School-supply requirements vary by school, grade, program, and individual teacher, so no single list covers every classroom. This grade-by-grade guide does, however, provide a practical starting point for parents.
What's the Difference Between Consumable and Reusable Supplies?
Consumable supplies are items that get used up and will likely need replacing each year. Reusable supplies are items that, if they're still functional, can carry over from the previous year without being replaced.
This distinction matters because it helps you decide where to spend and what to check before buying anything new. For children entering first grade or higher, start with a quick audit of what's left from last year. Test every marker, sharpen the pencils, check each glue stick, and open every binder. Anything that still works probably doesn't need to be replaced.
Consumable supplies (likely need replacing annually)
- Pencils
- Pencil crayons (coloured pencils)
- Crayons
- Washable markers
- Glue sticks
- Erasers
- Loose-leaf paper and notebooks
Reusable supplies (check before replacing)
- Pencil case or pouch
- Scissors (blunt-tip for younger grades)
- Ruler (30 cm)
- Binders and duo-tangs
- Dividers
- Calculator (if requested)
If something is worn out or broken, replace it. If it still works, hang onto it.
What Do Kindergarten Students Typically Need?
Kindergarten requirements are particularly variable, and some schools specifically recommend that families wait until they've connected with the educator before purchasing supplies.
If your child's school or teacher hasn't sent a supply list yet, wait before making any purchases. Many kindergarten classrooms provide shared materials so that individual supply lists may be short or even optional. To give you a general idea, here are some items that are commonly included:
- A backpack (large enough to fit a lunch bag and a full-size folder)
- A change of clothes in a labelled bag
- Indoor shoes with non-marking soles
- A refillable water bottle
- A few glue sticks
- Washable markers or crayons (teacher may specify)
- A pencil case
Skip technology entirely at this stage unless the school explicitly asks for it. Kindergarteners generally don't need headphones, USB drives, or tablets.
What Do Grade 1 to 3 Students Typically Need?
Students in early elementary are building foundational literacy and numeracy skills, so their supply lists tend to focus on the basics: pencils, crayons, and glue sticks. Paper is still commonly provided by the school, though some teachers request a specific notebook or duo-tang.
A general framework for Grades 1 to 3:
- Pencils (a small supply to start, not a bulk package you'll spend all of September sharpening)
- Pencil crayons
- Crayons
- Washable markers
- Glue sticks (two or three; they disappear faster than you'd expect)
- Blunt-tip scissors
- Pencil case
- A 30 cm ruler
- Duo-tangs in specified colours, if requested
- A labelled water bottle
- Indoor shoes
Some teachers at this stage request that supplies be left unlabelled so they can be pooled for the class. Others ask for individual labelling. Check the school's list before you spend your precious time writing your child's name on everything.
What Do Grades 4 to 6 Students Typically Need?
By these grades, students are managing more subjects independently and keeping track of their own materials. Supply lists tend to shift from crayons and washable markers toward organizational tools and more formal writing supplies.
A general framework for Grades 4 to 6:
- Pencils and a good eraser
- Pens (blue or black)
- Pencil crayons
- Highlighters (two or three colours)
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- A 30 cm ruler
- A pencil case
- Binders with dividers, or duo-tangs by subject
- Loose-leaf paper (lined)
- A geometry set, if the grade requires it
- A basic calculator, only if requested by the school
This is also the stage when schools are more likely to request technology, with headphones for classroom tablets being a common example. Only buy these items once the school has confirmed that they're necessary.
What Commonly Gets Forgotten? (Non-Stationery Items)
The pencils tend to get all the attention, but several non-stationery items show up on school lists that are easy to overlook until the night before school starts.
- Indoor shoes: Required at most elementary schools. They should have non-marking soles and be easy for younger children to put on independently, ideally with Velcro straps rather than laces.
- A labelled, refillable water bottle: Schools encourage students to stay hydrated, and many have bottle-filling stations or attachments on their water fountains.
- Lunch utensils: A reusable fork and spoon, a small container for dips or sides, and whatever your child needs to eat their lunch independently.
- Weather-appropriate clothing for recess: For cold winter days, your child will need a warm winter coat, snow pants, waterproof boots, mittens, and a hat. On rainy days, a rain jacket, boots and pants can make a real difference. Choose a lined rain jacket when the forecast calls for both cold and wet conditions. If you're looking to sort out the rainwear side of the back-to-school list, Hatley's kids' rainwear is worth a look.
- A backpack with enough room: Large enough to hold a binder, a lunch bag, and a folder easily.
When Should You Wait Before Buying?
There are specific categories where purchasing before you have the school's official list can mean money spent on the wrong thing.
Hold off on buying:
- Technology of any kind, including headphones, USB drives, calculators, and tablets, until the school confirms that it is required. These items vary significantly by grade and program, and buying them in advance could lead to unnecessary purchases.
- Binders and duo-tangs in specific colours. Colour-coding by subject is common, but the system often varies from one classroom to another.
- Large quantities of anything. Supplies can be replenished throughout the year, and teachers may adjust their requirements after the first few weeks. Starting with a reasonable quantity and restocking as needed is often more practical than buying in bulk before September.
The one exception: consumables like pencils and glue sticks are safe to buy in moderate amounts because they'll get used regardless. Just don't buy more than you'll go through in the span of a year.
How Should You Label and Organize School Supplies?
Label personal supplies, and keep smaller items together in a pencil case or pouch.
Labelling is worthwhile for anything that leaves the house, since unmarked supplies can easily end up in the wrong desk or backpack. A label maker, permanent marker, or inexpensive printed labels will all do the job. For clothing and shoes, place labels inside the collar or on the insole.
For organization, a pencil case with enough room for the basics (pencils, pens, eraser, sharpener, small scissors) is practical from Grade 1 onward. By Grades 4 to 6, some students prefer a pouch inside each binder rather than a single case.
Whether your child is starting kindergarten or heading into Grade 6, a supply audit of what's already at home is a sensible first step before you buy anything new. Check what still works, compare it against the official list from your child's school when it arrives, and fill the gaps from there. If you also happen to be thinking of the clothing side of back-to-school preparation, you can explore the Back To School collection at Hatley to see what's in for the season.