Blog

After years of learning at home, I’ve realized that we really don’t need a picture-perfect school room or an endless collection of educational supplies. Our setup has changed as my kids have grown, but most of what we use regularly is pretty simple: reliable technology, basic school and art supplies, lots of books, a few organizational systems, and plenty of things that encourage them to create and figure things out on their own.

Our version of school at home is virtual school, so my kids complete most of their regular schoolwork independently on their laptops now. But learning in our house has never been limited to what happens on a computer. While we follow our virtual school’s curriculum, I also think a lot of learning happens through regular life—extracurricular activities and clubs, learning a sport, spending time with friends, playing games as a family, building with STEM toys, creating things, and following whatever happens to spark their curiosity. There are books everywhere, projects taking over tables, puzzles and building sets, random recycled materials being saved because someone might need that for something, and plenty of trips to the library.

This isn’t meant to be a list of everything you need to homeschool or do virtual school. It’s simply what we’ve actually found useful over the years—and what we still use now. And while I’ll start with the technology we use for virtual school, most of this list applies to learning at home in general, from basic supplies and books to art, building, STEM, games, and other hands-on resources.

* This post includes Affiliate Links.

Technology We Use for Virtual School

Technology is obviously a big part of our setup because my kids attend virtual school.

They primarily use Apple laptops for school, and having their devices connected through our family accounts makes it easier to access files and keep things organized. We use iCloud Drive for files we want available across devices, while Google Chrome, Gmail, and Google Drive handle a lot of their actual school-related work.

An iPad isn’t necessary for us, but it has been a useful extra. With an Apple Pencil and a sturdy case or stand, it can become a notebook, drawing surface, research tool, reading device, or simply another screen when a project calls for one.

Things we use:

• Laptops
• iPads
• Apple Pencil
• Protective iPad case/stand
• Headphones with a microphone

Our Shared Calendar Might Be One of Our Most Useful Tools

This one isn’t something you need to buy.

We use shared Apple calendars for school meetings, extracurricular activities, appointments, playdates, and family plans. As my kids have gotten older, I’ve encouraged them to add their own meetings and check the calendar themselves instead of relying entirely on me to tell them what’s happening.

Does that mean they always remember?

Absolutely not.

I’m still reminding them to check it all the time. But learning to look ahead, recognize that they have something scheduled, and start managing their own time is part of becoming more independent.

Basic School Supplies We Still Use

Even with virtual school, paper hasn’t disappeared from our house.

We don’t keep an elaborate classroom full of supplies, but there are a handful of basics we continue reaching for:

• Binders with dividers
• Printer paper in bulk
• Pencils and highlighters
• Small magnetic whiteboards
• Dry erase markers
• Whiteboard erasers (magnetic)
• A good home printer

Small whiteboards have been especially useful over the years. They’re easy for working through a math problem, spelling something out, drawing a diagram, practicing something quickly, or explaining an idea without using another sheet of paper.

We currently use a Brother printer at home, and I usually order our printer paper online. Between school assignments, projects, activities, and things I need for work, our printer definitely earns its space.

I’ve also put many of the school supplies, games, STEM toys, and learning tools we actually use in one place on my Amazon Learning + School Favorites list.

Learning at Home Doesn’t Always Look Like School

Some of the things I consider most valuable for learning don’t look like traditional school supplies at all.

We’ve always had a rotating collection of logic games, puzzles, building sets, and educational toys around the house. They aren’t necessarily assigned as “school.” They’re simply available.

Over the years, some favorites have included:

• Magnetic tiles
• Snap Circuits
• KiwiCo kits
• Apitor robotics sets
• Building sets, like LEGO and K’NEX
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Shape and pattern tiles, like Pentominoes or IQ Digits, and Match Madness
• Classic strategy and word games, like chess and Scrabble

I like having things around that don’t necessarily have one correct way to use them. Building, testing, taking something apart, trying again, following complicated instructions, or figuring out why something isn’t working are all forms of learning too.

One of my favorite examples of this was Ollie’s paper roller coaster STEM project, which involved a whole lot of building, testing, adjusting and figuring out why the marble wasn’t doing what he expected.

And as kids get older, these don’t have to disappear. The type of challenge just changes.

You can find more of our favorite games, building toys, STEM activities, and learning supplies on my Amazon favorites list.

RELATED: 50+ Best Gift Ideas for Curious Kids Ages 8–12

Art Supplies—and a Lot of Random Stuff

We’ve always kept basic art supplies accessible.

Paper, markers, colored pencils, paint, scissors, glue, tape and other basics get used for school projects, but they also get used for whatever idea someone suddenly decides they need to make.

I also save certain recycled materials for creative projects. Cardboard, containers and other random pieces can sometimes be more interesting than an actual craft kit.

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect craft closet. A container or organizer that keeps the basics reasonably easy to find is enough.

One surprisingly useful supply in our house is blue painter’s tape. Besides its intended purpose, we’ve used it to temporarily display the kids’ newest artwork on walls without committing to permanent frames everywhere.

At our previous house, we also used a magnetic display strip for rotating the kids’ artwork, which was an easy way to let their latest creations have their moment.

Books, the Library & Digital Reading

If I had to choose one learning resource we’ve gotten the most value from over the years, the library would be very high on the list.

We own some books that make sense to keep around—things like encyclopedias, atlases, and favorites we want to return to—but we don’t try to own everything.

Instead, we make regular library trips and bring home a lot.

I actually prefer having plenty of options available because kids don’t always know what they’ll be interested in until something catches their attention. A stack of library books lets them explore a subject without every passing curiosity becoming another purchase.

We also use Libby for digital library access.

Another resource we’ve used since the kids were little is Epic. What started as a useful reading app when they were much younger has continued to be useful as they’ve grown, which is pretty impressive considering how many children’s subscriptions get outgrown quickly.

Resources we use:

• Library cards
• Libby
• Epic
• Atlases and encyclopedias
• A rotating pile of library books

A Few Things That Make the Day Easier

Not everything we use is technically a school supply.

Insulated water bottles are one of those things. We use both Simple Modern Summit bottles and Owala FreeSip bottles, and because they’re useful for school days at home and everything we do outside the house, they’re something I don’t mind investing in.

We also use alarm clocks to help the kids manage their mornings more independently. Ours are older sunrise-style clocks that gradually light up before the alarm, and while our particular model had a few limitations, we’ve really liked the concept. If I were buying them now, I’d choose a sunrise alarm clock with separate weekday and weekend settings so their alarms don’t have to follow the same schedule every day. Another option for older kids is an Echo Spot with Alexa, which works as a bedside clock while also letting them set alarms and reminders and manage more of their own routine. Either way, having their own alarm instead of depending on me to wake them has been another small step toward managing their routines independently.

Those little systems matter more to me now than accumulating more “educational” stuff.

Things We Used More When They Were Younger

What works for learning at home changes dramatically as kids grow.

During the toddler, preschool, and kindergarten years, we used things like magnetic alphabet letters, hands-on manipulatives, and a printable calendar I created for practicing days, months, weather, and routines.

We obviously don’t use those things in the same way anymore.

I actually think that’s worth remembering when buying educational supplies. Some things are wonderful for a particular developmental stage and then their job is done. Others—art supplies, books, building toys, puzzles, technology, and open-ended materials—can keep evolving with kids for years.

What We’ve Learned After Years of School at Home

The longer we’ve done this, the less interested I am in having the “perfect” learning setup.

My kids don’t need every educational toy, a dedicated classroom, or an elaborate organizational system to learn well at home.

They need the tools required for their actual schoolwork, access to information, opportunities to explore things they’re curious about, and enough independence to learn how to manage some of it themselves.

Sometimes that’s a laptop and an assignment.

Other times, it’s an atlas pulled off the shelf because a question came up.

Sometimes it’s a robotics kit, a pile of LEGO, a library book, a whiteboard covered in math, or cardboard that was supposed to go in the recycling.

That’s what learning at home has looked like for us—and it’s changed right along with the kids.

Looking for the things we actually use? I keep many of our favorite learning-at-home supplies, games, STEM activities, and everyday school essentials together in my Learning + School Favorites Amazon list.