Good Friday at Good Will! #thriftyschoolcounselor

I thoroughly enjoyed this much needed three day break! The weather was beautiful and it was wonderful to spend time with family and friends. On Friday, I visited some local thrift stores (we are lucky to have some great ones in our area) to look for "hidden treasures". When I visit these stores, my eyes are peeled for items to use within my school counseling program. After all, it's not like we're given lots of extra cash to buy new tools! With the exception of earlier this year...view my post on resources found at Wal*Mart. I was so pleased with my finds that it truly was Good Friday! 

Play-Doh is one of my go-to tools in my counseling offices. Many of my students choose to manipulate it while we talk together. *I am continuously amazed at how much students will share while their hands are occupied!* Lately, many of my students have been bugging me to get some cookie
cutters or other Play-Doh tools to use in their creations. Originally, I had planned to check out summer yard sales for these. Little did I know that I'd come across the mother load!

Pictured above is the tub I came across and some of the contents! Included are boy and girl shaped cut-outs, some number stamps, rolling tools, etc.! It also included 6 containers of fresh, un-used Play-Doh! I paid....$1.97!! A similar version retails at $25.00.

Savings of $23.03!

At another local thrift store I came across a gently used Chutes & Ladders game. After securing this one, I have one at each of my three buildings. It's so nice to not have to lug all of my materials home everyday! I use Chutes & Ladders a lot to discuss good and bad choices. The images on the board are great for this. An added plus is that it gives younger students practice in counting to 100! This cost me a whopping...$1.99. This same version retails at Wal* Mart for $12.28.

 Savings of $10.29! 

I am so excited to utilize my new counseling tools with my students, and I know they will be just as excited! Be sure to check out your local thrift stores, yard sales, etc. for great school counseling tools at little cost!

Save Money, Live Better: $50 of Counseling Resources

Recently, one of my elementary schools was the recipient of gift cards from WalMart's Teacher Rewards Program. I was fortunate to receive a $50 gift card to use towards resources for my school counseling office.  A little bit goes a long way!


The Haul:


1. Small Adirondack Chair-Not only are these chairs super cute, but their slightly reclined position can be great for students who come to take a break! Dipping into theory, they could also be great for some Empty Chair or Small Chair therapy exercises. ($4.97)

2. Post-It Notes-Can't ever have enough of these things around! Whether you use them in sessions with students, or simply to remind yourself of the 1,678 things on your to-do list, post-it notes are always handy! (1.97/ 4 pack)

3. Pin-Wheel-Great for working on deep-breathing! (.50)

4. Small Tubes of Toothpaste- I use the toothpaste analogy (once words are out, it's impossible to put them back in) all. the. time!! For younger students, it can be more concrete when a visual is used! (.97) 

5. Games-Currently, I am hauling my staple games, Candy Land & Chutes and Ladders, between my three schools. Not to mention that all of my students remind me how out-dated my versions of the games are! Today's board games come in a more compact box and were fairly inexpensive ($4.88) at WalMart! Board games help to build rapport, encourage conversation, and can be played using questions on various topics (social skills, friendship, etc!)

6. Markers/Crayons/Glue Sticks-Frequently-used resources with my students! 

(.97/ 3-count gluesticks)   ($2.47/ 10-count Crayola Markers)   (1.00/ 4-pack Twistable Crayons)

7. Book- If you've read my previous posts, you know I love incorporating bibliotherapy into my school counseling program! Found this super-cute, easy-reader book for just ($3.77).

8. Play-Doh- Another must-have resource! I find the smaller-portioned containers to be more cost-effective.  This size also allows the students I see frequently to have their own container! 

(3.96/ Bag of 10)

9. Pencil Boxes-I pick these up pretty frequently when I see them for under $1.00! These were (.97) at WalMart! They can be used for hygiene kits, calm-down kits, general storage, etc! 

10. White-Boards-Can be used for doodling, writing, etc! Found a pack of three lined, lap-size boards for ($2.00) in the dollar section in the front of the store.

11. Pinpression-So excited about this find! Remember these things? I think they can be particularly therapeutic for students with sensory needs, and just generally fun! ($5.00)

12. Activity Tablet-Great to have on hand for students who pop-in unexpectedly! This is another item that I found in the dollar section in the front of the store for ($2.00). 

13. Notepads, Stress Balls, Stickers-The dollar section strikes again! Picked up a handful of go-to items for just ($1.00)!!

With tax, I got a total of 26 different items for just $51.39. Cannot wait to incorporate them into my office and begin using them with students!! What other school counseling items have you picked up for little cost?