Study Materials Every Parent Should Have Around

Studying is an important part of your child's life. Sometimes we get caught up in making sure our children have the latest toys, but what about the latest study materials? These are vital to your child's growth and success and yet we don't think about them in the same way we think about toys and gadgets. I have always been a firm believer in making education fun, so here is a breakdown of the materials I feel every household should have and utilize.

General School Supplies
Pencils
Lined Paper
Erasers
Pencil Sharpeners (electric works best and creates less mess)
Desk
Crayons
Markers (always use washable if you have any kids under the age of 6 in your house)
Write & Wipe Markers
Dry Erase Board

Study Materials
Addition/Subtraction Flash Cards
Addition/Subtraction Fact Triangles
Multiplication/Division Flash Cards
Multiplication/Division Fact Triangles
Sight Word Flash Cards
Math Manipulatives

Study Books
Student Dictionary (regular or online will do)
Student Thesaurus (regular or online will do)
Encyclopedia (book set, online, or software - any of these will do)

Study Games
Elementary Advantage (contains 8 software disks for various school subjects)
Math Bingo
Sight Word Bingo
Spelling Bingo
Skip Toss

How to Use the Materials
First, you'll need to set up a study space. A study space can be anywhere in your house that has proper lighting and is quiet. All study materials should be stored close to the study space and should be easy to access. General supplies should be within reach during study time. An esay way to make this posssible is to store all the general supplies in an organized plastic container right on the workspace (table or desk).