Back to School Supplies and Gear

If your child is heading off to day care, preschool or (gulp) kindergarten this year, we know how overwhelming and emotional it can be.

While I absolutely adore traditional back-to-school shopping (pencils, pens, notebooks, binders, folders, paper, etc. — OMG just writing this is making me want to go to Target…), back to school supplies for little ones tend to be more basic. You know: water bottles, lunch bags, food containers, backpacks. Two changes of clothes with and a blanket and extra underwear. Fun stuff.

If this is new territory for you, we’ve put together the best of everything you’ll need — the following pages contain our absolute favorite school essentials in all the major categories.

You may (or may not) be getting a supply list from your school. These often vary from school to school and sometimes even from teacher to teacher. Make sure to check those lists or reach out to your school for guidance — you’ll want to cross reference the necessary items with what you already have at home. After all, things like backpacks, lunch boxes and pencil cases probably don’t need replacing every year.

We’d also encourage you to stock up on some more “traditional” art and school supplies to keep at home for all the times your children will want to practice new skills, draw, create, explore, and learn in the comfort of their own home.

From backpacks to lunch boxes and water bottles to the best STEM books for kids, here are all the best school supplies you’ll want for your kids.