5 Must-Have Teaching Supplies
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. See my disclosure for more details.
Before I became a teacher, I underestimated how much work teaching would be and how much of my own money I would spend on my classroom and students! Teachers put so much time, money, and love into teaching and they all deserve a pay raise! Now that I’m a homeschool mom, I am also putting in so much time and money into teaching my three boys.
Over the years, I’ve used various tools to make teaching easier.
Today I’m sharing my top five teaching supplies. Of course, you could buy lots of other supplies, but these are my must-haves!
Top 5 Teaching Supplies
#1 – Home Laminator
I have used my Scotch Thermal Laminator for over 7 years and it’s still working great! I use it to laminate any printables I want to use with dry-erase markers or other printed items that I want to be more durable, such as printable games. Having this in my home is a game-changer and saves me money! Even my husband used it the other day for work! 😉
The one I purchased in 2013 is no longer available, but the one that is most similar is this one.

#2 – Binding Machine
I know this one might surprise you, but I love my binding machine! I have used this so many times! It’s great for making journals, packets, small booklets, and even my handprint calendar. It is also super easy to use.

#3 – Pencil Sharpener
Investing in a good pencil sharpener is a must! I’ve gone through some pretty cheap pencil sharpeners and it’s so frustrating spending money on something that breaks! This Xacto pencil sharpener is great for home or the classroom!

#4 – Stapler
Getting a good, heavy-duty stapler is so helpful! I love this Swingline one because you can staple a lot of pages at once!

#5 – Paper Cutter
So many printables for early childhood require cutting! I love using this paper cutter to save time. It makes cutting a breeze!

Of course, there are many more supplies I could add to this list. These are just my top 5!
What is a must-have for you?


Thanks so much for creating this giveaway!
All of these are amazing teacher friends! In a large class setting the pencil sharpener is super important! For home school I’m liking the laminator for making things reusable:)
The paper cutter would save me so much time!
I would love the laminator, you can do so many cool things ,other than laminating with one!!
I would LOVE to have a binder!! I already have several of the others and couldn’t agree more on their utility! Thank you for providing such wonderful advice and resources for parents!
I would love the paper cutter. We have one to use for our whole building and it would make life easier if I could just cut things in my room where there is more space and on my time. Then I could share with my teammates on my floor as well.
I would love the binding machine or the stapler. Working in a self-contained room, we are constantly stapling and binding books. I had a binding machine but it broke.
Thanks for the offers.
So many projects and activities require cutting and a paper cutter would make it so much quicker when I’m working on the activities at home.
Good morning to everyone! I’m a preschool director and my staff would be thrilled with any of these essential teaching supplies. The majority of my staff would appreciate an additional laminator to add to our resources.
Thanks and have a terrific Tuesday! 🙂
I would definitely choose the binding machine! It would a great addition to our homeschool supplies, and much cheaper than getting packets printed at the store!! Good luck to everyone!! 🙂