Teacher Shares Smart Trick to Keep Marker Caps From Getting Lost

Whether kids are preparing to return to distanced, in-person instruction, or both this school year, they're sure to need school supplies. But it's only a matter of time before younger children in particular ask to re-order certain items, such as markers, which tend to dry up as a result of caps going rogue. That might not be the case this year, thanks to a trick from a kindergarten teacher that's going viral.

Alongside photographs illustrating a step-by-step how-to, Lindsey Sale Desormeaux shared that this "little trick" proved "super helpful" last year. "Thought it may help teachers who are looking to keep students’ supplies from mixing," noted Desormeaux. "It was a true kindergarten miracle, y’all! Not one cap was found on the floor and not one marker dried out!"

If that wasn't enough of a perk, Desormeaux pointed out that the trick allows kids to practice their motor work with their little fingers at the beginning of the year by learning to cap and un-cap each marker. She wished her fellow educators happy teaching this year and concluded, "#ducktapecanfixanything."

In the accompanying images, Desormeaux shows followers how to tape a row of markers together, placing duct tape over just the first two-thirds of the caps. The final product is a pack of markers that is secured together.

Parents applauded the tip, sharing the post more than 21,000 times and leaving more than 2,000 appreciative comments.

Desormeaux's suggestion seems particularly useful this year, given the challenges of heading back to the classroom in the midst of a pandemic. While teachers always aim to limit the spread of germs among kids in the classroom, COVID-19 has only served to intensify that effort. The CDC notes that while this isn't thought to be the main way the virus spreads, it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. That said, kids would benefit from keeping their own supplies to themselves.

Not to mention that the trick should offer a tiny relief for parents hoping not to have to shell out on multiple sets of markers this school year. And given the extraordinarily stressful circumstances of the 2020-2021 school year, every bit of relief—and every helpful marker trick—is sure to help.