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Welcome back to Day 6 of my 31 Days of Kindergarten series!
Today I’m sharing something I get asked about all the time: what kindergarten classroom supplies do you actually use every single day? Not the fancy gadgets that sit in a cabinet collecting dust. Not the teacher purchases that seemed like a great idea at 2:00 a.m. during an online shopping spree. I’m talking about the real MVPs—the supplies you reach for constantly. The kindergarten classroom supplies that make teacher life easier, more organized, and just a little less chaotic.
Let’s start with the obvious. Sharpie markers. You will use them for everything. Labeling bins. Writing student names on supplies. Creating anchor charts. Making classroom signs. Labeling take-home folders. Writing on laminated materials. If you’ve taught kindergarten for more than five minutes, you know that a good permanent marker is practically a survival tool. Keep your Sharpies in multiple places around your classroom because somehow they disappear faster than glue sticks in August.
Can we all agree that laminating is basically a kindergarten teacher love language? I used my personal laminator constantly in and out of the classroom. Centers. Name tags. Classroom labels. Games. Visual schedules. Task cards. Morning tubs. The list never ends.
There is something so satisfying about feeding a freshly printed activity through the laminator and knowing it will survive sticky fingers, spilled water bottles, and enthusiastic kindergarteners.
If I had to choose one teacher tool that saves the most time and money over the course of a school year, the personal laminator would be near the top of the list.
Book rings don’t get nearly enough attention. These little metal rings help me organize so many things in the classroom. Alphabet cards. Sight word cards. Number cards. Visual schedules. Flash cards. Writing prompts. Portable reference tools.
Need to keep a set together? Book ring.
Need students to flip through cards independently? Book ring.
Need to organize teacher sanity? Book ring.
Seriously, they’re one of the cheapest supplies you’ll ever buy, and use them all year long.
If you walked into my ideal classroom, you’d probably find poly mesh zipper pouches everywhere. (Organizing Your Classroom Supplies). Centers go in them. Task cards go in them. Assessment materials go in them. Seasonal activities go in them. Small-group supplies go in them. They’re durable, easy to see through, and help keep everything organized without needing bulky containers. The best part? Students can easily access materials independently. Anything that promotes independence in kindergarten is automatically a win in my book.
If you’ve ever seen pictures of my past classrooms, you’ve probably spotted my IKEA Trofast storage units. These things work HARD. Kindergarten classrooms come with a lot of stuff—math manipulatives, literacy centers, seasonal activities, STEM supplies, play materials, art supplies, and all the little pieces that somehow multiply overnight.
The Trofast units help keep everything organized and easy for little learners to access independently. Each bin has a designated purpose, and because the bins slide in and out, students can grab what they need and put it away without needing teacher assistance.
Use Trofast units for:
One of my favorite things about the Trofast system is that it grows and changes with your classroom needs. If you decide to reorganize a center or switch out materials, it’s easy to rearrange bins and create a new system.
Let’s be honest—kindergarten classrooms can go from organized to looking like a toy store exploded in about 30 seconds. Having designated storage spaces helps keep the chaos manageable.
If there were a Kindergarten Teacher Hall of Fame for storage solutions, the IKEA Trofast would be the obvious winner!!
Having the right kindergarten classroom supplies isn’t about having more—it’s about having what actually works in a busy, hands-on learning environment. When your materials are simple, accessible, and intentional, your entire day runs smoother.
The best kindergarten classroom supplies aren’t always the cutest or most expensive—they’re the ones you actually use every single day without thinking twice.
See you tomorrow for Day 7 of our 31 Days of Kindergarten series!
