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Hi, I have a question, I`m a first time school age kid and not sure about labeling school supplies. They asking us to label all individual items so every pencil, marker, crayon...? Or just a box of pencils, markers...  
Thanks

I personally label all pencils, glue sticks, erasers, etc. as they are stored individually, not in a box. As for crayons, markers and pencil crayons, they are just labelled on the box. Generally, the kids do not end up coming home with a full box of these items at the end of the year, as they will lose them over the coarse of the year.

Pencil crayons and pencils have a way of disappearing when outside the case!! I just use a knife on the pencil crayons and pencils and scrape a bit of the paint off of the ends. Just enough to write our last name on the end. Time consuming yes but after two years of buying and buying some more I have had better luck with this method. If you have deep pockets you could invest in the Mabel's Labels. I have those too but usually just use those on water bottles, lunch containers and clothing that goes to school. Lots of fun. Have spent a couple hundred on supplies all ready and am not yet done. Still need new lunch kits after their Lug lunch kits finally "gave up" after three years tho!

Jellybean said "I personally label all pencils, glue sticks, erasers, etc. as they are stored individually, not in a box. As for crayons, markers and pencil crayons, they are just labelled on the box. Generally, the kids do not end up coming home with a full box of these items at the end of the year, as they will lose them over the coarse of the year. "

Thanks I`ll do that

ece2 said "Pencil crayons and pencils have a way of disappearing when outside the case!! I just use a knife on the pencil crayons and pencils and scrape a bit of the paint off of the ends. Just enough to write our last name on the end. Time consuming yes but after two years of buying and buying some more I have had better luck with this method. If you have deep pockets you could invest in the Mabel's Labels. I have those too but usually just use those on water bottles, lunch containers and clothing that goes to school. Lots of fun. Have spent a couple hundred on supplies all ready and am not yet done. Still need new lunch kits after their Lug lunch kits finally "gave up" after three years tho! "

That's a neat idea!

I would label it all. Crayons, pencils, markers etc. all look the same when they end up on the floor!

We have always labelled every single thing individually. I print labels with their names on them in a small font and cut them to put on the pencil crayons, pens, markers, etc. I also put scotch tape over the label to make it water resistant and harder to fall off. Or you can label pens, pencils, markers, crayons, etc with a Sharpie. Time consuming, but it helps the kids each be able to keep track of their own things. Otherwise, they lend a friend a blue pencil crayon and all of a sudden it's nowhere to be found.

to use "specialty" scotch tape. anything with a pattern and tape it on or around each item

I line them all up and get out a Sharpie (usually a color they like, but whatever I have on hand) and 'roll' them while I draw a line or two or three at the top of each pencil/crayon with the marker. Then each pencil will have 2-3 colored stripes at the top. At least they look different than everyone else's and my own child will know whose are whose.  
 
I know how easily stuff like that can get mixed up but with 4 kids I have no time to individually label each crayon and pencil. Like the previous poster said with the specialty tape - anything that allows your child to identify their own is all you really need.  
 
For markers and glue sticks etc. that have lids, I make sure that the initials or markings make it onto the lid, too.

Thanks to all for the awesome ideas to label school supplies! I`m appreciate it a lot

I never sent everything all at once..... Maybe two  
Pencils  
In case one was lost. Same with all the Kleenex they ask  
For. My kids always came home with a lot of extra stuff every year so I just started sending less and it worked.

Label everything!

When I was in school, my mom used to use a dot of nail polish on each pencil crayon, crayon, marker and pencils. I think having to label a few kids supplies got a little tiring so that's what she ended up doing. It worked nicely. She used to shave the sides of pencils and pencil crayons and put our name on them too. But the nail polish was much easier and less time consuming.