Your Ultimate Guide for Budget-Friendly Back-to-School Essentials

The first day of school is almost here! In addition to helping your child brush up on their reading skills and get motivated to learn, you’ll likely be setting aside time to gather the supplies they need for a successful school year. 

School supplies are not just tools of the trade — they’re confidence boosters, too. A backpack, notebook, set of colored pencils, or a new book can make your child feel good and motivate them to achieve their goals, says Karen Burke, SVP of Data Analysis and Academic Planning at Scholastic Education Solutions.

“Have a conversation with your child about what supplies they’ll need,” Burke says. “Make a list of these and any back-to-school tasks to be completed. This is all great guidance for establishing goals and feeling a sense of accomplishment in completing them.”

Books play a central role in your child's school year. In addition to any texts they'll need for reading assignments, Scholastic's best-selling workbooks allow your child to master a particular skill at home so they can bring their A-game to the classroom! There are also plenty of read-aloud titles — many under $5 — for soothing back-to-school worries.

Below are our top budget-friendly back-to-school essentials, featuring some of the best books and resources for all grades. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store. 

Books Under $5

Building a robust home library is key for developing kids’ love of reading, but it can get costly. This diverse collection of books features a variety of genres and reading levels, as well as captivating stories and relatable characters. And for under $5, these titles are a great way to stock your child’s library on a budget!

Ease your child’s transition back to school with these extraordinary books under $5 — including plenty of stories about making friends and adjusting to school life. Books about school and learning will get your child excited about going to school and help them see the many adventures that await.

Check out our editors’ top picks for affordable reads below! Plus, browse all books under $5 to inspire a love of reading this school year. 

Workbooks Under $7

Come the end of summer, you'll find an abundance of resources aimed at getting your child ready for school — marked up at a premium. Fortunately, Scholastic has affordable options with your child's academic performance in mind, like these popular workbooks under $7 (which meet classroom standards).

For early learners, these activity books under $3 are a great way to advance basic literacy and math skills. The books cover everything from counting and writing letters to matching, sorting, and letter sounds. 

Shop affordable workbooks below to sharpen their skills and build confidence for back to school and beyond!

Leveled Readers Under $6

Match your child’s interests with the right book at the right reading level, and watch their interest in reading grow!

Finding just-right books can make a huge difference in how your child reads, understands, and retains the information within — which are all key elements to fostering a love of reading. From asking simple questions to gauge their interests to exploring different characters, genres, and series, you can help pinpoint books your child will love (even as their interests evolve!). 

Shop our collection of leveled reader books under $6 below. 

Book Sets Under $30

If you’re looking for budget-friendly ways to get your child immersed in reading this school year, book sets under $30 are the perfect option. Collections are great for gauging your child's interests, while offering a variety of titles to excite and stoke reading engagement. After all, when kids are hooked on the first book of a set, they’ll become invested in diving into the next! 

Whether your child has formed a connection with the lead character of a series or wants to further explore an author’s style, make sure their shelves are stocked with more of the books they love. Scholastic's Raise a Reader Sets are curated by theme — like Adventure & Mystery — as well as by award winners and "author spotlights." (Dog Man author Dav Pilkey's set is a parent favorite).

Explore top-selling book sets under $30 kids and families love below.

More Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Back-to-School Season

Here are a few more strategies for how to give your children the tools they truly need this back-to-school season, without busting your budget: 

• Talk to Your Child’s Teacher: Reach out to your child’s teacher to confirm exactly what your child will need to start the semester. (This also gives you the chance to ask them how they prefer to communicate outside of parent-teacher conferences.) Then, compare your child’s wants with their teacher’s needs. You may find the list of must-haves to be significantly shorter than your child’s wish list.

• Take Stock of What You’ve Got: Chances are, the drawers and corners of your home are playing host to most of what you need. You’re bound to have blank notebooks lying around. Collect all the loose pens, paper, and coloring kits you can find and place them on a big, central surface (like a dining table or kitchen counter). Make piles and take inventory of what you’ve got. There will probably be more than enough for one child!

• Buy in Bulk to Leverage Discounts (Like Free Shipping!): Many retailers offer free shipping if your online order exceeds a certain amount. If you’re buying books for your child’s classroom reading list or their at-home library, remember that The Scholastic Store offers free shipping on all orders more than $25 year-round (not just during back-to-school season). These book sets for $25 or less give you more quality books for your buck and get you closer to that free shipping perk.

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