This post is sponsored by Acorn.
As a former school teacher, my husband always attacks my daughter’s school supply list with a fervor. He knows all too well how much teacher’s spend out of their own pocket for basic classroom supplies. Most parents want to help their child’s classroom as much as possible but aren’t sure where to start. I have created a list of easy way to help your child’s school so hopefully this year, fewer teachers will be paying for things our of their own paycheck.
Kleenex- Especially in the cold months, teachers can spend a pretty penny trying to keep their classroom stocked with Kleenex. When my husband was a school teacher he was always the most grateful for donations of Kleenex. If he didn’t have Kleenex in the classroom he either had to disrupt class to send kids to the bathroom or they were wiping their noses with their hands and spreading germs.
Paper Towels- Many projects or labs can get messy. Paper towels make cleaning up easier and faster leaving more time for learning!
Hand sanitizer- This is especially needed if your child’s classroom doesn’t have a sink. It would take a lot out of a learning day to send the kids to the bathroom to wash their hands every time it is needed. Hand sanitizer keeps the classroom moving efficiently.
Ziploc Bags- Many teachers use Ziploc Bags to keep individual projects separated for each student. The larger bags are used for take home books and projects and the smaller bags are used for craft projects and flash cards. See what sizes your child’s teacher needs!
White board markers- Teachers usually spend a good portion of the lesson writing on the whiteboard. It helps save paper and allows for more interactive discussions. It also means teachers go through A LOT of white board markers.
Crayons/Colored Pencils- A great way to get kids excited and involved in a project is to let them draw and color. Kids can go through a lot of crayons in a year. I remember one day I was volunteering in my daughter’s classroom and the kids were drawing with little tiny stubs of crayons. The teacher explained that she had decided they needed glue sticks more and so the crayons would have to wait until her next paycheck. I got the parents together and we were able to replace all of the crayons in the classroom for just $1 a parent. Check with your teacher to see what they prefer. Some teachers like crayons and some prefer colored pencils.
Glue sticks- I don’t know about your kids, but my kids can go through an entire glue stick in one project. Teachers are always grateful for more!
Treats- Most teachers have a small treat basic full of small treats and toys like erasers and smarties to help reward children who are behaving in class. I love buying a big box of Fruit By the Foot or similar treats and sending them in to help the teacher offset the cost of providing these rewards.
Another fantastic way to support your child’s classroom is to collect Box Tops for Education. Simply buy products with Box Tops on them. Clip the Box Tops off of the packages and send them into your child’s school in a Ziploc bag. The school will then send in the Box Tops and earn 10 cents for each one!
Shopping at Costco for these things for your child’s classroom will not only save you money on the things your child’s teacher needs but many of the packages offer EXTRA Box Tops around the start of the school, so you can support the classroom in multiple ways.
I created a container to collect all of our Box Tops. We keep it in our kitchen and every month or so I dump the Box Tops into a bag and have my daughter take them to her teacher. I love having a specific place to put our Box Tops right in our kitchen, it helps makes sure they don’t get thrown away and make it to the school. The collection container is so easy to make!
You will need:
- a drink packet container
- a knife
- school stickers or cutting machine and vinyl to cut your own
These plastic containers which come filled with packets to make pitchers of lemonade make the best containers for gathering all of your Box Tops! They are tall but skinny so they don’t take up much space in your kitchen but can hold quite a few Box Tops!
Remove the packing from your container and clean it inside and out.
Cut a rectangle shaped hole in the top of the container to make it easy to drop your Box Tops inside.
Decorate your container with stickers or markers. I cut a cute school house out of glitter vinyl and put it on the front of my container.
Right now Costco Members can enter to win extra Box Tops for their school! Here’s how:
How to Enter Costco Sweeps:
- Take a photo about how Box Tops for Education inspires imagination in your kid
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- Preferred ways of entry: Instagram or Twitter
- Can upload to microsite as well but is not the preferred way of entry
- Follow @BTFE on Twitter or Instagram (this is how winner will be notified so must follow this handle)
- Share and use hashtag: #InspireContest
- Prize: 3,000 Costco members will win. Each winner will win 100 Box Tops for their school
- Sweeps will not include/do not engage in e-box tops
* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 years or older. Ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on 9/30/17. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, and prize descriptions visit www.costcobtfe.com. Void where prohibited by law. Use of “#InspireContest” when posting entry constitutes entrant’s agreement to Official Rules. Sponsor: General Mills. Each box top is worth 10 cents to redeeming school when clipped from box tops products and sent to the redeeming school. Only BTFE registered schools can redeem box tops. Limit $20,000 per school per year for box tops redeemed through the clip program. Seewww.boxtopsforeducation.com for program details.
What other things do you buy to help out your child’s classroom?
That is such a cute container idea. You HAVE to keep your Box Tops in a container. Otherwise, all it takes is one rogue hand swipe to send you looking all over the kitchen for spilled tops.
Teacher here in our country are also like that, spending out from their own pocket. It is great to know that there are products that support BoxTops program.
That’s a cute container. My sister in the US also collects box tops to help support their local school.
Teachers spend so much of their own money on classroom supplies. We buy extra pencils and other supplies for the teacher to use when students who can’t afford school supplies run out.
I love the box tops program.
Collecting Box Tops is fun at any age! I love this collection box idea!!
I’m obsessed with Box Tops. I’ve been OCD about them for the past 9 years. I even clip them off other people’s things.
This is such a great idea! I love supporting brands that have box tops because it’s just so lovely to give back to our schools. They do so much for the kids and it’s just right that they get as much help as they need.
I try to send extra when I can. Baby wipes are also a welcomed classroom item too. They can clean up hands, desks, and more.
I used to just discard those box tops but now I am starting to get on with this amazing cause. Will definitely want to help support kids.
This is a great DIY! Such a perfect re-purposing project. When I was in school, we always kept our box tops in a small jar in our cabinet. I wish we would have thought of something fun like this! 😉