The Back-to-School Essentials for 2021
The dog days of summer are upon us and that means a return to school is right around the corner. While the kids might want summer to go on forever, they’re still surely excited to go back for the first normal school year in a couple years. However, you can make it so they’re even more excited by decking them out with everything they need to excel in the classroom.
Backpacks, clothing, school supplies and maybe even a laptop, here are all the essentials you need to make sure the kids are going back to school in style and the deals to make sure it doesn’t break the bank. Before buying anything, be sure to do a quick sweep through your supply bin. You might get lucky and find some perfectly good condition notebooks and folders!
Backpacks
Backpacks come in many sizes, styles and colors picking the right one is always tricky. One thing for sure, it must make it until the end of the year. Most kids will focus on looks, however as parents we are tasked with finding one that is durable and big enough to fit all their essentials.
Jansport backpacks are highly favorable among all ages. Their sleek design will conceal all the things packed in it. These bags will accommodate the lifestyle of any student. Excellent for compartmentalizing books, snacks, and electronics.
High Sierra has manufactured top-quality backpacks for travelers, athletes, students and everything else in between. They are your go-to brand for durability and affordability. Their padded straps help prevent any back pain for your kiddos who walk to school or have a short passing period and long distances to walk in between classes.
Herschel Supply Co. creates stylish yet practical backpacks perfect for high schoolers and college students. Their ample space can fit all essentials to conquer the day including a safe compartment for laptops or tablets. The padded base and sturdy exterior will keep all items secure plus, it will never break.
Be sure to check Belk, Target, and Walmart for any of these brands listed, they will not disappoint.
Lunch Boxes
Gone are the days when a ham sandwich in a paper bag was good enough for a full day at school. You’ve got to provide a balanced lunch to keep their brains in top shape throughout the afternoon and the best way to hold all that nutrition is in a reusable container or bento box. Your choices are endless here, but we recommend a hard plastic container that can be washed in the dishwasher.
A three compartment box is always a good way to go as it gives kids the opportunity to mix and match their lunch choices, but don’t get too complicated, you’re not trying to design a four course meal. The sturdier the box the better and leak proof is a must, unless you want a damp locker. Our pro tip is to look at adult meal prep options, they offer more variety to really pick out the type of lunchbox they’ll love.
A good place to start is this Bentgo Kids Chill Leak-Proof Lunch Box from Kohl’s which has a leak-proof design that includes an optional built-in ice pack that nests below the bento-style compartment tray. It’ll keep the food safe and cold all throughout the school day. Another great option if you have multiple kids in need of lunch are the SimpleHouseware Reusable 3-Compartment Meal Prep Container Boxes which you can purchase on Amazon. They’re flexible, safe and come in a 6-pack so you can always grab one for yourself as well!
Finally, if you’re looking for something prettier and more fit for younger children, then Belk has the perfect choices for you. They’ve got affordable lunch boxes with an array of designs from mermaids to dinosaurs as well as sturdy High Sierra stacked compartment boxes.
New Outfits
Time to kiss the pjs goodbye and say hello to back to school fits. Teens and children alike will need a brand new wardrobe for this coming year after spending last year in loungewear. For little ones, it is important to shop for styles they can mix & match to allow them to express their individuality. Teenagers are likely exploring different styles and drawing their inspiration from their favorite tv shows, influencers, and social media. Shopping for a teen is never easy, which is why we’ve put together a list of top deals you don’t want to miss out on while shopping for this year’s wardrobe.
Elementary School
The most stressful part of back-to-school shopping is clothes. You want your kids to look good, but you also don’t want to go out of budget in clothes they’ll quickly grow out of. Lucky for you Belk currently has their Back to School Sale where you can find stylish items as low as $8. You can find anything from denim shorts, to polos, and dresses at an unbeatable price. Find the right pair of shoes, leggings, and basics at Kohl’s. Shop online to enjoy more savings with limited time promo codes.
Teens
Jeans are an essential to anyone’s weekly outfit rotation. American Eagle carries great quality denim in an array of styles for your teen. You can shop now and get them as low as $24.99. As for the stylish gals, you’ll want to check out Forever 21. We suggest you shop online to save some coins using a promo code as opposed to dealing with a crowded store and paying full-price in person. You can never go wrong with Target, this applies for all age groups. In recent years, they’ve expanded their clothing selection to appeal to a border audience. Check them out for your basics, graphic tees, and stylish accessories to strut the hallways in-style.
Supplies + Tech
In many ways the world of school supplies is much simpler than it was when all of us were in school, so much is done online and on computers nowadays. But not everything has gone digital quite yet. You still have to buy pens, pencils, notebooks and the works to get through the school day efficiently.
While there are plenty of places to shop for supplies, we wanted to narrow it down to brands with the best deals. Your first stop should be a place like Office Depot or Staples whose entire brand is dedicated to office supplies. They’ll have the best selection and the highest quality materials for you to choose from. Right now Office Depot is offering up to 55% Off School Supplies while Staples has a deal for up to 80% off school supplies with some folds and binders as low as $0.50.
Beyond that a store like Target or Walmart is also a great place to look for general supplies, you can even pick them up while grocery shopping! They also have limited time back-to-school deals all throughout the month of August.
On the tech side of things, if a laptop is needed for schoolwork we recommend a Chromebook as they can do everything your student needs without breaking the bank. There are a lot of Chromebook options out there so pick the one that fits their age and what they’ll potentially want to do with it outside of school. However it really is a borderline budget option as Best Buy currently has Chromebooks for as low as $139. So if you’ve been thinking about getting your teenager their first laptop, now is the time.
That should just about get you started on the road back to school, but we’ve only covered some of the essentials. Make sure to ask your kids what it is they want for the new school year and ultimately make your purchases based around that. If you’re still looking for the perfect Back-to-School deal then keep your eyes peeled on Raise Coupons as plenty more doorbusters will be dropping throughout the next month. Until then, enjoy the rest of the summer!
