Homeschooling supplies for children

A blackboard and whiteboard in one

If you buy one thing to help you get the kids organised, we think it should be a blackboard-whiteboard combo.

We particularly like this version from John Lewis which is petite enough for little fingers and comes with accessories like two pieces of chunky chalk, a chalkboard eraser, a whiteboard pen and a magnet for attaching bits of paper.

Not only is it useful to write down the tasks for the day, it doubles as an imaginative toy for the kids, who may want to open their own cafe, shop or even an alternative homeschool.

John Lewis & Partners Wooden Chalk & Magnetic Board, £25

A cute storage locker

We are totally obsessed by Mustard Made's storage solutions in an array of fabulous colours, which all happen to take inspiration from school lockers (with a stylish twist). Organisation is key to not losing your mind when homeschooling, and the Shorty version is perfect for keeping all of the kids' homeschool essentials in one spot. It also doubles as a bedside table.

Mustard Made Shorty storage locker, £129 at Oliver Bonas

A fantastic - yet affordable - laptop

While parents once faced the problem of too many screens, many of us now don't have enough as we attempt to work from home and share our highly prized (and highly priced!) tech with our little ones.

If you're concerned that your Macbook has been smeared with jam one too many times, we can't recommend an HP Chromebook enough: for under £250, it really does everything required for homeschool purposes, and is easy to set up and use. Plus, it can handle all of the basics for a parent's work, too.

HP 14" Chromebook - AMD A4, 32 GB eMMC at Currys, £239

Noise cancelling headphones

Whether your child is listening to teacher video lessons or signing into live classes, noise-cancelling headphones are indispensable. You also want to make sure you find a volume-limiting choice (no more than 85dB).

Puro Sound Labs' PuroQuiet ticks all the boxes - and these headphones are wireless too. Beloved by kids and parents, they're also stylish.

Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, £89.99

Smart furniture

Parents will take any help they can get at this point, and if that comes from furniture, then all the better.

Koble's range of smart furniture like this side table looks good in any room and features some added benefits, like a wireless charging surface so your older child/teen's smartphone or tablet will always be ready to go (there are also USB points in the table).

With two Bluetooth speakers built in, the table is an audio book and music speaker with an adjustable volume setting. Place it in a bedroom and it can give you a hand with bedtime stories.

Koble Carl Smart Side Table with Speakers & Wireless Charging at Cuckooland, £225

The well-organised workspace

One thing we've learned from homeschooling part two is that an ad-hoc arrangement, even for a young primary-aged child, just won't cut it.

Giving them a proper desk space and set up is key to achieving at least some level of concentration and motivation, while older kids may need to be moved out of their rooms in order to keep an eye on their screen time.

In addition to a desk or a designated table space, a comfy chair and a lamp, kids could use a bit of creative inspo in their workspaces, whether it's a comforting art print or a plant that adds some biophilic principles and life to an otherwise dreary homeschool setup.

The desk that does it all

Let's face it: homeschooling is hard because parents need to sit with their children, guiding and helping them as they work.

This dual-sided desk means a parent and child can work opposite one another, or two siblings can get the right mix of socialisation and studying done. It's designed to mimic a playground swing with tons of handy storage, while the bar at the top is perfect for hanging headphones and organisers for stationery essentials.

Vox Spot Two Sided Desk at Cuckooland, £325

The resource books that don't require a screen

Kids and adults alike are so tired of staring at the screen, which is why we're so eager to pick up some books with an educational bent.

We're big fans of the Atlas of Adventures series illustrated by Lucy Letherland; whether your child is interested in deep-sea creatures or history, there's a book to appeal, which will teach them geography, cultural customs, amazing animal facts and map-reading skills.

Plus, it gets them to faraway lands beyond the four walls they're surrounded by constantly.

Atlas of Adventures series, £20 each

Some new Lego

When the homeschooling hits a wall, the kids bring out the Lego - and something magical happens.

Siblings help each other, worlds are created and a toy that has been sitting in the cupboard neglected becomes the basis for an elaborate week's play involving imagination and cooperation (not to mention all those fine motor and engineering benefits from the building itself).

So, yes, now is definitely the time to get them a new Lego for the month - and if they spend an afternoon doing it, don't feel bad for missing fractions. They're learning lots of other good stuff.

This new medieval blacksmith set offers plenty to inspire, and counts as a history lesson, too (well, sort of, anyway).

Lego Medieval Blacksmith, £134.99

A new notebook

As much as this is a time for learning and homeschooling, it's a time for reflection, journaling, sketching and remembering.

So in addition to all of the school notebooks the kids are using, getting them - particularly the older ones - a notebook to cherish, where they can write down all of their hopes and dreams and fears and anxieties, is a good idea.

We love Frida Kahlo's "I am my own muse" quote - the perfect inspiration for a generation of children who are having to look inward to find themselves.

Moleskine limited edition Frida Kahlo, £32

A digital-meets-hands on educational aid

Osmo's STEM toys combine learning on a screen and doing in real-life, whether the kids are interested in phonics and spelling, maths and coding, puzzles and art - or you want to help your children in any of those areas.

Osmo is compatible with iPads and Fire tablets, and is just the solution for parents looking for an innovative way to get the kids learning.

Osmo Creative Starter Kit, £79.99

A desk tidy

The constant mess, on every surface, is one the hardest things about home learning, and the visual clutter undoubtedly adds to parental stress. We like this desk tidy for chucking in all of the pencils, pens, felt tips and anything else - the oversized pencil tip closes down so the chaos of your child's homeschool accessories is contained inside.

Pencil desk tidy, £18

A double-duty desk

Multitasking furniture items are so helpful to parents right now. This cleverly designed table and chair set suits a variety of kids' ages and looks gorgeous wherever you put it. Not only does the desk have some handy storage shelves built in, but the chalkboard top is the perfect craft table. Plus, it's mde from sustainable rubberwood.

Plan Toys Table & Chair, £160

A new way to learn phonics

Phonics is tricky enough when the kids are in school, and can feel like a real uphill battle when they aren't. The Bear Can Read is a new subscription service that just might pique your little one's interest, with personalised activity bundles each month to help make phonics fun. Boxes are typically £19.99 a month, but your first one is just a tenner with code Home10.