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Materials and Supplies Needed in a Preschool Classroom

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Starting a preschool classroom can be a very rewarding endeavor, and this is the complete list of materials and supplies needed in a preschool classroom! Surly you have many questions but one at the top of the list is probably: What materials do I need to get started? You may be surprised to know that you may have a lot of items already in your home especially if you have your own children.

Just getting started with your preschool doesn’t have to be costly. Using items that you already have around your home will do just fine. As you grow your preschool you will be able to invest in your classroom to add more items. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family if they have any supplies they would be willing to donate. Make a wish list to share with people.

Your local dollar store can also have great deals that don’t break the bank. As you can see materials and supplies to use in your preschool classroom don’t have to be brand new and fancy, using what is readily available is a great way to get started!

Some of our preschool owners think they have to have fancy-looking preschool rooms to get started. You don’t! During our first year of preschool, we started with 4 posters on the wall from Dollar Tree (letters, numbers, colors, and shapes), a long church buffet table, and two picnic benches that we covered with padding and cute fabric. It cost us $20. It didn’t look impressive, but honestly, most of the preschool parents chose our preschool because of our warm personality and great curriculum, not our improvised preschool table. So, if we can fill up our preschool with that setup, then surely you can be successful even if you’re on a tight budget too!

We’ll try to list the most essential things you’ll need, and then offer some suggestions for fun additions to your preschool if you have room and can afford them. Each year, plan on using some (or all) of your registration fees to reinvest in new curriculum materials and furniture. Reinvesting in your business is always a great investment!

#1. PRESCHOOL FURNITURE

Preschool Furniture: What You Need

To get started in a preschool classroom the only furniture you really need is a table and chairs. It can be a kitchen table or whatever you have that the kids could do arts and crafts on or eat snack at. Using a living room floor is great for reading time, group time and doing center time. You will also need access to a bathroom so students can use it and have a place to wash their hands.

If you’re on a bare-bones budget, you could use your money for curriculum materials and just use your kitchen table and the living room floor for your preschool areas. (We’ve done that too!) Granted, it’s preferable to use child-sized furniture, so you’ll definitely want to invest in those as soon as you’re able to.

You don’t even need a separate preschool room to hold preschool. You can use your living room (couches/floor space) to hold a variety of activities like circle time, story time, rhythms & movement, and free play/center time. You can also use your kitchen table for snack time, center time, and arts and crafts. Of course, if you have a separate preschool room, you could get a child-sized long table (or two smaller tables) and child-size chairs for that room so you can have your arts and crafts and table activities in there.

If you have more money in your budget and a separate preschool space, you can really go to town with your classroom! Once we converted our garage into a preschool room, we were super excited to make it into the best preschool room we could. Always remember, though, to start first with quality in your curriculum and teaching program, then you can continue reinvesting every year into better curriculum materials.

In case you want a complete list of preschool classroom furniture you could buy (not saying you should!) here you go:

  • Circle time rug
  • Art/snack tables
  • Art/snack table chairs
  • Library book display
  • Couch
  • Beanbag
  • Floor pillows
  • Sensory table
  • Soft rugs
  • Drying rack
  • Light table
  • Cabinets or low bookshelves
  • Audio/visual center
  • Kitchen
  • Doll crib
  • Dollhouse
  • Computer table
  • Cubbies
  • Loft
  • Easel
  • Sand/water table

Preschool Furniture: Where to Shop

You can really make your preschool as simple or elaborate as you like. There are certainly enough high-priced items from Pottery Barn or expensive wall decorations that shout, “This room is adorable!” But in reality, we’ve gotten our best finds by looking for quality used furniture. After all, we don’t see the point in buying brand new tables when they’re going to be painted, glued, and colored on!

Our favorite place to shop online is Facebook Marketplace. You may have access to other local online shopping options as well (our favorite are thrift stores!) In our second year, we were fortunate enough to come across our child-size school tables and chairs when a private school was closing down. We also found our huge alphabet rug from someone who had purchased it from Pottery Barn a year earlier and no longer wanted it.

If you’re going to invest right away into high-quality furniture, we recommend Discount School Supply. When we got our schoolhouse and had to set up new classrooms, we went straight to Discount School Supply where we bought several of: this rug and these tables and these chairs!

#2. PRESCHOOL ROOM DECORATIONS

Preschool Room Decorations: What You Need

You only need a couple of colorful posters maybe of the alphabet, colors and numbers to make the space feel kid friendly. They can be removable so if you are having classes in your home it can be returned back to your home and not look like a preschool.

If you’re holding preschool in your living room, you can buy some foam boards and decorate them with your circle time visuals (calendar, weather, job chart, etc.) and your students’ artwork. Bring them out during preschool time and set them against the wall, then store them out of sight afterward (a great place for these is under the couch!)

Here’s a complete list of preschool classroom decorations:

  • Alphabet poster
  • Number poster
  • Colors poster
  • Shapes poster
  • Number line 0-20
  • “Who’s here?” chart with names
  • Weather chart
  • Happy birthday chart
  • Months of the year chart
  • Emotions chart
  • Map of the world
  • Calendar
  • Bulletin board borders
  • Name tags for cubbies
  • Cut-outs

Preschool Room Decorations: Where to Shop

Dollar Tree stores also have a huge teacher section of wall posters, letter borders, removable wall stickers, and lots more! If you have a separate preschool room, we’d suggest you deck it out with all their amazing wall posters and bright letter borders.

#3. ARTS & CRAFTS AND WRITING SUPPLIES

Arts & Crafts and Writing Supplies: What You Need

If you are like me you have an endless supply of paper, crayons, markers, pens and pencils maybe even glue sticks! You can use those to get your art and writing centers started. You may want to invest in a couple of rolling carts to hold these supplies so they can easily be put to the side when not in use.

If you have things like buttons, pipe cleaners, paint, chalk, stickers and stencils you can add them as well. Using things such as toilet paper rolls encourages recycling and sparks creativity. If you are running low on paper or envelopes ask local businesses if they have anything that they are disposing of. They would likely rather donate it to a preschool than throw it away.

As for arts and crafts supplies that you should always keep on hand, plan on buying: markers, crayons, scissors (for each child), glue, glue sticks, construction paper, white paper, paint, and paintbrushes.

Additional materials you may want to purchase or acquire (or even ask parents to donate) include for your preschool classroom include:

  • glitter
  • glitter glue
  • popsicle sticks
  • perler beads
  • play dough
  • maracas
  • recorders
  • cardstock paper
  • finger paints
  • chalk
  • chalkboard
  • stickers
  • fasteners
  • pipe cleaners
  • paper plates
  • plastic cups
  • plastic cutlery
  • butcher paper
  • plaster of Paris
  • poster boards
  • hole punch
  • hot glue gun
  • dry erase markers
  • dry erase boards
  • tape
  • stapler
  • clear contact paper
  • wiggly eyes
  • cotton balls
  • cookie cutters
  • Q-tips
  • tissue paper
  • Kleenex
  • cardboard tubes
  • catalogs
  • newspaper
  • drinking straws
  • plastic soda bottles and caps
  • paper bags
  • cereal boxes
  • old cookie sheets
  • sand paper
  • old socks
  • milk cartons
  • shoe boxes/lids
  • wrapping paper
  • wallpaper
  • yarn
  • ribbon
  • string
  • sponges
  • fabric
  • aluminum foil
  • corks
  • file folders
  • pasta
  • felt
  • computer paper
  • baby food jars

Arts & Crafts and Writing Supplies: Where to Shop

To save the most money on your supplies, check out Dollar Tree first. If you don’t have one close by, then try other dollar stores and see if you can get as many things on your list as possible. We’re usually fine with buying the cheaper brands in most everything, but when it comes to paint, crayons, and markers, we recommend Crayola because they will last much longer than the cheaper brands. For all other materials, try Oriental Trading, Wal-Mart, or Target.

#4. PRESCHOOL BLOCKS AND PUZZLES

Preschool Puzzles, Games, and Manipulatives: What You Need

Another great activity for preschoolers is building with blocks or other items that allow them to problem solve and be creative. Blocks can be the traditional Legos or wooden blocks but you can also make blocks out of milk or juice cartons. I have also used solo cups for kids to build towers with. If you already have puzzles you can use them if not you can make them out of cardboard. Cereal boxes can even be cut into puzzles.

PUZZLES AND GAMES:

  • Puzzles
  • Board games
  • Card games
  • Four In a Row
  • Guess Who?
  • HiHo CherryO
  • Candy Land
  • Operation
  • UNO
  • Trouble
  • Chutes and Ladders
  • Jenga

MANIPULATIVES:

  • Lacing cards
  • Lacing beads
  • Buttons
  • Links
  • Magnets
  • Mosaic squares
  • Pegboards
  • Erasers
  • Pom poms
  • Coins
  • Beads

Preschool Puzzles, Games, and Manipulatives: Where to Shop

Our favorite place to buy puzzles and games is at Wal-Mart, as sometimes thrift store puzzles and games will have missing pieces. We also love to buy manipulatives from Dollar Tree, Oriental Trading, and Discount School Supply.

#5. PRESCHOOL BLOCKS & BUILDING MATERIALS

Preschool Blocks & Building Materials: What You Need

Here’s a list of all the items you can use to help your preschoolers’ fine motor skills with building:

BUILDING MATERIALS:

  • Thistle blocks
  • Cubes
  • Magna-Tiles
  • Wooden blocks
  • Pipe tubes
  • Pop tubes
  • Linking discs
  • Legos or bricks
  • Marble race
  • Lincoln Logs
  • Jenga

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:

  • Cars
  • People
  • City rug
  • Animals
  • Fabric squares
  • Loose parts
  • Trains
  • Train tracks
  • Rocks
  • Shells

Preschool Blocks & Building Materials: Where to Shop

You guessed it… our favorite place to buy blocks and building materials is at thrift shops! You can find some amazing toys, and even if some pieces are missing, that’s okay! Don’t forget to buy big storage materials for these items though… otherwise your trains will get mixed into your blocks and that’s never fun! If you want sturdy wooden block people, I recommend buying this set from Discount School Supply.

#6. PRESCHOOL BOOKS

Preschool Books: What You Need

Using preschool appropriate books that are already in your home is perfectly fine. You can also go to your local library and check out books for the kids. Some libraries also have programs that they will loan preschools a group of books on a certain theme for a week or maybe even longer.

Here are a few types of books you’ll want to add to your book list when you go to the library:

  • Board Books
  • Picture Books
  • Folklore Books 
  • Fairy Tale Books
  • Interactive Books
  • Rhyming Books
  • Poetry Books
  • Alphabet Books
  • Counting Books
  • Colors and Shapes Books
  • Non-Fiction Books

Preschool Books: Where to Shop

Our favorite places to buy books include Dollar Tree, thrift stores, Usborne Books and More, and Scholastic. And of course, don’t forget you can check out free books at the library!

#7. PRESCHOOL CENTER MATERIALS

Preschool Center Materials: What You Need

We could write for days on all the different curriculum materials you should look for. But we’ll add a quick list below of our favorite centers to add to your classroom. For clarification, centers are purpose-driven places for your students to play while they’re at your preschool.

We know many of our preschool owners don’t have classrooms, so consider how you can store these items while class isn’t in session. And of course, you don’t have to have all of the centers listed; just do what works with your space and your students’ needs. One of our preschool owners’ husbands even built her inexpensive reading benches that had storage inside of them for her materials.

  • Reading Center
  • Writing Center
  • Dramatic Play Center
  • Building Center
  • Art and Crafts Center
  • Sensory Center
  • Science Center
  • Math Center

In the reading center, for example, you might add child-sized couches or beanbags, pillows, library books, and magnetic doodle boards.

If you want to provide sensory play for your preschoolers you can use a plastic tub and things like water, sand, noodles, rice, oatmeal or even snow. Put the tub on a washable surface just in case there are spills. You can even put it on the floor with a towel or waterproof table cloth.

Having a dramatic play area is a great way for preschoolers to play out their daily lives, learn about new careers or just pretend and use their imagination. You can supply dress up clothes that you have at home. Purses, old necklaces, hats, dress shoes make great dramatic play props. If your kids have a kitchen and a few dishes you can use that too.

To create a science space you can bring things in from outside such as leaves, flowers or grass. Kids love to explore and see how things work, look and feel. You can use rocks, shells or magnets. If you have a magnifying glass add that. You can keep your science items in a cart or tub so you can easily store it and keep it organized.

To get good ideas of what you might enjoy having in your classroom, I suggest you visit my friend Jackie Kops’ Pocket of Preschool website for a complete list of centers and materials needed.

Preschool Center Materials: Where to Shop

If you have young children, you probably already have an abundance of items that would work. My suggestion is to set aside some of your children’s open-ended toys for strictly preschool use.

If you need to add to your collection or simply don’t have any materials to start with, look on Facebook Marketplace, teacher pages (or second-hand donation stores like Savers and Goodwill) for curriculum materials and center-based play items. You’ll be shocked with how many curriculum materials you can find there!

And if you have money to spend, we highly recommend Lakeshore and Discount School Supply.

#8. PRESCHOOL TEACHER SUPPLIES

Preschool Teacher Supplies: What You Need

Some materials you’ll want to have on hand as a preschool teacher include:

  • planner
  • dry-erase board
  • chalkboard
  • bulletin board
  • cork board
  • flannel board
  • stickers
  • big scissors

Preschool Teacher Supplies: Where to Shop

Dollar Tree stores also have a huge teacher section of stickers, postcards, certificates, educational games, preschool activity books, and lots more! Target is also a great place to find teacher supplies!

#9. PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM STORAGE

For even more great ideas, please check out this article on Storage and Organization for Your Preschool Classroom.

Preschool Classroom Storage: What You Need

 “A place for everything, and everything in its place” is a common phrase, and one that is vital for your preschool classroom’s success. If there is so much that children don’t even know where it goes, they can’t clean it back up quickly or easily. So organize everything in the classroom, reduce the amount of materials available to them, and store the rest in containers.

Preschool Classroom Storage: Where to Shop

When you’re finished shopping for all the supplies and materials needed for your preschool classroom, then buy storage containers to nicely store all the materials you purchased. You’ll also have lots of teacher supplies, so plan a way to store them close at hand.

Dollar Tree has several inexpensive smaller containers, and Wal-Mart has under the bed storage containers. Don’t forget that wall space is your new best friend, so stock up on wall shelves from Wal-Mart as well.

We hope this article about materials and supplies needed in a preschool classroom was helpful!

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Comments

  1. Mary Weiss

    What I love about this list is that it is simplistic and detailed. I know when it comes to children I always tend to over do myself. This list helps me to stay focus on the main things, especially when we also have the access to pre planned Lesson Plans and Activities. It allows us to prioritize our supplies list according to our Lesson Plans and set a budget.

    Reply

  3. seeta khan

    This is all done for you if you have no knowledge about what to get to start a preschool, everything is all out here for you.

    Reply

  4. Rhonda McCarthy

    This is a great resource for anyone wanting to start their own preschool. Here you will find a checklist of everything you need to get started.

    Reply

  5. Rehanna Allen

    I am grateful that you guys gave suggestions of supplies and materials from both ends – the most economical to expensive. For those of us that are starting out for the first time, can use suggestions for economical materials. Then, as we grow, we will know where to get the more costly pieces.

    Reply

  6. Cathy Terrell

    Although I each online and I felt that most of these resources were more suitable for local preschool classrooms, it gave me an opportunity to self-evaluate and reflect upon my current “classroom” set up and come up with ideas to improve what kiddos see when they are watching the online lessons. I really appreciated the suggestions such as where to look for books, and what a preschool teacher needs to have. Very helpful!

    Reply

    • Jameisha

      Can’t believe I’ve been missing out on some things. Well thanks to this website I have somewhere to refer to for quick setup.

      Reply

  7. Brittany Klop

    WOW!! you ladies have thought of everything. I can’t wait to dive in to everything and start planning everything I need for my preschool.

    Reply

  12. Geni Ainge Morse

    What a fantastic list of needs for a classroom. It’s amazing how much stuff we already have in our own homes that we can use. This gives a great list of what supplies are needed to make a fabulous school for our students. It has a great shopping list of what to buy and how to get items.

    Reply

  14. Tina

    I am constantly looking for deals on supplies for my classroom. Don’t forget to check out yard sales and auctions! I’ve found good stuff at those too! I am definitely going to use some of those storage and organization tips! Thanks😁

    Reply

  17. Saimah Hameeduddin

    This is a great resource for veteran teachers as well as new teachers. I’m excited to go through this list with my team since we can sometimes get comfortable with our spaces. I’m excited to also share this out with those that just joined the career also!

    Reply

  18. Chrissy

    This article is fantastic , I love the emphasis on a complete list of preschool supplies that you need to teach effectively and efficiently, not over the top expensive , the how to pinch your penny , make it stretch and keep it in your pocket !!! And use resources you have , And Inexpensive supplies, that add to your teaching it really takes the guess work out of what you need and don’t need . Thank you 😊 😊 ♥️♥️♥️♥️

    Reply

  19. Lisa Lucas

    I love the list and being able to spend within your means! When you think of all this in the beginning your mind goes into overload. Having these tools to guide you step by step will allow for ease and a peace of mind! This is amazing!!!

    Reply

  20. Mya Phillips

    Having a list of needed items already handy is theeeeee best!! Add places to purchase and help to stay within a certain budget and this a huge winner!!!

    Reply

  22. Lori S

    I always try to be frugal, but I have to keep things balanced. Inexpensive equipment often breaks (could be hazardous) and has to be replaced. When you make an investment in quality materials, they last longer, and the children get more use out of them. Art supplies are a necessity to have on hand at all times – what a great list in one place!

    Reply

  23. Elizabeth Wright

    I love that you included ideas of where to find/purchase these materials! Also many creative ideas for a tight budget!

    Reply

  26. CHERYL HILL

    I absolutely love shopping for materials and supplies for my preschool. This detailed list and suggestions will definitely help me in knowing what items and furniture I need in my preschool.

    Reply

  27. Felicia

    The Materials and Supplies you shared here keep me building for the kids! This is so super! I have reread quite a few things a few times lol What a way to bring in 2022!🎉✏️📚🍎

    Reply

  29. Becky Hellebust

    Even though I’ve accumulated materials and work in a public preschool, there are some great ideas for centers. Some of the materials for the block area I had not even heard of. It’s great that you put in places to shop for these materials and I agree that Crayola is the way to go.

    Reply

  30. Tiffanie Watts

    Your lists are very thorough and encompass materials for nearly all children. We will for sure benefit from using them too.

    Reply

  31. Cyndi Baker

    Comprehensive list. Really need to develop a preschool mind. So many times I am about to get rid of something and then think, wait, I can repurpose this for preschool.

    A big box and markers can take a child to the moon or under the ocean. So many hours of creative fun.

    Check out your local children’s museum for ideas on how to recycle things to enlarge your child’s imagination. A great resource.

    Reply

  33. April B

    The state you operate your business will have the minimum standards required but this list is more detailed! Also knowing that if you’re operating on a small budget using what you have on hand is very reassuring! Not everyone can buy preschool tables and chairs in the beginning! Thank you so much!

    Reply

    • LisaRenee Fogarty

      If you are embarking on a new journey….and includes starting your own preschool or classroom this link has you covered.

      Reply

  34. Christy

    Having an online preschool, not all of this applies to me right now, but it is so helpful to know where to go if I ever start an in-person preschool, because I will need all the help I can get!

    Reply

  36. YummYee’ Cary-Boyd

    Great List and Great information!!! Everything you need to know to get started is right here at your fingertips. Also, another great place for preschool items is Wayfair, they have Everything.
    I will definitely be utilizing these lists to the fullest. Thank You So Much 😁

    Reply

  37. Lena

    Wow! What an amazing resource! So detailed and well-organized… a must-have for any preschool class room or even a home-schooling room.
    It can get pretty overwhelming to compile everything… but here it is – all that’s needed! So grateful foe this resource!

    Reply

  39. Bryonna Harrington

    Honestly, I have felt so overwhelmed with trying to write out a list of things I will need in the future as well as what I need now and this is such a clear and concise list, already done for me. It literally takes the guess work out! Thank you!!!!! I feel like I know what I’m doing now 😂

    Reply

  42. Meena S (Meena A on FB)

    This list is a must have for the start up materials whether you start of simple and elegant – think Montessori or Charlotte Mason pedagogical approach. You may want it all, have means to get it all, but what you need is exactly what this post highlights! Here’s to materials, manipulatives, and plenty of centers and books to top it off. Bookmarking this page now!

    Reply

  43. Meena S (Meena A on FB)

    Planning is part of teacher preparation and this list is exhaustive as it highlights the nuts and bolts as well as thrills and frills needed for the ideal learning environment on the pre-k and up level. The most student friendly environment is one that is clear of clutter so they have room to experiment and discover as well as play. With that is mind if you are apprehensive about where to start think in terms of pedagogical framework like Montessorri Charlotte Mason and branch out from there. Teacher must haves are listed here and storage will be essential as you cycle in and out of units.

    Reply

  45. Kathryn Posey

    Thank you so much! This is so helpful! Even homeschooling, this list is helpful due to knowing having these items on hand will help keep preschoolers interested and focused! Thank you!

    Reply

  46. Kathlene Burton

    These lists are a great place to start! I usually have to remind myself that less is more! I started out super simple with a coffee table and pillows to sit on! The kids loved the variety compared to sitting in chairs.

    Reply

    • Cordelia Nkembo

      It is very helpful to have resources laid out for you when starting your home or local preschool.
      Some times it is difficult to find the proper furniture for small children. This is a great source with variety.
      Thanks to all who have made it even easier to start our pre-K schools!

      Reply

  49. Jenni Smith

    This is a well-organized list. There are several links included to make the search easier. Don’t underestimate what you already have! As a college class assignment, I had to make a list of materials to create a preschool classroom. My professor was amazed how little I spent. My children were young at the time, and I practically had everything already!

    Reply

  50. Lana

    I feel like I’ve been mapping out our space and all the supplies we need for months 🙉 This post helps me feel less overwhelmed and that it’s definitely achievable if I stay focused.

    Reply

  51. Jayla

    I like how the list is with a budget in mind. You don’t need to spend big money to start out successfully and you can be successful with used furniture. And supplies can come from everywhere and doesn’t have to be top of the line.

    Reply

  53. Steph Gonzalez

    This is a great list. So much more listed then previously found else where. So helpful and a great launchpad for getting your preschool well, launched. 🙂

    Reply

  54. Denyse Martinez

    I love how you stated that getting started doesn’t have to be costly. As you grow your business you can invest more. You don’t have to break your budget to provide, a high quality preschool!
    Dollar Tree has been a go to for bulletin boards- borders and preschool posters, at a reasonable price.
    Facebook Marketplace is one I’ve never thought of – great resource.
    I help process books at our preschool & love finding new preschool books, to support the curriculum.
    I like how the “guesswork” is taken out of where to start & what to get where. It is all here!

    Reply

  55. Charon Davis

    I’ve definitely been investing in a lot of these materials already but clearly have a ways to go. These lists will definitely keep your eyes open for materials that you never would have thought of. It allows the imagination to go wild!

    Reply

    • Allisen Brownell

      This is just what I needed…I don’t want to overlook anything when setting up my preschool and this is such a well thought out and thurghough list. It’s so comprehensive!

      Reply

  58. Alejandra

    Great resource if you want to start your own preschool, your are homeschooling your preschooler, or have a preschool pod in this time of pandemic.

    Reply

  60. Karen James-Wilson

    Literal tears came to my eyes as I read this. I have been pondering the idea of starting my own preschool for a few years now, but I was afraid of not knowing how to start or what I would need, or if it would be a place kids would absolutely love… yet, here I came upon this. Thank you so much for laying everything out. ❤ I feel more confident in beginning my journey with my own preschool 🥰

    Reply

  61. Christina

    Oh my goodness! As a mom of 2, my oldest is 3 years old. Sometimes knowing where to start is overwhelming but this definitely helps!

    Reply

  62. Brittany Hutt

    My weakness is arts & crafts materials. I am always adding more and your list gave me some new ideas. I also need some help in the storage department of said materials.

    Reply

    • John, Achele Victoria

      Detailed and elaborate, it indeed opened my eyes to see those things I needed to start a pre School, thanks for such an elaborate complications

      Reply

  67. Sue Koxlien

    Wow you covered everything needed to start a preschool classroom! This will be helpful to so many. I love your arts and crafts list. Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we need in preschool?! 🙂

    Reply

    • Anietie

      Thank you so much ..I have been dreaming about having my own preschool but had no idea how to start or where to start, this information has helped me so much. Thank you joy Anderson I am so greateful that I came across you online .

      Reply

  68. Brittany Klabunde

    I have a kids corner in our living room and this has inspired me to change it up a bit to create a space for learning in our own home!

    Reply

  71. Heather

    Time for this busy momma to go shopping! With 3 daughters aged 4,3 and 1 shopping can sometimes be a challenge but with a list of items already compiled makes it easy!

    Reply

  73. Latoya

    I absolutely love how this is laid out! The explanations, links, and listings of materials and where to purchase items needed for a preschool are well thought out. An incredible resource to have for both preschool teachers and parents alike!

    Reply

  74. Kendra

    I just love how the materials are listed out. It makes it so easy to know what your classroom really needs and how to find them too!

    Reply

  75. Susan Pelofske

    What a great resource! Everything you need to get stated, expand, and how to do it on a budget! Amazing!! Truly!!

    Reply

  76. Eilleen de Guzman

    I have been looking through this site and it keeps impressing me more and more. So thankful, when I open a local preschool I will definitely go back here again to make a checklist. Thank you soooo much!

    Reply

  77. Karisa Day

    WOW!! This would have bee so handy when I was starting up my preschool. What an amazing resource, everything here and a bulleted list is super helpful when checking things off that you have. There are some new ideas that I would like to add to my school as I expand and I will be using this list in the future.

    Reply

    • Oloniluyi Opeyemi

      Wow. I love the way materials are being listed out. From posters to books,furnitures and how to convert your home to a learning centre.
      Thanks.

      Reply

  79. Richae

    I am speechless! When I decided to expand my online preschool to a local preschool I will be so prepared. This site saves me so much time, energy and frustration, every resource that I need is in ONE place!

    Reply

  80. Nur Billur Tosun

    There are so many details when it comes to opening a preschool. What do you need to get , what’s necessary, what’s extra , how much you’ll need to invest … This is a great guide and it walks you through about what you need and what not . I remember how confused I was when I first started my preschool. Thank you Joy for providing this wonderful guide !

    Reply

  82. Kia Gray

    This is super helpful especially for opening a local daycare! I love the fact that it gives you for it center ideas to have!

    Reply

  83. Linda

    This is incredible! Thank you for putting this together! It’s such a comfort to know I can refer to this list and everything is right there!

    Reply

    • Jessica

      Nice reminder that the room and supplies do not have to be fancy just functional. I love that they give several ideas on items and where to look with some website links.

      Reply

  85. Amanda Lindsay

    I love this because I can spend my energy on other things. I don’t need to figure out what I need or where to get it from. It’s here.

    Reply

  86. Monique Reycasa

    Starting a preschool from scratch is an exciting time but with these resources anyone can set it up with ease! I could use this as a checklist even though I am already open! Thank you for this carefully thought our list!

    Reply

  87. Paula Farris

    I have been looking for a comprehensive list like this. I won’t be starting a local preschool for awhile yet, but I am a planner so I want to get an idea of what I will need when the time comes. This list is incredibly helpful!

    Reply

    • Beki

      This is a great list! Thanks for including the idea that throwing, garage sales, and used items are great. Just remember to check for loose/broken/sharp parts. Many ‘consumable’ items you will go through quickly, so think cheap and in bulk, but I totally agree with buying Crayola markers!

      Reply

  88. LaShonda

    Definitely

    Outstanding! Having such a detailed list definitely reaches age developmental milestones for young children and formula for success in any early childhood program.

    Reply

  90. Lisa

    If you ever wanted to teach preschool as a mom or certified teacher this site has the most comprehensive list of things you need for your class room. They thought of everything!

    Reply

  93. Kari

    This list is perfect! Even if you don’t check off each item it’s a great list to get ideas now and add to your wish list. Also, this post is a great reminder that you don’t need all fancy/new items. Work with what you got.

    Reply

  94. Jen

    Nice! It’s like having someone walk you through the store and telling you get this stuff and don’t waste your time on this over here. Exactly what is needed when starting out.

    Reply

  95. Monique Moreno

    This is a great list of resources for what you need in your classroom! Dollar Tree will be your best friend just starting out!

    Reply

  100. Earline M. SAWICKI

    I am super impressed with this user-friendly post for physical preschool classrooms. It shows pictures of an ideal design and which materials are needed for centers, circle time, etc. It also gives links for numerous resources! Excellent!

    Reply

  103. Samico Chilton

    All these resources just blow my mind. It is wonderful to have someone who cares so much about helping others succeed just as she has is a blessing. Joy Anderson and team thank you for all you do! The breakdown of supplies make life better.

    Reply

  104. Ashley Gallien

    This is so helpful! Starting out building your preschool can be so overwhelming! To have a resource telling you the materials you need to have no matter if your local or online is so beneficial!! A life savor to be exact!

    Reply

  105. Bertha Rivero

    Great ideas and descriptions on what you need and why! It can look overwhelming but with this information you can gain knowledge and awareness of how to make a classroom environment work. I can even start at home, like collecting recyclables or unwanted home items that can work for the classroom. Great feedback!

    Reply

    • Catherine Parks

      I love this it doesn’t matter if it’s online are in a classroom you have everything you need and want all the pictures shows you everything and the website is also easy to get to for everything you need this is so amazing ❤️

      Reply

  106. Ashley Gallien

    This is so helpful! When starting out building your own preschool it can be very overwhelming even when you have years of experience because it’s so much you have to in order! No matter if your teaching online or local this information of what you need to know and what you need to have in your preschool is life savor!!

    Reply

    • Jalissa Michelle

      This is a great resource to have especially for those who plan to become licensed preschool instructors. I love that so much is covered.

      Reply

  107. Zena

    I love it. I need to hear all this. I always over think things. Starting a preschool with a “bare bones” budget can be achieved. This is very encouraging.

    Reply

  109. Carrie Cook

    Starting a preschool program from scratch isn’t easy. It took us a couple years to get all this figured out at the school I teach. To have this list and how organized this site is, saves so much valuable time and energy! I wish I had this sooner, it is so helpful!

    Reply

  111. Joy

    So thorough! I have a Masters Degree in ECE and this was a big section in one of my classes. It’s so well broken down that if you follow it you have creased a DAP classroom with ease.

    Reply

  112. Brenda Morgan

    This is a comprehensive list of everything that a teacher would need or a preschool owner who is ready to start their own business. Facebook Marketplace is a great place to get many of these items, especially when teachers are retiring. Being in the right place at the right time is also a plus. Let people know that you are looking and people with reach out to help! A great resource!

    Reply

  114. Nicky Cook

    Amazing resource for any budget and any start up level. Or where to expand what you are already doing in your preschool. There a few things here that really spark! Dollar Tree is a great place for items that usually cost a bundle.

    Reply

    • Oloniluyi Opeyemi

      Wow. I love the way materials are being listed out. From posters to books,furnitures and how to convert your home to a learning centre.
      Thanks.

      Reply

  115. Heather

    Great ideas!
    Absolutely agree that Pocket of Preschool (sales on almost every holiday!!! Amazing Lives on FB e Weds) and Discount School Supply are INVALUABLE!
    Resale shop hack- cut down legs on most tables to make them “child sized!!!”
    Dollar Tree or Dollar 25 or whatever they’ve re-branded as is really an AMAZING resource!

    Reply

    • Brittany

      I love that the list is compiled of things that can be used from your home or donated with proper disinfecting protocols applied before use in your learning center. I also ❤ that you can find a lot of these items at your local Dolla Storrreee!!!!

      Reply

  118. Susan Drexel

    Very good information! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed at first and want everything to be perfect and cute. It’s easy to blow a budget if you’re not careful. This is a great resource to help explain the basics and help give you the information you need to get the things you need to begin without blowing your budget. Very helpful!

    Reply

    • YummYee’ Cary-Boyd

      Great List and Great information!!! Everything you need to know to get started is right here at your fingertips. Also, another great place for preschool items is Wayfair, they have Everything.
      I’m I will definitely be utilizing these lists to the fullest. Thank You So Much 😁

      Reply

    • YummYee’ Cary-Boyd

      Great List and Great information!!! Everything you need to know to get started is right here at your fingertips. Also, another great place for preschool items is Wayfair, they have Everything.
      I will definitely be utilizing these lists to the fullest. Thank You So Much 😁

      Reply

      • Christine Marte

        I love the very simple, but detailed lists of everything needed and that you can stay simple and not buy expensive things. I love that there are ideas for just meeting in livingroom and kitchen if not money for a big space.

        Reply

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