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Homework Time Must-Haves

We rounded up suggestions from the best source out there: MOMS. Homework Time can certainly be a nightmare for kids and parents alike. However, there are definitely some must-haves that will make after school work time go a little smoother!

Homework time. AIMIRIGHT? Those two little words are surely enough to send shivers up most parents’ spines. Most of us have suffered through at least some sort of resistance from kids who come home from school and the last thing on their minds is homework. Even though my oldest doesn’t really mind doing homework and my youngest doesn’t have homework yet, we struggle with finding the time to get it finished thanks to a full line-up of after-school sports and other activities.

Of course, just like pretty much everything else kid-related, the more you prepare ahead of time, the easier things are in the long run. Homework time is no exception. Even having a sharpened pencil and an eraser on hand can cut out the frustration of wasting time while searching the house for one.

I asked readers on my Facebook page to chime in with their helpful tips and tricks to making homework time a little easier. Here is what we came up with!

Homework Time Must-Haves

DIY Homework Supply Caddy – Puts all the necessary homework supplies right within arm’s reach, even scissors and glue!

Poster Board, Report Covers, Printer Ink – While these items might not be listed on the “back to school supply shopping list” handed out at school, they sure are handy for those last minute reports and projects!

Pencil Sharpener – Nothing hinders homework time like a broken pencil point. Keep a quality pencil sharpener near the spot where the kids usually do their homework. Our favorite for FUN pencil sharpening? Check out these Amazeko Pencil Sharpeners! They light up AND make noise. Choices include a fire truck, ice cream truck and a police SWAT vehicle.

Extra Common Supplies including crayons, pencils, glue sticks and notebooks – Take advantage of back to school sales and grab some extra supplies while you’re at the store. Put them away in the closet for the months AFTER school starts when kids need some fresh supplies but stores no longer have them on sale.

Hole Punch – Another item you might not use a lot, but you’ll be very happy to have one when you need one!

Pre-Sharpened Pencils – If you choose to forego the pencil sharpener, do yourself a favor and pick up some pencils that are already sharpened!

Contact Paper – Have a new roll of contact paper on hand, especially during those first few days of school when books needing covers come home! Book Sox and good old brown paper grocery bags are also great alternatives for book protecting.

Folders in Uncommon Colors – How many times has your kid come home with a school supply list that contains a harder to find folder color on it? Purple? Orange, perhaps? While a rainbow of folder colors can typically be found during back to school sales, the less common colors become scarce during the school year. Take advantage of very cheap prices and pick up a few extra.

Clipboards – Buy and hang a clipboard for each kiddo on the wall. Use this for important forms, field trip slips, spelling word lists, etc.

Tips Beyond Homework Helpers

I received so many great tips when I asked for homework helpers. The following must-haves aren’t necessarily homework helpers, but they were such great ideas, I didn’t want to leave them out of the post.

Name Labels or Stickers – And label every last thing that you send to school with your child! Backpacks, hats, gloves, jackets, sweatshirts, etc. LABEL EVERYTHING. Kids are notorious for leaving their possessions behind – whether it’s left on the playground, the bus or the classroom. Labeling your child’s items give you a much better chance of recovering from the Lost & Found (or from whoever ends up finding it).

$1 bills – At the beginning of the year, get $50+ in singles from the bank. Keep these bills in an envelope so you will always have small bills on hand for lunch money, field trip money, school store, etc.