Back to School Favorites
It’s the moooost wonderful tiiiiime of the year!!! The kids are going back to school! It’s like Christmas and the New Year all wrapped up into one big mom (and dad!) holiday! Those first few weeks when the kids are back at school and I have six glorious, uninterrupted hours a day to myself are some of the best weeks of the year!
We honestly had the best summer this year. In some ways I didn’t want it to end. I am already mourning the loss of the 90 degree days, late bedtimes and that relaxed feeling of having no where to be. But, it’s time to get back to reality. And with that comes back to school shopping! Even though I am not the one going back to school, I still get excited about all the new supplies we have to buy every year! Below are some of our tried and true favorites:
1. & 3. My kiddos have to wear uniforms to school. My go to has always been Primary.com, but this year they were sold out of what I needed. So, I decided to try Target’s uniform shirts. Eva loves the polo dresses and Ben goes with the standard polo tee. I’ll keep you posted on how these last throughout the year.
2. & 4. This year we got new lunch boxes from Pottery Barn Kids to match their old backpacks. To say the kids LOVE these is an understatement. They were playing with these for days! They strap right to the front of their backpacks, which means there is still plenty of room for their binders and books. Pro Tip: I always get them monogramed with their names so we never have to worry about coming home with the wrong lunch box!
5. These easy Bento container inserts fit perfectly in the PBK lunch boxes. There is also a stainless steel option, but I opted for the less expensive plastic version. I can fit a ton of food in these bad boys!
6. We used these Bentgo lunch boxes for the last few years and I have absolutely no complaints about them. They were the perfect size for preschool aged kids, and they’re super easy for them to open and close by themselves. I highly recommend these.
7. & 8. We've been using the same type of water bottle for years. They are very durable, stay cold all day, and come in a variety of different styles like these Minecraft and Frozen ones. Pro Tip: If the straws rip or get yucky from the dishwasher you can buy replacements on Amazon.
9. My daughter’s Pre-K class has a 1 hour rest time. They set up cots for each kid, turn on soft music and let their little bodies recharge. We bought this nap mat from Stephen Joseph last year and it has held up very well. I wash it once a week and it’s still in great shape. Highly recommend!
10. & 11. My absolute favorite part of back to school shopping is the new shoes! This year Ben picked these blue Nikes (the extra toe protection is key for him) and Eva chose these sparkly tennis shoes. The kids shoe department in Nordstrom never disappoints - they even give out free balloons!
11. & 12. We didn’t get new backpacks this year because the ones we got last year are still in perfect condition, which completely justifies the cost in my eyes. Ben has the space theme, which is now glow-in-the-dark and Eva has this butterfly pattern. Ben uses the small size, which is perfect for a Kindergarten/1st Grader and Eva uses the Mini, which is just right for the Pre-K ages.
This is going to be a great school year for us! Both of my kids have the same teachers as last year (Our school uses a looping model, which we love) which means easy transitions and low anxiety for us all! Wishing everyone a great 2019-20 school year!
