The Best Back to School Gear for Kids

Jennifer Hamilton Last updated: August 9, 2017 0 Comments

There’s no avoiding what comes with September; cooler nights, shorter days and kids heading back to school! They will be out of our hair soon enough, but first we have to make sure they’re prepared. They’re doing their times tables, brushing up on their spelling and catching up on their reading, but what about gear? We’ve got that covered so you don’t have to worry about it.

USB Keys/Flash Drive
Not all kids need one, but some kids will; to bring home assignments and take work to school. Why not treat them to their very own drive? Rather than handing them yours (which you’ll never see again, at least not without a skull, Hello Kitty or Skylanders sticker on it).

Character USB Keys (various characters), $14.99. Available at www.target.ca in store.

Calculator
Yes, there is a calculator on pretty much every electronic device, but some schools still teach the disappearing art of actually using one. Besides, you probably need one to figure out just how much allowance you owe your child or to check some of their homework!

Staples 8-Digit Desktop Metallic Calculator, $3.95. Available at www.staples.ca.

Pencil Case
Pencil cases are great way for our kidlets to express their individuality. Whatever colour, size or shape they want, it’s available…or they can decorate one to suit their seriously eclectic taste if they want.

Converse Hi-Top Shoe Pencil Pouch, $22.99. Available at www.coolpencilcase.com.

Runners
Some schools insist on both indoor and outdoor shoes (at least up to a certain age), so buy two pairs now. Remember not to buy shoes with laces for kids who haven’t mastered the art of doing them up on their own yet — either the teachers will resent you or your child will be running around with untied shoes all day long (both things you don’t want).

Reebok ATV 19 Runners, $75.00. Available at www.reebok.ca.

iPhone/iPod/iPad or Aps for i-products
We know an iPhone is not a back to school necessity. But there are great apps for school-aged kids available now…they’re not just for texting, vine, facebook and playing video games anymore. Honest.

iPod Touch, starting at $229.99. Available at www.apple.ca.

Markers
No one can ever have too many markers. They come in every colour of the rainbow, can be used to do just about any kind of work and are super fun to have on hand in any school situation. Let them colour their world!

Crayola Telescoping Mini Marker Tower, $19.95. Available at www.chapters.indigo.ca.

Pencils
Back to school wouldn’t be the same without the smell of freshly sharpened pencils…it makes us giddy and our kids’ eyes roll. Stock up on different designs — and don’t forget the pencil crayons!

J+ Felt Pencil Case with Coloured Pencils, $6.00. Available at www.superstore.ca, in-store.

Stickers
Stickers come in handy for lots of situations. Kids can decorate pencil cases and erasers with them, they can stick one on their lunch box or a few on their book bag. You can use them to bribe your kids into doing their homework or finishing their lunch…see? Stickers are super handy.

Wild Things Stickers, $1.40 (each, when you order 6+). Available at www.redbubble.com.

Pens
As kids get a bit older, the pencils get relegated to math class and pens come out in every other one. Make sure they have pens they like and that they don’t leak all over them or run out of ink.

Poppin Signature Pen (in a variety of colours), $12.00/12. Available at www.chapters.indigo.ca.

Lunch Box
From Star Wars and Superheros to Disney and Dinosaurs, kids can get a lunch box that expresses their individuality, has their fave character or just holds a lot of food (which is a necessity as they get older).

Mackenzie Plum Butterfly Retro Lunch Bag, $25.95 – $29.94. Available at www.potterybarnkids.com.

Lunch Box Gear
We are back to packing lunches and honestly, having a few great sets of lunch box gear makes the packing go much smoother. So much smoother in fact that we are going to start enlisting their help in the lunch packing this year!

LunchBots Bento Trio Set $51.99. Available at www.lunchbots.com.

Backpack
A brand new backpack, book bag or sports equipment bag is like a rite of passage at the end of every August. They take a beating and yes, last year’s might do the trick, but getting a new one is exciting and fun, so why not splurge a little? And getting one that stands out makes it that much easier to spot your wee one in a mass of kids pouring out the school doors at dismissal.

Spiketus Rex 3D Backpack, $55.99. Available at www.brookstone.com.

Water Bottle

We insist our littles drink a lot of water, and now that schools are allowing them to have a water bottle with them throughout the day, we’d better get on board and get them a good one. PBA-free, big enough to hold at least a morning’s worth of water and a wide enough mouth for ice cubes (for those super warm fall days) are three good things to look for in a water bottle.

Thermos Brand 24-ounce Hydration Bottle with Meter, $10.99. Available at www.shopthermos.com.

Binder/Notebooks
Notebooks, binders and ruled paper are a must for back to school; let them pick their own designs of books and binders and then fill up their desk drawers with paper, paper and more paper!

Hilroy Core+ Fashion Notebook, assorted designs, $1.00. Available at www.staples.ca.

Key Chain
For those who are about to become “latch-key kids” this year, or for kids who have a key for their bike or scooter lock, a shiny new keychain is a good idea. Get them their own key (and get a few copies, because you know they’ll lose at least the first one) and make a big deal of it…because honestly? It’s a huge deal.

Harry Potter “Accio Keys” Harry Potter Inspired Key Chain, $10.63. Available at www.etsy.com.

Toothbrush
A great way to start the school year off right is to replace all the toothbrushes in the house (and then do again, at least every three months.

Gum Star Wars Battery Powered Kids’ Toothbrush, $8.79. Available at www.well.ca.

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