Teachers don’t keep buying stuff that doesn’t work. So we went through two years of purchase records from our own classrooms and pulled out the things our staff ordered again and again, plus a few items they swear by.
By our editors · Picks checked October 9, 2026. Product details and availability change, so check the listing before you buy.
Disclosure: KidBrief may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, KidBrief earns from qualifying purchases. Every pick below comes from the order history of Treehouse Learning Center classrooms in Lynn, Mass., which publishes KidBrief. No brand paid to be here. How we make money.
Here are 15 classroom favorites that also work at home, grouped by what they’re for.
The art table
Purchased by Treehouse
1. Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue sticks
The most reordered item on this list. The glue goes on purple so little kids can see where it is, then dries clear. Washable, too. See the 30-pack on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
2. A big stack of construction paper
Our teachers reorder paper color by color all year. For home, one assorted pack covers months of projects. Colorations 600-sheet assorted pack on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
3. Crayola washable paint
The word that matters is washable. It comes out of clothes and off tables far more easily than craft paint. Crayola Washable Paint 12-count on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
4. Do A Dot markers
Big, chunky dot markers are a toddler’s first real art tool. They build hand strength and color recognition with almost no mess. Do A Dot Art! 6-pack on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
5. Modeling dough by the tub
Squishing, rolling and cutting dough is fine-motor practice that kids think is play. A big tub lasts. Hygloss 3-pound dough tub on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
6. Long-sleeve art smocks
Cheap insurance for every outfit. 6-pack waterproof kids’ smocks on Amazon (paid link).
Science and discovery
Purchased by Treehouse
7. Jumbo magnifiers on a stand
Reordered by our teachers. Kids slide a leaf, a bug or a rock underneath and look without having to hold anything steady. Learning Resources Jumbo Magnifiers on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
8. Jumbo eyedroppers
Drip colored water onto paper towels or into ice cube trays. It is color mixing and finger strength in one. Learning Resources Jumbo Eyedroppers on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
9. Color paddles
Hold blue over yellow and the world turns green. Simple, sturdy and great by a window. Learning Resources Color Paddles on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
10. A butterfly garden
Watching caterpillars turn into butterflies is the classroom project kids remember. Plan for spring, when the live caterpillars ship. Insect Lore Butterfly Garden on Amazon (paid link).
Early math and fine motor
Purchased by Treehouse
11. A color sorting set
Reordered by our teachers. Pretend fruits and veggies, tongs and baskets turn sorting by color into a market game. Learning Resources Farmers Market Color Sorting Set on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
12. Counting bears with cups
Count them, sort them, line them up by size. Bears show up in almost every preschool for a reason. Skoolzy Rainbow Counting Bears on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
13. A button practice board
Buttoning is hard. Practicing on a board, not a squirming body, takes the pressure off. Melissa & Doug Learn to Button board on Amazon (paid link).
Purchased by Treehouse
14. Pop tubes
Reordered by our teachers. Stretch, bend, connect and pop. Kids who need something in their hands often settle with these. Nutty Toys Pop Tubes 8-pack on Amazon (paid link).
Getting out the door
Purchased by Treehouse
15. A walking rope
Reordered by our teachers. Each child holds a handle, so a group walk stays together. Families with twins or a playdate crowd love it too. Excellerations Shapes Walking Rope on Amazon (paid link).
Before you buy
- Check the age label. Anything with small parts is not for kids under 3.
- Stay close during messy play, especially with paint and dough.
- Want ideas for using all of this? Try our 15 low-cost play-based lesson ideas.
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