So, I recently got to thinking about things that I usually make sure to have on hand, both as a parent and as a teacher. You never know when you're gonna need that one little thing to keep the peace and make the day go by that much smoother. Here are some of my must haves- and why I make sure to keep them around.
1. Art supplies.(I grouped this category because the list would be waaay too long if I listed them individually.) Crayons, markers, colored and graphite pencils, construction paper, watercolor paper, drawing paper, coloring books, tissue paper, magazines/ads/newspaper for cutting, scissors, glue, stickers... The list is pretty much endless. But art supplies are the kind of awesome free exploration that kids love, and learn so much from. Truly, having a well stocked stash of art supplies can save the kids (and parents/teachers) from going up the wall.
2. Tape. Tape is one of the most versatile tools you can have as a caregiver for young children. It can fix books or toys (electrical tape makes a great cast for a broken Barbie wrist or dragon tail!) Painters tape works wonderfully for creating a race track for Hot Wheels and their friends, or for marking shapes and spaces for other games that need a bigger 'board' than the traditional board game. Washi tape is great for art projects. And we all know about Duct tape... Fixes everything, right? :)
3. Play dough. Weather you buy Play-Doh from the store or make your own at home, play dough is definitely a must have. It's another one of those boredom busters, and is such a great fine motor workout for little hands.
4. Laminator (thermal + pouches or self adhesive). I LOVE my laminator. Definitely one of the best $20 investments I've made. We use it to make dry erase and play dough mats.
5. Dry erase markers and mats or boards. My kids love dry erase activities. And I love that they aren't going through a ton of paper. Dry erase activities are just enough of a novelty that even the most resistant practicing writer will be hard pressed to refuse.
6. Sensory table, filler, and scoops. We use a regular under-the-bed type storage tub for our sensory table. I love that it has a well fitting lid, and the kids know when the lid is on, the bin is not available unless they ask. We also keep gallon size bags of mixed pasta, colored rice, and mixed beans on hand to put in the table. I have made cloud dough for it, and am thinking about dumping some cornmeal with cinnamon in for the holiday scent. We'll see! And the scoops are nothing fancy- just salvaged yogurt and spice containers.
7. Notebooks. You know how stores have notebooks on sale for $,03 at the end of the school supply sales? (I may be exaggerating slightly about the price, but they're still super cheap when they are trying to get rid of the oodles extra they ordered in preparation for school supply shopping.) Anyways, I always stock up on a bunch of them when I can, then give them to the kids with their name on the cover as a journal. It's so much fun to see the things they 'write', actually write, or draw in them. And I love looking back at their earlier journals and seeing how much they have learned. Notebooks are also handy for the parent/teacher for notes and lists and whatever else one uses a notebook for. :)
8. A library card. You never know what kinds of treasures you can find at your local library. We went one time, just to check out some books, and found out they were having a terrific book sale! We walked out with a reusable shopping bag, packed full of books, that cost us $2. There are so many family activities to take advantage of, from story time to movie nights. And the novelty of a new book never gets old- literally. The more reading your child (and you!) do, the better! There are so many new worlds to discover between the covers of a book.
9. Camera. I don't use my camera as often as I feel I should, especially now that I have a phone with a pretty decent camera in it. Either way, have a way to capture those special moments. There's no need to go overboard and take a million pictures (unless you really want to- then by all means, snap away!) But having those moments recorded means a lot, and I for one love having the option as opposed to kicking myself for forgetting to have something ready.
10. Chocolate. You never know when you're going to need it. Potty training toddler makes it to the bathroom by themselves? Have a bite. Preschooler shares the most favorite, sacred toy without being asked? Here's a nibble. School age kid spends 30+ minutes reading to his siblings, never getting frustrated with the million and 12 interrupted questions? Take half. Had a long day? You, mom/dad/caregiver/teacher, get the whole thing. :) Some days, chocolate just makes everything better.
There are so many things out there billed to make your life easier... These are the things I love to have on hand to make a melt down day into a fun filled day. Find what works for you, and make sure you are never without!
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