountable for their own supplies and avoids conflicts when sharing. Having their supplies ready also cuts down on time it would take to pass them out.
   
• Put baskets in the center of each table. Put pencils, glue sticks and boxes of crayons into the baskets. When the kids need crayons they take a box instead of fighting over them.

Do you have any hints, tips or ideas you would like to share?  If so, please send them to us at: info@kinderhelper.com.