Education Corner: Time for back-to-school supplies

Encouraging your children to create their own supply lists and estimate costs will allow them to expand their minds and develop critical thinking skills. You might also provide a budget for them to work within, including not just school supplies but also clothing.

Involving your child in shopping activities helps them develop essential life skills for the school year and beyond. Writing shopping lists boosts their writing skills, while choosing items enhances their evaluative thinking. Managing a budget or calculating costs also strengthens their math skills, fosters evaluative thinking, and helps them learn to manage their money. Overall, these experiences cultivate valuable competencies for them.

Preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade students may not have much experience with preparing school supplies, but they are excited about it. Engaging them in conversations helps build their understanding and develop essential life skills.

Providing choices, like selecting pencils, enhances their vocabulary and critical thinking. Using questions such as “What will you use these scissors for in school?” encourages thoughtful consideration of their selections.

Involving your child in shopping activities helps reinforce essential life skills. Writing shopping lists improves their writing. Setting aside a couple of hours for school shopping with your child helps foster a successful experience. Having them create a list beforehand will build discussion and set boundaries. While it’s easy to rush through the task, don’t miss the chance to bond; these moments can become cherished memories for both of you.

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Scott Smith has been in education for more than 40 years. Smith currently lives with his wife in Mosier and serves on the Board of Decoding Dyslexia of Oregon.