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Back-to-school shopping can be such a fun and exciting time for your new 5th grade student, but it can be a hectic pain in the you know what for moms if you don’t know what you need. Every year, when Summer is coming to an end and the new school year is approaching, it’s easy to put off preparation. It’s especially easy when you haven’t received your kids’ school supplies lists from their teachers yet. If you kid is in public school you can probably find your school’s/teacher’s supply list at your local office supply stores or major retailers like Walmart or Target. If not, you can use my list. With every new school year I learn something new about the importance of getting prepared early. So I put this list of 5th grade school supplies together so you don’t have to wait around. You can tackle your back-to-school shopping whenever you want to!
Included on this list are also all the things your kids’ teachers likely won’t be asking for but that will help your kid have the best first day and entire year at school in their new fifth-grade class.
Fifth Grade School Supply List
For your convenience, each supply listed below is linked to the product on Amazon.
- #2 Pencils
- Pencil pouch or 3-hole mesh front pencil case
- Large pink erasers
- Pencil Sharpeners
- 1-inch binder / 3 ring binder
- 3-hole punch
- Pocket folders
- Washable markers
- Dry erase markers (no permanent markers)
- Crayons
- Highlighters
- Subject dividers (or use a clear sleeve that can hold papers and divide subjects)
- Blunt tip scissors
- Protractor
- Ruler-12”
- Colored pencil
- Blue or black ballpoint pens
- Glue Sticks
- Spiral notebooks
- Wide ruled loose-leaf paper
- Index cards
- Book bag
- Lunchbox
- Tissues
- Hand sanitizer
- Water bottle
- Book covers
- Planner
- Combination lock (if your child has started using a locker)
- Graph paper
- Personalized labels (to label things like notebooks, binders, water bottle, folders)
Why the Fifth Grade School Supply List is important
Getting everything on the school supplies list seems like a little thing, but it’s one of the biggest things you can do to set your children up for success at school. Children who are prepared with what they need to learn are found to manage their time better, feel less fear and anxiety, and tend to complete their schoolwork more often than those who are not prepared.
Check last year’s school supplies
Chances are since you have a 5th grader, you have a little (or maybe big) stock of school supplies from last year or even the years before. Since school supply requirements change only slightly from first grade all the way to probably 7th grade, you probably still have a few things your kids can use at any age level. You may also have a few things that your kids don’t need anymore. Ask your kids’ teachers who those items can be donated to. There are usually at least a couple of kids in classrooms who have accessibility issues and their parents are unable to get their own school supplies. Teachers typically keep a stash of extra supplies for these kids so they would likely be very grateful for anything you would like to contribute.
The importance of donating school supplies
Remember those benefits of being prepared that I talked about earlier? There are so many children who don’t have equal access to those benefits because their parents or guardians are unable to provide school supplies, among other things. Many kids have to come to school completely unprepared. Which easily creates a sense of shame, guilt, and embarrassment on a daily basis. If you don’t have extra school supplies to donate, you might consider buying some extras when you shop for your own kids if you’re able. Another option would be to ask your children’s teachers what they need or if they would prefer to have a gift card to purchase what they know the kids in their class might need.
Where to buy school the items from your Fifth Grade School Supply Lists
I already mentioned that you might be able to find your kid’s class school supply list at a local retailer, but if you’re looking for a good deal on school supplies, check out Amazon and look into school supply kits. You may be able to find one that checks off every last item you need and this route is much easier than buying each thing individually. Plus you don’t have to go to the store with your kids. Think of how much money and energy that will save you!
Many retailers will offer a back-to-school sale including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Stables, Dollar Tree, Office Depot, and Walgreens.
Wherever, however, and whenever you decide to shop, I hope that my 5th grade school supply list will help you and your child feel prepared and at ease to start the new school year!
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Hi, I’m Jessica! I am wife to Chris, and mom to Kaiper, Alana and Koa. I am a graphic designer, website developer and aspiring author. In this space, I share about everything from parenting, working from home, food we cook, and lots of things for kids! Learn more about me here.