Tried and True Products for Your Kid's Upcoming School Year

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Yes, it seems like you were just attending several hundred end-of-school parties (all at 11am on weekdays) and stocking up on sunscreen for the summer. But here we are again, with back-to-school on the horizon (or, depending where you live, very much already here). You may have a list from your child’s teacher that you’re dutifully consulting, but here are some other bright ideas to help everyone start out on the right foot.

With over 45,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, these things are popular, as they say, for a reason. Better for younger kids (since the compartments are on the smaller side), they keep ingredients neat and separated, and snap closed to prevent leaks. Psst…There’s a version with a built-in ice pack, too. And if you want fewer little compartments for an older kid, try this version. ($27.99, Amazon)

Sure, there are a couple little parts you’ll have to take apart to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. But that seems to be true of most kids’ water bottles — at least the 87,000 we’ve tried (OK, that’s a slight exaggeration). We love these because they have tons of design options and don’t break easily. ($15, Amazon)

Sure beats hand-sewing them into clothes, like your parents might have done for you. Choose from various packages and designs, then enjoy sticking dishwasher- and washing machine-safe name labels on anything and everything your children own. ($27.99+ per pack, Name Bubbles)

Cross “designing a cute first day sign” off your list, and just fill in the blanks on this adorable board. All you need is a chalk marker (and there’s an option to include one with your order). Then snap the perfect photo, text it to everyone you know, and pack the sign away so you can reuse it next year. Psst…Right now, get two-day shipping for free. ($22.80+, HickoryMoments via Etsy)

They need light to do their homework. But you don’t need to spend $100 on a pretty lamp that will break after three months. Sold. ($8, Target)

Sure, you’re hoping they’re not on their phones all day. But if they have practice, away games, music lessons, after-school jobs, or any other extracurriculars that make their days extra-long…or they’re just really bad at remembering to charge their phone overnight…you’ll be glad you got them this. ($10.88, Walmart)

There’s a certain convenience to composing everything on a laptop. But there’s still something incredibly satisfying about a binder full of neatly written, color-coded notes. So help your kids go old-school with this 20-piece set of fast-drying gel pens. ($7.98+, Amazon)

Speaking of old-school, why not get them a planner or weekly desk pad so they can keep their homework, social life, and other commitments straight? This one lasts from August 2023 to December 2024, so will cover the whole school year and beyond. ($36, Rifle Paper Co.)

Help them block out traffic, noisy siblings, and other distractions with these AirPods that are shockingly good, considering their size, at tuning things out and boosting focus. ($199, Amazon)

Get them in the habit of keeping all that expensive tech clean. Crumbs, finger smudges, dust…get rid of them all with a couple sprays of this screen cleaner. ($9.99, Amazon)

They’re still making these because they really do hold up. Choose a solid color or a design, and depending on how much stuff your kid totes back and forth every day, size up with a “deluxe” (32L) or “super deluxe” (40L) version. Yes, a deluxe backpack sounds like something that should come with fries, but sadly, these do not. ($39.95, L.L. Bean)

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