Kindergarten through high school
The school supply list, by grade.
Ninety-two percent of mothers say they're the one keeping track of all this, and most say the load peaks right here, in the back-to-school weeks. So: what each grade really needs, in plain words. Tick it off as you shop — nothing to sign up for, nothing saved about you.
Pick a grade
Most of this gets pooled in the classroom, so labels matter less than quantity.
This is a typical list, not your school's list. It's the common ground across public elementary and middle school lists in the US, checked against real district and school lists for the coming year. Your school will differ on the details, and in many states a school can't require you to buy supplies that get shared out across the class — tissues, wipes and hand sanitizer are usually asked for as a donation, so they're not counted here.
Sent in on day one
Kept at home or in the bag
0 of 14 in the cart
“No generic list is your teacher's list. It's the last mile that costs you a second trip.”
Why there's nothing here to buy
Most supply-list sites are stores. The list is a way to get you browsing, the brands are picked because someone paid, and your email address is the real product. No wonder nearly six in ten parents now say back-to-school shopping is more stressful than the holidays.
This page is the opposite of that. No trending backpacks, no brand names you don't need, no links to anything. Where a brand genuinely matters — crayons, markers, glue — the questions below say so, and where it doesn't, buy whatever's cheapest. The only thing we're after is the hour you were about to spend working this out yourself.
The part no list can do for you
Every grade above is the common ground — the things almost every classroom asks for. What it can't know is the one line your child's teacher added: the specific binder, the second glue bottle, the composition book that has to be black and white.
Send Fivey the letter and she'll compare them
A photo of the sheet that came home in the bag is enough. She reads it, files it under the right child, and tells you the difference: what's on the teacher's list that isn't here, and what you can leave on the shelf. Nothing gets filed, bought or sent without your yes.
What to buy now and what to wait on
- 1
Buy the boring half early — pencils, paper, folders, glue. It never changes and it sells out.
- 2
Wait on anything named — a calculator model, a binder size, a lab notebook. Teachers are specific for a reason.
- 3
Restock in November — the daily-use things are gone by then, and so are the shelves.
Questions people ask
When do school supply lists come out?
Most districts post them in July, some not until late August, and individual teachers often add to the list in the first week of school. A generic list gets you most of the way; the teacher's letter settles the rest.
How do I find my child's actual supply list?
Check the school website first, then the district site, then the last email the school sent before summer. If nothing turns up, ask the front office — they usually have every grade on one sheet.
Do I have to buy the brand the list names?
For crayons, markers and glue, brand genuinely matters to teachers because the cheap ones fail. For folders, pencils and paper it rarely does.
What's worth buying twice?
Pencils, glue sticks and folders. Everything on this list that gets used daily runs out around November, and shelves are empty by then.
Should I label everything?
Label what comes home: the bag, the bottle, the headphones, the lunch box. Classroom supplies usually get pooled, so labels on glue sticks are wasted effort.