Romper’s 2024 Back-To-School Shopping List

Yoobi is known for its pencil cases — they actually hold a ton and don’t have that annoying zipper thing where your pencils won’t fit unless you squeeze it a certain way, and they often have these three rings for stashing into a binder. But the best part is all the sweet collabs they do, like this Yoobi Avengers glitter pencil case. The glitter is just such an extra fun touch.

Markers are a must in most pencil boxes and bookbags, but they can also be fairly ominous in the hands of little kids. But Crayola Clicks Retractable Markers work like pens: you just click the top down to start drawing. No more dried out markers or big orange stains on the bottom of their backpack.

I know, your cabinets are bursting with water bottles. But if your kid needs a new one this year, grab them one of these Owala 24-ounce freesip stainless steel water bottles. They can use a straw or drink from the top, and the colors are top-notch. As a bonus: no tiny parts that make it impossible to keep clean.

If you don’t have a chalkboard for your kids, are you even doing the first day of school right? Don’t complicate it, just grab this first day of school sign from Mondo Llama and fill it out. The other side has the same prompts but for the last day of school, and it really makes such a sweet keepsake.

If you haven’t heard of Smencils before, here’s your time to shine as the Best! Mom! Ever! Smencils are made by the same company that brought you the ‘90s scented markers, and they are so good. Teachers actually like them because they’re pencils, and they all feature a cute little topper with a scent. My own daughter talks about collecting different ones and trading with her friends.

Every kid deserves a bag that makes them feel confident, but they also need something that will actually hold their stuff. State Bag backpacks come in different sizes and tons of different colors and patterns, so whether you have a high schooler or a kindergartner, you’re all set. These bags are strong enough to withstand rolling on the bus floor and getting thrown into a closet, and they have tons of pockets and pouches for your Smencils.

A classic tweed dress is just such a classic back-to-school look, and the short sleeves of this Janie and Jack trending tweed dress make it easy to wear in any climate. The colors are nice and bright, and it isn’t so fussy that your kids can’t sit on the floor for reading time or run outside in it.

I have tried many thermoses — but this Funtainer Food Jar is the absolute best. The trick is, fill it up with hot water from a kettle in the morning and leave it, with the lid closed, on the counter while you make breakfast or whatever. Then dump out the water, pour in the hot food your kid wants for lunch, and close it back up. It stays warm for hours, is the perfect size for kids, and includes a foldable spoon in the top for ease. But the best part? There are no nooks and crannies full of mold or mildew in this thing. You can just pop it in the dishwasher and it gets sparkling clean in no time. I’ve had zero issues, and mine have lasted two years and counting.

I thought I was going to be a Giant Whiteboard Mom, but I realized pretty quickly that a giant whiteboard is simply too much work. But the Skylight calendar? A home run every single time. This digital calendar has chore lists, weekly events, notes to make to-do lists, a place to store meal plans — everything. You can enter it all through an app on your phone, or just use the calendar itself to add items, and when I tell you this changed everything for our family, I mean it. My kids get such a rush of checking off their chores — the Skylight emojis are very congratulatory — and having them be able to type into the list function whenever they want something from the store and it just pops up in my app while I’m actually out shopping? Genius. We put everything on it, and it’s been a major game changer for our family.

If you’re a first-time school parent, I’m going to be real honest with you — you are not prepared for the amount of paper your kids are going to bring home. Flyers, permission slips, homework, random sheets of paper with two crayon scribbles on it, it’s all coming home in their bookbag and you’re going to drown in it if you don’t take precautionary measures. Enter this ultra adorable magazine holder from Rifle Paper Co. I’m obsessed with it because it’s cute enough to have out on a desk or a kitchen counter, but it also holds a ton of paper. When I’m sure what to do with something yet,I just pop it in here and then on Sunday nights, I go through it all.

You think you can handle school lunches, and you totally can, but there will come a time, maybe mid-September, where you realize you already burned out from figuring out lunch every single day. Whether you’re stressed about what to feed your kid or just want to make sure they get a meal they’ll actually eat and fuel themselves with, the Feeding Littles: Lunches book from the incredibly popular Feeding Littles team of Megan McNamee and Judy Delaware is sure to inspire you and help you find easy, budget-friendly ways to keep your kids fed. No super fancy cut-up sandwiches or fancy shapes for fruit in here — just good food you can feel good about your kids eating (and food they’ll actually want to eat).

I used to just write my child’s name on everything — water bottles, bookbags, jackets — but soon found that while a permanent marker on your couch won’t come out, permanent marker on everything else can fade. Mabel’s Labels are so great, and this back-to-school pack has different sizes so that you have what you need to label your child’s clothes, school supplies, even their shoes. These are laundry-safe, sweat-proof, and can even last through the dishwasher. You can customize them with colors, too.

A sturdy pair of sneakers is a must for school, and honestly, even the most expensive ones can’t live up to a kid’s stomping and running. That’s why I love these Cat & Jack Jaid court sneakers. Not only do they come in this sweet retro colorway, they also have an easy Velcro closure for little kids.

Pencil boxes, water bottles, binders — so many school accessories could use a little extra pizazz, and that’s where these Mondo Llama vinyl positivity stickers come in. Having your kids decorate their items with phrases like “dream big” and “you are enough” is such a great way to set the vibe for the school year. Plus the vinyl holds up well in the dishwasher, so if they get really excited about decorating their bento boxes or bottles, you’re all set to keep them that way.

Day-of-the-week underwear? Tired. Day-of-the-week hair barrettes? Wired. I’m so in love with these enamel weekday hair slides from Meri Meri and think they’re just darling. Meri Meri really has some great pieces, and I find that these slides work really well for my girls’ super thick hair. The real trick is to making sure you wear them on the right days, but how nice is it to be a little walking calendar?

Nothing beats a Pottery Barn Kids lunchbox — it’s just the truth. These bad boys last forever, and the only reason my house has so many is because I’m a sucker and buy my kids a new one each year. Not only do these come in tons of fun patterns and can be personalized, but the space for the water bottle makes packing a breeze, and the inside of the lunch box is insulated and super sturdy. You can squeeze in whatever you use to pack your kid’s lunch, including that amazing Thermos FUNtainer, but I also love how easy it is to clean these lunchboxes. Get you some hot water and dish soap and you can get any stain out of the outside fabric, and wiping down the inside is super easy. A win-win.

These super sticky recyled Post-it notes are my favorites because they come in several different colors, are the perfect 3x3 size, and really are super sticky. We have stacks of these all over the house, and they work great for little lunchbox notes (kids love a good joke), shopping list reminders, and also labeling everyone’s stuff so that in the morning chaos someone doesn’t try to swipe their little sister’s lunchbox. (Another tip: write the library due dates on these and stick them on the books. You’re welcome.)

Maybe you’re not a themed pajama person, but I’m here to change your mind. These school time pajamas from Smockingbird are ridiculously cute, and I’m sorry, but is there any better way to prep your kid for their first day of school than fresh jammies and a book like The Kissing Hand? (Sob.) And sure, maybe it feels like these are too niche, but let me sell you on them: Smockingbird’s pajamas are heirloom quality. Go up a size to get an extra year of wear out of these. They’re also so soft, and they don’t have any weird cuts in the fabric that make them snug in some places and loose in others — they’re very traditional pajamas, and it makes wearing them a dream. Plus they come in tons of sizes, so if you have more than one kid, everyone can be matchy-matchy. The best.

Erasers are basically currency in the elementary schools, but not all erasers are the same. Usually, I find the cuter they are, the worse they are at actually erasing, but not with the Mr. Pen marble erasers. These boys are nice and chunky and they come in the most delightful colors with the pretty neon/pastel marble pattern. Plus they stack like little pretty rocks, which means I really just want a jar full of them on display for my own desk.

I have three kids and, hands down, these Whiskware stackable snack containers are the only thing I make sure to pack for a day out, every single time. We can change up our water bottles, but the snack containers? It has to be these. Fill them up, stack them up, and all three containers can be put into their bag. They can open just one at a time if they want, even the middle or bottom one, and the little handle on top makes it easy to carry.

I am a millennial — nearly everything I wrote, from book reports to my diaries, was done in a gel pen. And 100% I’m here to tell you — Yoobi is the best. These Yoobi Star Wars gel pens are just so cute, and they come in a 10-pack with the charms right there on the cap. Get this pack for your little Jedi (or your little Sith, I don’t judge) so they can write all the notes, or so they can document a day at school in their journal at the end of the night. (For their eyes only!)

Justice for the boys clothing department! Of course you could go with a classic school vibe like a plaid button-down or a collared shirt, but I just love this Gymboree dino school bus shirt. It’s so fun and bright, and while it definitely has a little boy vibe, even the big kids will love rocking it on the first day of school. It’s the perfect top for running around, spilling lunch down their front, and grinning in all of those pictures you’re taking.

I’m a big fan of back-to-school accessories that can be worn throughout the year — and even into the next. Sweet Wink’s hair accessories are always well-made and so fun, and I’m especially obsessed with this pencil bow headband. It’s got just a touch of glitter and can go with any outfit, and while it’s really perfect for the first day of school, it’s an evergreen education vibe. If you haven’t tried Sweet Wink before, here’s a little tip — give the headband a little spritz of hairspray once it’s on your child’s head. It won’t shellack itself to their hair or anything, but it will just give it a little extra strength for those sweaty afternoons in the gym or at recess.