New Year, New Gear, with These Back-to-School Picks for all Ages
As summer begins to wind down, back-to–school season revs up with store shelves lined with everything from backpacks to pencil cases. It can be overwhelming to wade through all the choices, especially when you factor in budget and what your child wants vs. what your child actually needs. We’ve rounded up our favorite supplies and gear, spotlighting what we love for the new school year.
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Backpacks are not a one-size-fits-all purchase. Preschoolers have significantly less to carry than high schoolers, so here are three bags we love to get you through every stage.
The Skip Hop Little Kid Backpacks have always been a favorite and the perfect “first backpack.” Besides being just the right size to bring home the day’s coloring sheets, these adorable designs offer a variety of choices for your little one to choose from, including Sesame Street characters and a slew of members of the animal kingdom (real and imaginary). $25. skiphop.com
As your kids get bigger, so will their backpacks and their opinions. We love this Nike Big Kids Elemental Backpack because not only does it look cool, but it’s got a large interior pocket big enough to hold a laptop and notebooks, plus it has an expandable side pocket perfect for a water bottle and a fun pencil case that clips to the side of the bag in a bold contrasting color. There is also a smaller front pocket perfect for storing items your kid may want quick access to. $39. macys.com
And then they grew some more. The Herschel Classic XL Backpack is ready for the big time. This bag has an inner sleeve for a laptop, padded straps, and is large enough to hold essentials like a binder, notebooks, and more. It also has a side pocket for a water bottle and a front zipper pocket for smaller go-to items. Plus, it comes in various cool colors and two limited edition LEGO prints! $65-$75. herschel.com
No matter how old your child is, everything, and I mean everything, needs to be labeled if you ever have hopes of seeing that lost sweatshirt again. For this, I rely on Mabel’s Labels. They have been my label of choice for years, and I always customize them with our last name and my phone number. That way, they can be used for multiple children, and if someone finds a lost item, hopefully they’ll call to return it. I’ve gotten many random calls from people who have found our lost items. I put them on everything from notebooks to clothes to lunch bags. Your kids can help choose the colors, fonts, and designs. Labels start at $21.50 for 80. mabelslabels.com
A composition notebook is a classic school supply essential. Though we are all familiar with the black and white marble design, Five Below has brought us a new take with bold colorblock and fun checker pattern designs. $3. fivebelow.com
Function and style come together with the Art 101 Charm Pencil Pouch. This fun design comes in a variety of colors and has the option to customize with the purchase of Charm 5-Packs in various themes. Art 101 Charm Pencil Pouch, $9; $8 Charm 5-Pack. walmart.com
You’re not supposed to play with your lunch, but no one said anything about not playing with your lunch bag! The Arctic Zone Pop-it Kids Lunch Bag has a built-in pop-it handle for a little extra pop of fun. Older kids will like the sleek Chrome Lunch Box with more room for extra fuel throughout the day. Both come with a food storage container and reusable ice pack in an exclusive bundle. Pop-it Kids Lunch Bag, $22; Chrome Lunch Box, $22. arcticzone.com
Is your student ready for their first laptop? Light, portable, with an exceptional battery life, we like the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook. This budget-friendly PC is ideal for homework, web browsing, basic apps, and catching up with your favorite YouTubers. Starting at $259.99. lenovo.com
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