I always love a great deal. And, when I know there is a time of year coming up that is the best time to save money on anything, I get a little giddy. Like back to school time! The time of year when the best deals on things like pens, sneakers, and tape go on sale, I tend to stock up.
Now that my boys are older gone are the days of actual back to school shopping.
But that doesn’t stop me from browsing through the isles of Target.
This year, I am feeling a little nostalgic and remembering all my favorite items that I used to love. So I have compiled 31 things that you can easily order off Amazon – and who doesn’t love having something shipped right to your door, right?!?
I have highlighted some great products here.
Now, fair warning…some of these things have nothing to do with kids and all about us moms. Whatever I could find to make our lives easier, less stressful, and save us some money (and sanity), I was all over it!
Amazon Back To School Reusable Lunch Products
1. Lunch Containers Like Bento Boxes and Planet Boxes are not only good for the environment and your wallet, but they are SO FUN! Who wouldn’t want to eat cheese and turkey roll-ups out of a cool lunch container?
2. Reusable water bottles are a must-have for all of us and this one (highlighted)is the one I have. My son has the same but his is orange. The majority of people are dehydrated, so having a stylin’ refillable water bottle is a reminder to drink up. And it replaces the cost and waste of buying bottled water.
3. A thermos makes a dull lunch better by mixing up our choices. A hot dog in a roll or leftover mac and cheese for lunch throws a twist to the regular PB & J- even if it is cut into stars and moons (special sandwich shape cutters are a thing).
4. Those reusable bags come in fun patterns and are one step closer to saving the environment. There is always a concern in using those plastic baggies.
5. Have you heard of these wax wraps? Essentially, it is fabric dipped in wax. It sticks to itself or other substances like a bowl and keeps things fresh. I love the idea, and these are on my list to grab soon (saved in my shopping cart). This puts to rest the idea of using ANY plastic, whether it be reusable bags or plastic containers.
6. These stainless steel containers are a little pricey. I am not going to lie. They will pay for themselves over time. But we have gradually replaced most food storage with glass or stainless steel. If you are concerned at all with the effects plastics might have on our health, check out these containers. We have them in all sizes.
7. I think freezable lunch boxes take the cold lunch to a brand new level. We all have seen the frozen blue ice packs on the shelves, and we might all have on or two (or 8) in our freezer right now. But these lunch boxes that go into the freezer, so the entire thing is one big ice pack seems genius to me. Tak about zero risks of warm yogurt!
School Supply Must-Haves
8. A backpack is a given, right? But did you know that specific size backpacks are depending on the age and size of a child? Here is an excellent article from the classic Readers Digest, filling you in on everything a parent should know about backpacks! And then you can decide on which size is right for your little (or big) one.
9. Paper planners are my best friend. I love the paper and pen approach, and this may work for some students. As they become old enough to write, and their responsibilities are more significant, they will need a way to keep track of assignments. There’s old school student planners or small assignment notebooks. Or, if your student has their own phone, there are LOTS of apps like The Homework App or My Study Life – both free.
10. A Pen and pencil case – just a spot to keep all those lose tools in one place, so the kids aren’t digging tot he bottom of their bags or emptying the desk or locker looking for a pen. There are all sorts of choices, or it could just be a zip bag!
Fun Add Ons For Kids
11. The first day of school signs and chalkboards are one of those things I wish I had thought of for my boys. They were just never a thing 15 ish years ago.
12. My friend Amy made T-shirts for her boys in adult sizes, so she plans on snapping a picture every year. They have their name and graduation year on them. Such a cute idea!
13. A pair of sneakers – a good pair of running sneakers are a must. Even children need the support of good sneakers for running around and gym class. I am not talking hundreds of dollars here, but I am talking about excellent arch support from a name you trust. Amazon has got ya covered!!
14. Adorable lunch box notes are a super cute idea. Yes, of course, you can write out your own or get creative on the computer and print out some, but sometimes Amazon makes it easy. I wonder how my college student would feel about these? Not that I am planning on packing is lunch any more!!
Back To School Technology From Amazon
15. We just bought an external battery charger for my youngest to use on his senior trip last spring and we love it so much, we bought a second one. These are an excellent idea if your child (or teen) is involved in after school activities and their battery tends to die fast. It is also good to charge laptops, Chromebooks, and netbooks.
16. Speaking of computers, I am so surprised at how much Chromebooks have come down in price. They are almost less than some sneakers! When we bought ours (7 years ago), we paid $250, and now they are under $200! More and more schools are requiring them.
17. A cordless mouse. Great idea. Much easier than trying to manipulate that little pad on a Chromebook. And these are not expensive.
18. It is never too early to teach your children how to use an alarm clock. I remember when my boys turned 3 and started to recognize numbers, I got them a digital alarm clock and told them on the weekends they were not allowed to wake us until the first number was a 7. Worked like a charm!
It would be one less thing that you, as a busy mom, would need to do. Although, you might need to be their backup alarm…just in case.
19. Even though its technically not technology, I had to throw the ball chair into this section. We all seem to spend so much time sitting and working, that this chair would be great to get the wiggles out of kids while they do their homework. It could also be great for us mom’s, too. Just sayin’.
Must-Have Amazon Back To School For The Family
20. Those white noise machines are an asset to those nights when sleep eludes us. Whether it’s from overstimulation or the fact that it is still bright out at bedtime, white noise has a calming and soothing effect for everyone. Suitable for both moms and kids alike.
21. Immune support supplements are another suggestion for the entire house. All those children in one building is a breeding ground for illness. My youngest would end up sick every September. Immune support, like vitamins and minerals, is a great way to fight off those germs.
22. I am not sure who might benefit more from a stress ball, mom, or kiddos — either way – its a must-have for back to school.
23. A timer can be an asset to the moring. If the children have a tough time being ready, timers will work well as a reminder for each step. It is also for moms too. I use timers and alarms all of the time to notify me when I may need to move to a different task.
For Moms Only
24. A large calendar or someplace to keep track of all the things everyone needs to do. Appointments, games, practices, gatherings. All those dates need to be in a central location so everyone can see what is going on. I love those big desk planners for this reason. If you can set up a central command station, it can live there!
25. If you do not already have an Instant Pot, you might want to put it on your back to school list. Its been a dinner saver many times over. Even as I type this, I have a half-frozen pork roast in there cooking because SOMEONE forgot to take it out of the freezer earlier. It is a game-changer for busy days. Or lazy ones.
26. I cannot tell you how valuable these pop-up tents for games and activities are. Whether you need to stay out of the sun, the wind, or the rain (even the snow here in Upstate NY) these are pretty awesome. They are better than an easy up because they are fully enclosed with windows. We love these!!!
27. Having a meal planner takes all the stress and guesswork out of what’s for dinner. If you have a plan ahead of time, meat unthawed and may be thrown into the Instant Pot or Crockpot in the morning then after a long day of school, work, sports, and appointments, you will not be tempted to run through the drive-through after cheer practice because you know dinner will be waiting when y walk in the door.
28. I really love coffee. And that means I really love my travel coffee mug (my actual coffee mug) When you are running out the door to take the kids to school before you head to work, a good travel coffee mug can change your life. Mine will stay hot for HOURS!!
29. Also, a coffee maker is a MUST! Whether you like a Keurig or a standard drip coffee maker on a timer, you need to have a reliable source of caffeine.
30. Attaching name labels for kids stuff is such a great idea. Have you ever gone into school and taken a peek at all the STUFF on the lost and found table? I wish I knew about these when my boys were little. I would have ironed them on to EVERYTHING! Gone would be the days of lost mittens and boots and shirts and jackets!
31. If you have indecisive littles in your house or even if they are prone to quick decisions, having a weekly clothes organizer is a great idea. Putting a full outfit in every single day would save you from hearing, “I NEED SOCKS!!” every. single. morning.
After the clothes have all been washed on the weekend while your people are putting away their own clothes (maybe with your help), you can stick a set of clothes in this thing for every day — another way to make stressful mornings easy peasy.
32. Right along with the labels is a label maker for supplies. Pencil boxes, notebooks, lunch bags and containers cols al use a name label. Everything could benefit from a label.
33. Organizing hooks for jackets and backpacks are an excellent way to make sure nobody is scrambling at the last minute to find their coat or bag. Having a designated sot for all of those needed things to live guarantees they will be there when you need them. As soon as the kiddos get home, they can empty backpacks and hang them on their hook. This is a lesson in responsibility, too!
Thanks for checking out my favorite back to school products from Amazon and I hope you all have a fantastic school year!
Please let me know if I am missing anything that you might think is a must-have for back to school. And no, Amazon does not sell wine. I checked 🙂
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest Board!
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Angela Bordio
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing this helpful information! Sending your child back to school after a long break is not an easy task, so you need to prepare for this in advance. I took note of a few tips and will definitely try them later!