Back To School Essentials for Kids
Back to school is around the corner (eek!) and so today I'm sharing a round-up of some of my favorite back to school essentials for kids.
I don't like to scramble at the last minute looking for that new backpack or lunchbox, so I am taking inventory of what we have and what we need while we still have a few weeks left of summer.
Check out these back to school essentials for kids - many of which are favorites that we have and love.
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Backpacks for Kids
In order for a backpack to last all year, you need a good one. Here are some great backpack options.
Toddler/Preschool
These Simple Modern toddler backpacks have over 6K reviews and are a best seller on Amazon. They have lots of adorable prints and they are about $40. Perfect for your preschooler.
Elementary
Pottery Barn Kids makes my favorite backpacks, hands-down. They are great quality and last for years, and they have a nice selection of designs and sizes. For my elementary age kids, we always go with the x-large size. You can also get matching lunch boxes and water bottles, too.
These JanSport backpacks are sturdy, come in multiple colors and styles, and are popular with the tween crowd.
Middle Schooler
My middle schooler has this Adidas backpack. It has a spot for a laptop or tablet and lots of pouches to organize all the things big kids need.
Lunch Gear for Kids
If your kids bring a lunch each day, you'll want a sturdy bento or lunch box. Here are some of our favorites for school along with some lunch accessories.
Lunch Boxes
Bentgo makes our favorite Bento box lunchboxes! I like that I can pack a variety of different things without using lots of different containers. Here are our favorites:
- We've used this Classic Bentgo box for years, it's best for preschool through 2nd grade.
- We also love the Bentgo Chill with a built-in ice pack - these are also great for summer camp.
- We also have the Bentgo Stainless Steel box, it's best for older kids since it has larger compartments.
- I love this brand new stainless steel option with removable lid!
We've had many of these simple, inexpensive insulated lunch boxes. They fit both the original Bentgo and the Bentgo Chill. You can also throw them in the wash!
There are lots of cute designs for the Bentgo Kids Double Insulated Lunch Box - it also has a strap for easy carrying.
Thermoses
If you like to send in warm food for lunches, we like this thermos. It comes in many different designs, and even has a little built-in spoon in the lid.
We don't personally own the Omie Box, but it has a built-in insulated food jar for warm foods!
Ice Packs and Accessories
My daughter loves these cute food picks for sliced fruit. They fit well in bento boxes.
These little leak-proof silicone containers are perfect for dips or yogurt, and they fit well inside the Bentgo lunch boxes.
We love the small PackIt for snacks! It has built-in ice packs. You freeze it and then add the snack in the morning. It's perfect for yogurt, cheeses sticks, pouches, etc.
These flat square ice packs work really well for lunchboxes.
These ultra-thin, flexible ice packs are another great option.
If you are already feeling stumped on what to pack for school lunches, check out my easy lunch box ideas.
The Best Water Bottles for School
Water bottles are definitely a school essential. I feel like I spend half my life washing and filling them, along with buying new ones because my kids leave them places. It never fails.
The Owala FreeSip is my number one pick! We love these water bottles.
I like the Ello Insulated Kids Water Bottle because they are simple and sleek. This one is 14 oz, which is good for kids in preschool up until 1st grade or so.
We've also had several of these Hydro Cell water bottles. We use them for sports and school.
School Supplies for Back to School
Headphones, labels, pouches and some cute extras for kids.
Headphones
Headphones are pretty much always on our school supply lists. We like these headphones, but to be honest they are all pretty similar.
Labels
As a teacher, I always tell parents to label everything! Name Bubbles makes great labels for kids. I bought several sheets years ago and haven't needed to reorder since. I highly recommend. You can use them to label clothes, jackets, backpacks, lunchboxes, water bottles, everything. They stay on so well, I almost never have to replace.
Pouches
Organize those backpacks with these zipper pouches. You can use them for everything from extra clothes or supplies, to snacks, pencils and pens, chargers, etc. They are inexpensive (24 for under $10!) and come in a variety of sizes.
For more on back to school, check out how to get organized for back to school and my easy lunchbox ideas for kids!
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