We have a creative daughter and that has greatly impacted where I invest my homeschooling money. As a relaxed homeschooler, I don’t think it’s necessary to spend a lot of money on homeschooling materials, especially in the elementary grades. The things we do use, I am willing to spend a bit more because I KNOW they will be used. That said, Amazon has been very helpful at times. Even though as small business owners we support local businesses as much as possible, Amazon makes my life easier since it cuts down on the running around I have to do.
Here are some of the best things we’ve purchased from Amazon for homeschooling our creative child including art supplies, games, and a number of things that might surprise you!
(Update: If you want to see some of the other art supplies we now purchase regularly as she has gotten older, check out The 100 Best Art Supplies for Creative Girls.)
Boogie Board
These make learning so much more fun. For children who struggle with the physical act of writing (such as dysgraphia), these add a level of enjoyment to it that paper and pencil often doesn’t have.
Colored Pencils, Gel Pens, Sharpies and Copics
Pencils, pens, and markers are a BIG DEAL in our home. Caroline likes using different kinds of pencils/pens for different kinds of projects. Since drawing is her thing, we try to keep her stocked with lots of different tools.
Melissa and Doug Easel for a Beginning Artist
Caroline received this set with all the bells and whistles for Christmas when she was tiny. It was well-loved and enjoyed! The Melissa and Doug easel is sturdy and well worth the money.
Brain Quest Workbooks
It might seem a bit strange to mention workbooks when we are relaxed homeschoolers, but that’s exactly why we use them. I use workbooks to check what Caroline can do and try to keep track somewhat with where she is compared to traditional grade level expectations.
Card Games & Board Games
For a creative child who isn’t especially excited about math, board games are by far the best way to incorporate lots of math without her even realizing it. Caroline is exceptionally good at UNO and it was the first game she could consistently beat us in. Spot It! was very helpful for visual processing issues.
Kindle Fire & Power Fast Charger
A Kindle Fire is hands down one of the best purchases we’ve ever made. An iPad is simply too expensive for our family, but a Kindle Fire is such a great deal with so many options. The Kindle FreeTime Unlimited has been a big bonus for us. We have an Amazon Prime membership so the FreeTime membership for one child is only $2.99 a month! It is worth so much more than that!
We use our Kindles a lot and I cannot recommend a speedy charger enough. The charger that comes with the Kindle is too slow if you are heavy users. It seems crazy to spend more on another charger, but it’s worth every single penny. I would not be without a fast charger.
So there you are! Some of our favorite homeschool things on Amazon!
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