I love that so many of you will often be given money that you can spend in your classrooms. But, it’s also one of the most common questions I get asked – “What should I get with this money?” So, today, I’m sharing my top items for your special education classroom wish list.
Before we start, if there’s things that you want on this list, but you don’t have the funds available. Head on over and read this blog post about my top fundraising ideas for your school or classroom.
Links included throughout this blog post may be Amazon affiliate links.
Flexible Seating
Many of our students will really benefit from having flexible seating options in your classroom. Having beanbags in the book corner, or floor desks. You can even get exercise ball chairs to sit on. All of these provide a variety of options for your students to help them be comfortable and remain focused and on task.
Sensory Items
Your students will often have ways that help them to self-regulate. And this is where sensory items and fidgets can be really beneficial. Some of my most popular ones are;
Sensory Room / Corner
You may be lucky enough to have a sensory room in your classroom – if not, a sensory corner can also be very beneficial, so long as it’s blocked off correctly. Kitting out the sensory room is a task that I look forward to each year. And that’s because I know how much my students really benefit from this room. So… what are some items I’d recommend for this? Read on..
- Blackout Blinds
- Beanbag Chair
- Bubble Tube
- Musical Star Projector
- Light Up Cube
- Wall Toy
- CD Player for Music
- Light-Up Sensory Curtain
- Rainbow Ribbon
- Rope Lights
- Chiffon Sensory Scarves
- Giant Sensory Den
- Sensory Chair Swing
- Sensory Cushion
- Texture Squares
- Soft Play Mats
- Soft Play Shapes
Cookery Sessions
My students have always loved to cook. And having access to cooking materials in the classroom makes this session so much easier, and less stressful. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a kitchen in their classroom. But, even if you don’t, there’s still other things that you can make together! Below are a list of some of the things that I find most helpful for our cookery sessions.
- Microwave
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Toasted Sandwich Maker
- Cake Pop Maker
- Smoothie Maker
- Slow Cooker
- Mixing Bowl
- Cutlery
- Grater
- Tin Opener
- Foil
- Baking Paper
- Sandwich Boxes
- Foil Trays
- Baking Trays
- Silicone Muffin Tray
- Cupcake Tray
- Silicone Cake Tin
- Weighing Scales
- Plastic Dinner Set
- Wooden Spoon
- Cutlery Organiser
- Sieve
- Whisk
- Cookie Cutters
- Icing Piping Set
- Moulds
- Ice Cube Trays
- Aprons
- Kids Recipe Book
- Silicone Cake Cases
- Table Mat
- Oven Gloves
- Thermometer
- Tea Towels
- Kitchen Roll
- Kitchen Roll Holder
- Chopping Board
- Pizza Tray
- Silicone Bread Loaf Tin
- Cooling Trays
- Measuring Cups
- Plastic Measuring Jug
- Silicone Baking Tools
- Rolling Pin
- Timer
Work Stations
Independent work stations have always worked really well for our students. They enjoy having their own work desk and it really helps to improve their focus. There’s a few things that I like to make sure we have available for our work stations, and they are;
- Small Storage Basket
- Work Trays – One for work to do and one for work finished.
- Mini Whiteboard
- Dry Erase Markers
- Whiteboard Eraser
- Clipboard
- Pens
- Crayons
- Colour Pencils
- Chair Organiser
Resources
There are SO many resources that I love to use with my students. But, I thought I’d list my top 10 that I feel are the most helpful. All of these are available on TeachersPayTeachers for you too!
- Autism Classroom Set Up Pack
- Life Skills Binder
- Social Narratives
- Communication Book
- Editable Newsletters
- Home/School Communication Book
- Morning Binder
- First and Then Visuals
- Movement Break Cards
- Visual Schedule
Bathroom Area
This is a very important area. You want your students to feel comfortable here, and be willing to go here when needed. Depending on your classroom and students, you may be using this for nappy changing and toilet training too. I’ve included some of my must-haves down below;
- Nappy Bin
- Toilet Step
- Nappy Sacks
- Towels
- Face Cloths
- Towel Hooks
- Wet Wipes
- Storage Drawers
- Toilet Brush
- Air Freshener Spray
- Toilet Training Seat
- Potty
- Toilet Training Ladder
- Hand Wash
- Antibacterial Spray
- Mirror
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Drawstring Bags – One for each student. Store all of their pieces in their bag and hang on hook.
- Rubber Gloves
Stationary And Organisation
These are my must-have stationary resources for the classroom.
- Laminator
- Laminating Sheets
- Velcro Dots
- Adults Scissors
- Craft Scissors
- Students Scissors
- White Paper
- Colour Paper
- White Card
- Colour Card
- Hole Puncher
- Plastic wallets
- Pocket Folders
- Ring Binders
- File Folders
- Dividers for Files
- Cellotape
- Double sided tape
- Stapler
- Staples
- Wall stapler
- Staple Remover
- Sticky Labels
- Post-It Notes
- Storage Drawers
- Tabletop Storage
- Magazine Rack
- Highlighters
- Erasers
- Tipex
- Binder
- Binders
- Pens
- Pencils
- Colour Pencils
- Rulers
- Felt Pens
- Crayons
- Sharpies
- Drywipe Pens
- Whiteboard Erasers
- Computer Organiser Stand
- Pencil Baskets
- Work Centre Storage
- Binder Clips
- Pencil Sharpeners
- Paperclips
- Glue Sticks
- Split Pins
- Push Pins
- Memo Board
General Classroom Resources
- Headphones
- Tissues
- Wet Wipes
- Wall Hooks
- Sand Timers
- Liquid Timers
- Amazon Echo Dot
- iPad Case – Military Level
- Hand Sanitiser
- Dish Bowl
- Cleaning Cloths
- Washing Up Liquid
- Blu-Tac
- Classroom Rug
- Doormat
- First Aid Kit
- USB Memory Stick
- External Memory Hard Drive
- Rubber Bands
- Sitting Spots
- Tuff Tray
- Sensory Tray
- Foam Alphabet Mats
Those are some of my must-haves for the special education classroom. These are things that I have used over the years, and they’ve always been beneficial and long-lasting.
It’s definitely worth putting together an Amazon wish list for your classroom – using the items above to add – and then share it around social media! If you have an Amazon wish list for your classroom, tag me on Instagram and I’ll share it to my stories for everyone to help you clear that list!
Do you have any classroom must-haves for special education that I’ve missed off this list? If so, leave a comment below! I’d love to hear about your must-haves too.
And if you find this blog post helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.
