Ok, let’s be honest. As teachers we don’t get a lot of money to spend on our classrooms each year, and we often end up paying for things out of our own pockets. However, there are some ways to stretch that budget money and get things that will really help you and your students next school year. In this post, we’ll examine some creative ways to spend your classroom budget money.
Creative Ways to Spend Your Classroom Budget Money
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The first few years of teaching, you will probably be able to think of hundreds of things you need to buy with your budget money. If you still need some basic teaching supplies, check out this post to discover some high quality supplies that will last for years to come.
However, if you’ve been teaching for a while, you may have a hard time deciding how to spend your money. You already have the supplies you need, and you’re not sure what will make the biggest difference for you and your students.
Here are some creative ways to spend your classroom budget money.
#1 – Morning Bins
If you’re looking for an exciting way to start the day with your students, consider putting together some bins for your students to use as they enter your classroom in the morning.
First, you’ll need some bins. This set of six containers will be perfect for morning bins! If you put your students’ desks into six groups, there will be one bin for each group each day. Each group will get a different box each day.
You can put anything you think your students will enjoy in the bins, but here are some ideas:
- Tangrams – Solving tangram puzzles is a fun way to help your students start thinking in the morning. Their brains will be warmed up for your first subject of the day. This set of 209 wooden tangram pieces will keep your students engaged. They can create the designs on the picture cards or make their own unique designs. They can work independently or with their groups.
- Building Blocks – If your students love building with Legos, they will have so much fun with this bin full of building blocks. They can follow the directions in the included booklet to build helicopters, giraffes, and dinosaurs or they can use their imaginations to build their own creations.
- Magnets – Making things with magnets is a fun way to start the day. Your students will have so much fun discovering different things they can create.
- Play-Doh – Your students will love using play-doh to make different creations in the morning. You could even put some small rolling pins and cookie cutters in this bin, too, so your students can practice rolling the dough and cutting it into different shapes.
#2 – Class Sets of Supplies
There are certain things that are nice to have for each of your students. For example, if you want to formatively assess your students’ knowledge of a new math concept, you can have them write their answers on whiteboards and show you their answers.
Class sets of supplies can be expensive, but if you gradually add more each year, eventually you will have a full class set.
Here are some supplies that are helpful to have for each of your students:
- Whiteboards – There are so many different uses for individual student whiteboards, in addition to formative assessments. Students can use them instead of paper to show their work, and they can use them during small group lessons. These KleenSlate whiteboards are my favorite because they have the marker and eraser attached, so they won’t get lost. However, if you need a more budget-friendly option, this class set comes with markers and erasers.
- Clipboards – Clipboards were actually the first thing I bought as a class set. My students loved working around the classroom, and they needed something hard to write on so they didn’t get holes in their papers. You can put all the clipboards in a basket so your students can get them when they want to work away from their desks.
- Headphones – If your students have one-to-one devices, like iPads or Chromebooks, it’s nice to have a class set of headphones. I found that when I asked parents to send in headphones, a lot of them sent earbuds that got tangled and broken the first month of school. Others never sent any headphones at all. So, eventually, I invested in a class set of headphones so each student would have a pair to use all year long.
#3 – Flexible Seating
Students love working around the classroom, and a class set of clipboards is just the first step in allowing them to do that. Flexible seating options will give your students lots of choices for comfortable spots to work when they don’t want to stay at their desks.
Like class sets of supplies, it may take you a few years to build up your collection of flexible seating options. However, it will be worth it in the long run.
Here are some of my favorite types of flexible seating:
- Yoga Ball Chair – Your students will love sitting on these yoga ball chairs to do their work. They are comfortable and allow the students to bounce if that helps them concentrate.
- Wiggle Stools – Allow your students to wiggle while they work with these special stools.
- Square Floor Cushions – If your students want to sit on the floor and still be comfortable, these cushions are a great option. They stack neatly when not in use and are easy to move from one place to another around the classroom.
- Lap Desks – These lap desks provide the perfect place for your students to write away from their regular desks. They also give your students a place to keep all of their supplies if they’re away from their desks for a long period of time. These stack neatly when not in use.
Want Some Activities for the End of the School Year?
7 Fun and Engaging End of the School Year Activities
What Do You Think?
What are your favorite ways to spend your budget money?
Let me know in the comments below.
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