Top 10 Homeschool Supplies for 2025

Perhaps you've clicked this link and have been following along with me for a while. And you're thinking, wait, Melanie doesn't homeschool. SHE DOES NOW :)

Well, in all actuality my second oldest has been homeschooled for the last 3 years. Although it's really been self-schooled, as she has taken on the learning. I just have managed her schedule and have been blessed to be apart of a wonderful homeschool community with other moms that have taken her in to help teach her different subjects.

But come August, I will be taking my 12 years of classroom experience and staying home to homeschool 3 of my children that are still in the home. And I am so very excited! So here are a list of 10 things that have been essential in our planning, and in my daughter's success in her homeschool journey the past few years. This post contains affiliate links that I earn a small commission off when you click the links from my website.

The first item on my must-have school supply list is a planner! This allows every homeschooling mom the ability to track her children's progress within their lessons for future evaluations that are often a must-do in homeschooling. What I like best about this planner is that it can be used for multiple children! 

Another item (or multiple) that I would recommend is books to help YOU as the homeschool parent. How are you going to homeschool? Are you going to look into an online learning community? Research co-op's in your area? Look to join a classical conversations group? Take more of a Charlotte Mason approach? Unschooling? There are so many options. After I taught for 8 years in the public school systems, in both MD and FL, I transitioned to teaching at a classical christian school. I absolutely agree with and love Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education. So you will need some good resource books. These are so great books if you are interest in Classical Christian Education. The Case for Classical Christian Education by Doug Wilson is a great starting place. Classical Me Classical Thee by Rebekah Merkle is a great book to read for teenagers that explains the purpose of classical education to homeschooled students.  I love Charlotte Mason's writings and agree with her philosophy of education, so I thought it imperative to include it in my book list here. A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason, Mason argues that education should be as enriching as a well-balanced meal, providing intellectual and moral nourishment to all. Home Education by Charlotte Mason is filled with wisdom and grace from Charlotte Mason's teachings.

Yoto is the audio player that grows with your child, from toddler tunes to tween audiobooks. My daughter has had a Yoto for two years and has enjoyed many classics like C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. There is a wide range of cards to choose from, as well as blank ones that you can make your own audio books! 

My children love Thames and Kosmos STEM items! This microscope is a great tool to add to your science kits! Thames and Kosmos is known for creating games and toys that are engaging and educational. My kids spent hours the other day putting together a Mega Cyborg Hand, and they learned so much! Thames & Kosmos has many toys for children of all ages.

As far as curriculum goes, depending on your students' age and academic level, I have a few favorites. Ambleside online has a phenomenal website chock full of resources, booklists, schedules for those that adore Charlotte Mason's principles as such as I do. Here are few of the things we are going to try this year:

This year for my 6th grader, we will be trying Life of Fred Pre-Algebra 0, as it came as a recommendation from the math teacher at the classical christian school my daughter attended, and I worked at last year. So from what I've read, I am excited to try this curriculum. 

This is Volume 4 of Story of the World. My sixth grader in her history class the past 3 years has read the first 3 volumes, so I thought we could read this as one of our history books this year. 

Last year, my sixth grade started with IEW, and I also started with it as a teacher (teaching 4th grade). It is a heavy writing curriculum with a big learning curve (for both teacher and student), but now that I've taught it and my child has gone through a year with it, I think it will be good to continue with this year. Their writing curriculum is history or bible based, so you can choose different time periods over the course of their middle school years. 

For Literature, we plan on reading some classics throughout the year. Some of the books on our list are The Age of Fable by Thomas Bulfinch, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. These are books that she will read, or listen to, and then narrate. She has been completing written narrations for the past few years, so this will not be a new practice to her. A narration can be orally or in writing, or it can be a picture drawing for younger learners. The purpose of narrating is for the child to attend to the text and then communicate back all that they remember, including as many details as they can.

Students need spaces to work. For my sixth grader, notebooks will be essential. I also find letting them choose their own notebook engages them to want to work in it. Notebooks will be used for math problem solving, as well as writing, and narration! 

I absolutely love gardening, watching things grow! My children also love growing things from seeds! Having a little greenhouse, like the one posted, is great for your children to watch plants sprout and grow!

Amazon Kindle Kids is a device my daughter uses to read her beloved books! Amazon Kids+ is a subscription designed for kids aged 3-12, providing unlimited access to thousands of age-appropriate books, including classic chapter books and graphic novel favorites. Included content is curated by age range, so it safely evolves with a child's interests and maturity. After 6 months, your subscription will automatically renew every month starting at just $5.99/month plus applicable tax. You may cancel at any time by visiting the Amazon Parent Dashboard or contacting Customer Service. Another benefit to this device is that it includes a 2 year warranty and if it breaks you can return it and they're replace it for free!

Well that's a wrap! Please follow along for this fun journey of homeschooling for my family and I!