The Target Dollar Spot. It seems like everywhere you look someone is talking about something they bought from there. You can find some great counseling items in the dollar spot, but there are some that really aren’t necessary. Below is what I find useful and what I could do without!
Counseling Items I Love From the Dollar Spot
- Book Bins. One of my favorite things to look for in the Target Dollar Spot is book bins. Target’s book bins are cheaper than most teacher supply stores, and they include a label pocket
- Pencil cups. I use them for fidget holders and they come in bulk. To use as a fidget holder, I attach it to the student’s desk with their fidget inside. When they aren’t using their fidget, it goes in the cup. This makes it easier to access and harder to lose. You can even put visual expectations of how to use the fidget on the cup as a reminder
- Plant tins. I use these for coloring supplies and pencils
- Paint cups for a positive reinforcement system (see picture below)
- Cheap items for the prize bin like mini bubbles and wall climbers
- Mini pillows. Students like to hold them and they are a great addition to the calm corner. Plus they’re cheap, so if they get ruined it’s not a big deal to replace them
- Fidgets. This is another one I like to find cheap because I can let students have their own. There are a lot of traditional and non-traditional items that you can make work as a fidget
Counseling Items I Could Leave
While there are many things I like to use, there are some I could leave.
- It might sound silly, but mini erasers are a big one! These are trendy but my students don’t like them. Even when I put them in my prize bin, they are the last to go.
- Another would be felt play kits. While they are cute, I usually don’t have a plan for them so they end up being an impulse buy. This leads me to my next tip: shop with a plan.
Dollar Spot Shopping Tips
Purchase With a Plan
The Target Dollar Spot has so many things, don’t get me wrong. And a lot of times I might see something and think there has to be a way I can use it. But unless I can think of a plan right then, it’s better not to buy it or it will just sit on my shelf. So if you see something you want that you weren’t originally looking for, think of 1-2 ways you can use it right now with your students.
Shop at Certain Times
What is great about the Target Dollar Spot is that it usually has similar items at the same time every year. During back-to-school season it usually has sand timers, which are great for breaks or preparing for an activity to end. After the holidays, they have a lot of items I grab for my middle schoolers. Journals, mini banners, and pocket mirrors that are perfect for writing positive messages inside. And around Valentine’s Day, I stock up on prizes. There are mini toys and slime in bulk from Valentine’s Day cards.
I hope you found these suggestions helpful! Did we have any favorite items in common? Any you would add to the list? Leave me a comment below!
Happy shopping,
Kylie
Looking for more item recommendations for your office? Check out this series:
10 Prek-K Must-Haves & Favorites
