I buy our own supplies and I do it when we get the lists. But I usually wind up running to both Target and Walmart and sometimes to Office Depot to get everything on the lists. Every year it's like that. No one store ever has everything. My kids are MS/HS age and they have a system for staying organized that works for them. Usually they pick up a 3 ring binder for each class, put notebook paper/graph paper in the binder along with dividers and a 3 hole pocket folder to hold papers. Sometimes they only need a spiral notebook for a class. Pens/pencils/erasers, etc are put in a zip pouch to use with all classes. |
| ^I said that I run to the stores. I should mention that my kids actually come to the stores with me, they take their lists and pick up the items that they need, paying close attention to prices... |
I guess everyone is different. My girls and I love our annual school supply shopping trip. They are excited all summer for Target to set up the school supply shop. They have so much fun picking everything out and then we go to lunch. It's fun, and not a chore at all. |
| Never buy any kits, just follow this list properly https://www.myschoolsupplylists.com/5th-grade-school-supply-list-2/ (our previous teacher used to tell parents what to buy but we changed school). I think special kits are great idea, very comfortable and rather affordable, but I always have to buy something else, they're not complete. Moreover, my daughter likes to pick everything by herself and I don't mind. |