I may be in denial about returning to school in just over a month, but I can’t sleep on the Prime Day Deals!
Its no secret that we teachers spend a lot of our own money throughout the school year. Although most of us can accept that its part of the job, there’s no shame in creating a Wishlist on Amazon! Aside from Prime Day, this is a great way to keep all your classroom needs in one place. I usually add this link to my presentation at Meet the Teacher and continue to share it on my weekly newsletter throughout the year. Although it might feel weird, I am even taking advantage of Prime Day Deals and sharing my link on my social media accounts. Whether or not you have friends and family reaching out, you would be surprised how many people would like to show their support, and an Amazon wishlist makes it easy!
As an elementary school teacher, I find that my students run through supplies faster than expected (maybe they’re eating the glue sticks, I don’t know)! Here are a few of my classroom must haves!
First on the list is my classroom doorbell. This can be used like a regular doorbell to inform you that someone is outside the classroom door. This has become pretty popular as locked door policies have been put in place throughout education. However, it doubles as a classroom management tool. I actually have my doorbell plugged into an outlet somewhere in the front or back of the classroom. I keep my transmitter, button, or clicker (whatever you’d like to call it) glued to a clothespin and attached to my lanyard. This is perfect because no matter where I am in the room, I can always sound the chimes to get the classroom’s attention.
Next up are the morning meeting task cards. These are perfect for providing great conversations throughout the classroom without having to get on Google or Pinterest for help! These are also nice for students to be able to lead the conversation. I like pulling straws or sticks and allowing one student to be the “teacher” each morning.
Birthdays are important, but we can’t keep up with 20+ different dates. There’s nothing like having your birthday fall on a school day. You remember feeling like the MVP walking into school. These birthday bracelets are an awesome gift for students. Add this 30 pack on your wishlist and you’ll be ready to throw this surprise on the birthday boy or girl’s desk!
Let’s keep it real, you can never have enough flair pens. Writing with these is basically a teacher right of passage. Let’s face it though, we lose things and we over use things! Grab this pack while it’s on major sale! If you teach upper elementary like I do, my students also love publishing their writing with these pens. I usually make them write in pencil and then trace over with a color of their choice!
The greatest thing I ever did was order a personal laminator for my desk. I know there’s usually only certain times in the school year when you’re laminating a ton of stuff but you’ll thank me! No one wants to walk all the way to the copy room to laminate one name tag for a new student in the middle of the school year (you know you’ve been there)! But also, there’s nothing worse than waiting twenty minutes for that laminator to heat up for one piece of paper! Trust me you need this, and go ahead and grab some sleeves while you’re at it.
Speaking of making your life easier, if you haven’t invested in a cordless glue gun, you need one! Regluing things in the hallways and the poster that inevitably will fall off your wall is so much less tedious when you have one of these. I spent three years of my teaching career borrowing one from my coworker before I realized I needed it on my desk ready to go at all times! This one is part of Prime Day Deals and did I mention, it also comes in pink!
I’ve shared al ot of must haves for you but let’s be honest, it’s all for the kids so let’s not forget them. If you’re looking for ways to keep your students interested in reading, I strongly suggest trying Flashlight Fridays. My students have always gotten a kick out of me shutting the lights off and letting them do independent reading with flashlights. Grab this class set now before the start of the school year.
You can’t forget about the OG! Uno continues to be a fan favorite amongst my students! This 2 pack is the perfect addition to your classroom this year. Not only is it a must have for indoor recess days, but it’s great to throw in as a math station. You can come up with all sorts of games for every math unit!
I hope this list has been a helpful guide for your back to school shopping! Take advantage of these awesome deals, and don’t be afraid to share your wishlist amongst your community!
-Lauren
