back to school supplies
My student days may be long gone, but it’s hard to forget the unadulterated thrill that newly sharpened pencils and thick, glossy notebooks once evoked.
Our annual trip to the local stationary store feels like just yesterday—my mother hurrying down each aisle, eager to get the task over with, while I lingered over every binder and pack of highlighters.
At the risk of dating myself, I’ll admit we didn’t have the Internet back then. Now, with two boys attending pre-school come September, I’m doing all my shopping online. And these six items are a the top of my list!
Related: 5 Ways to Make Back-to-School Clothes Shopping Easier
Crumb Catcher
Whether you’re carting your kids to school every day or not, snacking in the back is a forgone conclusion. With the Nomie Baby car seat cover—patent-protected, safety tested, machine washable, dryer-friendly, soft, and removable in five seconds—damage control is a thing of the past. Available for infants and toddlers in an array of colors, including neutrals, lemon/lime, and purple, it’s all the mess without the stress! Even better: 10% of the profits are donated to the The Mount Sinai Hospital NICU in New York City.
Take Note
Founded by two moms, Lunchbox Love is a collection of 12 credit-card sized notes emblazoned on the front with positive phrases such as, “My favorite job is taking care of you” and a fun trivia fact on the back, “Just like fingerprints, each person has a unique tongue print.” Designed for lunchboxes, binders, backpacks, or even to leave on your child’s pillow at night, it’s a simple, fun way of letting your little ones know you’re thinking about them. A portion of all proceeds goes to The Lunchbox Fund—a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a daily meal for underprivileged and at-risk school children in South Africa.
Related: 8 Tips for Back-to-School Savings
Neat Feet
Back to school means back to sports, which also means muddy feet in your backseat. For this reason, Rick Kay and his wife, Marianne, founded Cleatskins—slip covers for your active athletes’ footwear. Made of SKINTEK™ rubber, they protect against shoe damage, slips and falls, destruction to your car/home, and they make transition time to and from games that much faster—a win-win all around!
Labor-less Labels
Gone are the days of sewing labels into every pair of shorts, pants, and socks. Now it’s as easy as press-and-stick with Name Bubbles—super cute, waterproof labels, which come in a variety of sizes and styles. They’re also dishwasher, laundry, and microwave safe. Try their “School Pack,” which features 88 personalized tags for everything from water bottles, lunch boxes, and backpacks to clothing and after-school gear.
Related: Make Your Own School Accessories!
It’s a Cinch!
With every milestone, things get easier. Or at least that’s what most parents tell themselves. Bye bye bottle—hooray! No more diapers—yippee! How about convincing your kids to dress themselves? With Myself Belts, it just got a whole lot simpler. This fashionable and functional children's accessory for kids ages 2-12, not only promotes independence and boosts self-esteem, but it also means no more droopy drawers. Available in leather, solid colors, and designs like airplanes, hearts, and trucks, Myself Belts can even be customized with a name or school logo. Celeb moms the likes of Madonna, Courteney Cox, Tori Spelling, and Brooke Shields are fans!
Easy Being Green
Staying hydrated is a must for children of any age. Enter The Brita Bottle for Kids—a miniature addition to the original Brita Bottle line. It’s a reusable bottle that filters water as you drink it, making it convenient for little ones to enjoy great-tasting tap water on-the-go. The 12.8 oz. bottle is BPA free, dishwasher safe, and comes in three fun styles including pink butterflies, navy blue sport, and green squares. The bottle also helps teach kids about the importance of maintaining our planet by reducing their bottled water waste.
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Emily Liebert is an award-winning, internationally published author, New York Times best-selling editor, speaker, and spokesperson. Her debut book, Facebook Fairytales, is available across the globe.
Liebert—a self-proclaimed Type A Mommy to two little boys—has been featured by: NBC's Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson, FOX News, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, and Celebrity Parents Magazine, among many others.
