- Hi my name's Jessica, I'm a home school mom.
We are at home doing our own curriculum.
That doesn't mean that we stay in our house all the time.
We actually go to a class once a week
and we travel a lot.
And we do a lot of traditional schooling
but we also mix it in with our own things.
We have Bailey who's entering fourth grade,
Jacob who's going into second grade.
Parker who's going into,
kinda like early kindergarten,
but no kindergarten yet.
And Duncan who's our newborn,
and he'll be tagging around with me with anything that I do.
This is our back to school haul.
I'm showing you what I got the kids
so that they can have their best year ever.
(bell dinging)
Miss fourth grade.
So I got you this giant binder.
And it has a strap that connects here
so you can actually carry it,
which I thought was really important
because this bag is gonna get really heavy.
Because we do a home school program called,
Classical Conversations and Bailey's going up
to the next level in that.
And all of this,
is her school work for the year.
- I can't hold it.
- You don't have to bring all of this to school each week
but a lot of it you do.
I think maybe this much.
- That's fine.
- And then Bailey will be doing something called,
IEW, which is Institute of Excellence in Writing.
I don't think just home schoolers do this.
I think a lot of home schoolers do use it but,
I think other people use it as well.
So this might be familiar to you if you're in fourth grade.
There's also areas that are like, file holders.
And we're gonna fill this pocket
up with some goodies right now.
So I got you this ruler.
- That's so cool.
- Isn't it the most beautiful ruler you've ever seen?
And then I got this, 'cause it's so gorgeous.
But it's gonna stay at the house.
Isn't it pretty? - Okay.
Yeah that's really pretty.
- I figured we'd never lose this.
Cause it's like so gorgeous.
Then I got you these pens.
These are like a felt tip marker pen.
Bailey loves to write and to draw.
And she likes to not have too much strain
on her hands when she's doing so.
So here you go, there's some beautiful colors,
but there's also some colors like black, or dark blue,
so that you can write real papers with those.
These are tabs for your file folders.
So you write down what you're putting in here.
Like if it's writing, or math you put it on there.
And you slide that in, and then you can find it really
easily because they'll be labeled.
Doesn't that look nice?
I got Bailey this dry-erase.
This was in the cheap-o isle at Target.
And Bailey does something called National Number Knockout.
Which is a super fun game.
You should look it up online.
She loves it.
And it requires a little dry-erase marker.
So I thought this would be fun to have at home
and not just in class.
Bailey loves whiteout.
So I got her this mini whiteout.
- Thank you.
- This next thing is so me.
So I had to get it for Bailey.
These are all the supplies and tools we need for school,
but mini. (laughing)
- I love that sort of thing.
- I know.
There's teeny-tiny tape.
And look at this little stapler.
And this you're gonna love.
It's a hole punch.
- I love hole punches.
- This is a pencil sharpener.
I don't know if you ever used one of these,
do you know what this is?
This is for removing staples.
Yeah so you find the staple, you go like that,
and you would pull it up.
So now Bailey has everything she needs when she's out,
but it doesn't have to be super heavy and weighing her down.
I love this.
I got you the prettiest pencils I've ever seen.
So that is all Bailey needs for her binder
while she's on the go.
But she's also going to need something for her lunch
and for her water.
So I got you this really cute little purse thing.
Bailey has big school days so I wanted her
to able to pack a lot.
Her lunches in the past have been a little bit small.
But this will be able to carry a ton.
- Whoa!
- It's insulated.
So it'll stay cold the whole day you're gone.
- Or hot! - Or hot.
I thought you'd like it because it's kind of like nature.
- And it's really cute.
- Yeah and you like this color too.
So that's why I got that for you.
I put a lot of thought into Bailey's
reusable water bottle this year.
We've had a ton of these in the past.
And some of them have worked and some of them
really haven't, or have been gross.
Because of mold and other issues.
But I love this one.
It's the shorter version of this,
what is it?
Avex bottle.
Let me show you how it works.
First of all it has a nice open cup for washing,
which I love.
You can see into every part.
Which I love.
So there's no like place for mold to get trapped into.
It has this, which my kids are really into,
these little hook things.
And the way that you sip out of it,
is you open up this part.
But it still doesn't spill.
Because you have to push this button here.
And that opens this sipping thing.
It just pours right out.
We got one of these for each of us and the family
and we all love them.
- Am I still going to be using my backpack?
- So you can.
So Bailey has her old Elsa backpack.
I think that this is not going to be big enough
for all that you have to deal with.
We're gonna have it for other activities.
But I think for your main school,
you'll probably be holding things in your hands,
or on your arm.
So that's your main stuff for going to school.
But since we homeschool, we have a couple other things.
And I wanted to show you that element of our days as well.
So in our homes, our kids all have their own basket.
And you can do this for your homework
or other work as well.
But this is what we do for our homeschooling.
And I fill up the basket with things
that I want them to do each day.
So that means that they have something there.
If I'm not able to tell them in that moment
what to go do, they can just pick up their basket,
look at what they've done for the day
and what they haven't.
And they're ready to go.
Bailey currently has some papers.
This is her health binder so she's doing that.
And I'm gonna add this stuff to it,
because we need to work on sorting that together.
And then I also have this beautiful
notebook for you sweetie.
Which you can take with you to school
but I thought you'd wanna write and use at home.
So I'm putting that in there.
And then we also have, at home scissors.
So I got you these scissors.
- They look like Hawaii.
- They do.
And then this year, we're studying American History.
I got you these United States flashcards which will show
facts about each state.
Bailey learns each state and their capital,
and then other things about the states.
And this is information about the presidents
of the United States, which we're also learning about.
And this just gives us extra info.
Bailey loves flags.
So I saw these and I just had to get them for you.
And I thought you'd love the flags of the world flashcards.
Since she was a young girl, she's loved looking
at little flags.
One thing we'll be doing this year is Sewing School.
This book is great.
It's for teaching young children how to sew.
It's something I've always needed.
And I'm glad that this exists
because it's very helpful and simple.
And I love it.
This is Bailey's planner and organizer.
It's super cute.
She's got all these little stickers
and things to decorate it and make her plans.
And she can fill that out in there, which is great.
She's getting a little grown up and she's gotta
learn how to organize herself, and not just rely on me.
You big girl!
I always have these books around for the grade
that my kid's in.
It's just like a,
okay let's make sure that they have this under control.
Like everything that's in here,
I'm like, okay this is what she needs.
I have a second grade one Jacob
and then I also have a pre-school one for Parker.
And I just kind of have these out.
They have stories and things that I can read with the kids.
Just to make sure that they're on track for their ages.
Alright sweetie, that's it for you.
Except I have one more thing.
I bought you a first day of school outfit.
You wanna see it?
Alright it's this beautiful skirt.
Which I thought you'd love.
It's kinda flowy, lots of beautiful colors.
This is a shirt,
but it's nice and silky, which I know you like.
And on it, it says, Future Role Model.
Because a lot of people look up to you
and really love you sweetheart.
And I want you to always remember that.
And this can help remind you and others who are teaching you
how important you are.
And to teach you preciously and sweetly.
I love you.
- Thank you mommy.
- You're welcome my love.
This is Jacob.
He is going into second grade.
I can't believe it buddy.
Jacob has this backpack that he's used for the last year.
It still works.
So we're still using it.
You don't have to buy everything new guys.
I got Jacob this really pretty paper,
it would go in his basket.
Jacob's also getting this little index card
and divider, and index cards.
So Jacob can work on writing and side words.
And the sort of things that he'll need
for like reading and math.
These are fun.
I like letting the kids make their own
as opposed to just purchasing them.
That works too.
But it's also good for them to be making their own.
- What's this?
- You can just write things to
sort them, and then you can put the cards in where they go.
- Wow, cool!
- And this I'm really excited about
that I found for you buddy!
- Baseball scissors!
- These are really neat.
Jacob loves baseball.
So I thought these were very cute for him.
Jacob's getting the same kit that Bailey got.
This is a little hole puncher.
Jacob is always going after my hole puncher.
He's like, where's the hole puncher,
where's the hole puncher?
And then he loses it.
So this is yours buddy.
That's where the hole puncher is.
Jacob also loves Washy Tape.
That's your very own tape.
I had a lot of Washy Tape a few years ago.
And this guy used it all.
Which shows that I don't use it enough
and that he loves it.
He's very passionate about it.
Isn't that pretty?
I got you your very own whiteout.
Nice.
Pretty cool.
- Oh, it turns.
Yeah.
This is a brand new invention to me.
Because you go like that to open and close
your whiteout.
I love it.
These are your very first gel pens.
- Gel pens!
- Bailey gets a lot of gel pens.
She loves them but these are for Jacob.
- And now where's the whiteout?
- I'll show you.
Okay so write on that.
- Okay.
- So you go like that, and it just covers it up.
Isn't that cool?
Then for Jacob's lunchbox I also wanted you
to have these handles.
This one opens up like Bailey's does
and is insulated.
And I couldn't find another one.
So it was like the only one of these at Target.
But I really like that this one also had.
(duncan crying)
Duncan really wanted to be in the back to school haul.
So here he is.
But so, this is Jacobs.
It opens up really well.
That's a cool lunchbox buddy.
If Jacob needed to, he could use this as his whole
backpack for the day.
He can put his water in,
his lunch in.
All he really needs is like a pencil and scissors
and just sort of supplies.
He doesn't need big books as much
for when we go out for his class.
Alright Jakey, I also got you a back to school outfit.
That says Be Kind.
Cause it's a good message for you and for others.
And these are your jeans.
They kinda look already warn in.
Cause I know you're gonna be rough with 'em.
But they're also really soft.
So this'll be your outfit for your first day of school.
This is Parker.
He is four years old.
He's not quite in kindergarten yet.
But he will be going to his big kid classes
for his first time ever this year.
I'm so excited for you buddy.
- I'm so excited too.
- First thing I wanted to show you,
you're first day of school outfit that you can wear.
This is your shirt, it says Be Kind.
- Oh that's what Jacob has his shirt too.
- That's right.
You boys are gonna be matching boys.
Because I also got you the same pants.
- I like them.
- I got you these super cool scissors.
- Oh wow, they're cool scissors.
Oh that's because I like chocolate so much.
- It does look like little treats all over 'em doesn't it?
And they actually match something that I got for you
that I thought you'd really like.
This is for carrying all your stuff for your school.
And it fits pencils and pens and scissors
and it kind of matches this.
Parker loves anything that has like a little handle.
So I got this for him,
cause I thought he'd be really, really excited about it.
Here you go buddy, what do you think?
My favorite kind of glue.
- I always wanted glue!
- My favorite kind of glue for little kids
are glues sticks.
So I got a ton of glue sticks.
I get them every year.
They're super cheap.
They don't make a giant mess.
You don't waste them by like squirting out a bunch
and then only using some of it.
You only waste them by leaving the caps off.
Are you gonna leave the lids off these?
- No. - No way Jose.
- No way.
We never do.
- Never, never ever.
So these glue sticks are for Parker.
And You can put, how about one at a time,
you can put one in your bag and bring with you to class.
I also got you all these pens!
Aren't they beautiful?
And we'll put some in your schoolbag.
- This one?
- Yep, in that one.
And then some we'll just leave at home, okay?
There are so many!
Look it's double layers!
Whoa, look at all those pens!
So let's pick out a red.
- Okay this is the red.
- That's the red.
Pick out an orange.
- This one?
- Yeah.
Pick out a yellow.
- Yellow?
Oh that's the brighter yellow.
- Green.
- This green.
- Okay, now blue.
- Oh this blue.
- Yeah that's a good one.
Purple.
How about this one?
And then black.
- What's black?
Oh that!
- And then brown.
- This brown right here.
- And then pink.
- Oh that pink.
So this is my bag!
- That's your bag.
Parker, what's your favorite color?
- Yellow!
- I got you a yellow notebook.
So you can draw all kinds of things in there,
all year long.
- Thank you, mommy.
- These are really cool.
They're letter pages.
So you can write your letters on these lines.
This is one of my favorite books for teaching kids
how to read.
I love this book, it's super great.
If you think your kid is ready to read,
I recommend you pick it up and use it with your own child
even if you're home schooling or not.
It's great.
Be careful.
Don't force your kid to learn early.
Parker's showing some readiness.
So we're gonna try it out.
We've been kinda doing the first early lessons.
And we'll continue unless it seems too hard for him
or if it doesn't seem like he's really getting it.
Some kids show readiness even as late as like eight or nine.
So, don't worry too much if they're not there.
He's four, he's obviously early.
But, I always like to kind of check it
and see where they're at.
See if they're ready because if they can read,
I think it's super fun for them,
but if they can't you don't want to force them.
I love these Kumon books for preschool aged kids.
We've got cutting-- - Thank you mommy.
- And these are mazes.
- I already need them.
- Parker uses these already and really likes them.
So he's snagging them out of my hands.
We really like these books.
This is your lunchbox.
And this is your bag to bring into your class.
It has a cape.
So I had to get it.
And you've been really loving Batman lately.
So I thought you'd like this Batman box.
I love these bottoms that kids lunch boxes have nowadays
because you can just put a sandwich in there
and it doesn't get squished.
So I think that's really brilliant.
This is Parker's reusable water bottle.
I figured with Parker,
that even if he can't fit much more food,
as long as he gets his water bottle in there.
He's got his sandwich spot
and then, like a fruit and a snack, or a cheese stick.
He's all set.
I don't want the kids to carry more than they can handle.
So that's why Parker's lunchbox is a little smaller
than the other kids.
I just don't want it to get too heavy for him.
And then for me,
I got this calendar that I'm gonna have out
so that all the kids can see it.
It's just one of the bigger sized calendars
where I'll write what we're doing each day.
And that's really helpful for all of us
to know what's going on.
And then I have this beautiful teacher organizer
that someone gave me as a gift.
And I'm very, very excited about making this beautiful
and making it my own.
And Bailey and I kind of match because hers is similar.
So this may not be necessary, but this is my personal
organizer calendar.
To me a calendar has to have this like full month view.
I don't like when you can only see partial months
or they don't show you the month at all.
This is my favorite part of an organizer planner.
This is the main area that I use.
And we get really kissy about it.
Thank you so much for watching our back to school haul.
I hope we give you some great ideas and that you have
a wonderful, wonderful school year.
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(duncan giggling)
(upbeat music)