There are so many awesome supplies to choose from when it comes to teaching elementary-age children. It's also incredibly easy to get lost amongst it all. I really love having hands-on supplies for them to use. Kids thrive on stimulation, and providing the proper tools and supplies can really help keep them engaged and learning. You also don't want to forget about yourself--make sure that you have what you need in order to stay on track, as well. I have both a second grader and a preschooler to keep interested here as we learn at home. Unprepared for the costs of teaching at home, I had to find the most bang for my buck--but I had no prior experience whatsoever. I researched and considered my children's unique needs when choosing classroom supplies. Admittedly, some purchases turned out to be not as useful as others. I'm going to share a list of the supplies that we have found to be the most useful, effective, and fun.