All the back to school items you might be forgetting
While most parents are dreaming of the end of the school holidays, those last January days often bring a level of stress in the rush to buy everything the kids need for a new year at school.
And as the list of must-haves grows, and kids are told to 'bring their own devices', it can be hard to know where to invest your money and find products that will last.
We've compiled our best suggestions for your kids for the oncoming school year, with everything from technology through to hair ties – we have you completely covered.
Best of all, these items will still arrive before January 30, the first Monday back for most.
Laptops
Lenovo Ideapad Duet Chromebook
If the time has come for your child to start taking a laptop to school, a Chromebook from Lenovo is an excellent place to start. No good laptop is cheap, but we'd rank this one as 'affordable' – it currently retails for $297 on Amazon, which is a 45 per cent discount. It's also small with a 10.1-inch screen, and easy for students to transport from class to class. They can also flip the keyboard back to make full use of it as a tablet instead. Overall, the perfect first device for your tween.
You can get the Lenovo Ideapad Duet Chromebook with next-day delivery with an Amazon Prime subscription.
2021 Apple iPad
If the kids are being told to bring their own devices, a tablet will often suffice. This older gen iPad from Apple will give them access to all the learning materials they need online, and can act as a simple word processor for their essays, assessments, and class work if they prefer to type instead of write by hand. With 256GB of storage, stereo speakers and Touch ID for security, this will make the perfect first device for those entering high school or getting started with online learning.
You can get the 2021 Apple iPad with next-day delivery with an Amazon Prime subscription.
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Backpacks
Vaschy Kids School Backpack Lunchbox and Pencil Case
If your kids are little and getting ready to enter school, this backpack from Vaschy will give them a pop of colour among the sea of uniforms. With a cute unicorn theme, this pack comes with the bag, a lunchbox, and a pencil case – three birds, one purchase. Buy it to light up the little one in your life who would love to take a unicorn to school.
Vaschy Unisex Rucksack
If boldness and glitter aren't for your kids, Vaschy also has much less flashy options. This rucksack comes in much simpler colours, and has a laptop pocket inside that can fit up to a 15-inch device. Also, if black and purple isn't their vibe, the bag also comes in army green, blue, and burgundy, or black with a fuschia highlight.
Slim and Expandable Laptop Backpack
If you're hoping to keep the brand new device you've given them protected, this sleek bag will easily fit their laptop or iPad. With the use of a device, they can lighten their textbook load, making this backpack a manageable weight. The straps also feature breathable mesh, so they can carry it comfortably.
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Lunchboxes
Bento Box Japanese Lunch Box 3-in-1 Kit
Bento boxes are perfect for packing school lunches. This pack comes with three stackable cases for their food, which are also leakproof and microwave safe. Beyond that, Berusd have included a lunch bag, a cup for soup, a sauce container, four pieces of cutlery, cupcake liners, storage bags and food picks. And you can get it all for just $32.99.
Insulated Lunch Bag Cooler Tote
This insulated lunchbox will keep their food fresh for hours, meaning they can even eat it after school if they get too busy playing during their actual lunchbreak. It fits two Tupperware containers, snacks, and fruit – all the essentials to keep them fuelled throughout the day. And if pink isn't their favourite, it also comes in black for the same price.
Lunchbox Bag for Kids
If they prefer a more flamboyant pattern, Vaschy also makes great lunchboxes. With a capacity of 6.7 litres, you'll be able to fit a litany of snacks inside, as well as a tupperware container or two. While we adore this bright flamingo print, you can also grab ones with dinosaurs, sharks, or unicorns.
Painting Smocks
Kids Painting Apron, 2 Packs Waterproof Art Smocks
Every school starter needs their very own art smock, and this pair from Amazon have us missing the days of primary school, when we'd get home with paint everywhere – except on our well-protected uniforms. These are perfect for any budding artist, coming with a pouch at the front for all their crafty supplies.
Raincoats
M2C Boys & Girls Hooded Cotton Lined Jacket
If the last few years have taught us anything, it's that Australian weather can turn on a dime. Invest in a raincoat for your kids now to prepare yourself for those unexpected rainy days, and save yourself from dealing with a sopping wet uniform. This simple one from M2C comes in a range of bright colours, also making them easy to spot at school pickup.
Hair Accessories
Schoolies Hair Ties
If you're not too sure on your kids' school dress code, it can come in handy to buy them hair ties that match school colours. These navy ties from Schoolies will blend with any blue-toned uniform, and keep them from getting in any trouble for their bright pink hair ties. Schoolies offers the same pack in forest green, maroon, and bright red.
Schoolies Hair Accessories Clips
It's also worth grabbing some clips in the same colour, to hold all that wild hair back while they engage in painting, science experiments, and sport. Schoolies also offer these in navy, black, yellow, and green.
Hoyols U Shaped Hair Pins Black
We've all lost approximately 400 bobby pins across the course of our lives, so now is a good a time as any to grab another pack for those school day updos, or crazy hair day. Grab a pack of 100 here from Hoyols.
CEELGON Silk Scrunchies Silk
If your daughter has a lot of hair, a scrunchie might be a better option for holding it all in place. You can grab 10 for $20 from CEELGON, all made from a silky material that won't knot the hair when they inevitably pull it out.
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Stationery
NBEST Large Capacity Pencil Case
An Amazon bestseller, this compact pencil case is bigger on the inside, with space for pens, pencils, and all the other stationery a day at school requires. Pick one up for your son or daughter to give them a hand saving space in their bag. And if they don't like the blue, it also comes in yellow and grey.
Bedazzle Transparent Sticky Notes
These are the perfect sticky note for any hard studier. They're transparent, so annotating inside their textbook won't cover the section they're trying to remember. Currently, the 300 piece set is 23 per cent off on Amazon, so you can grab them for just $9.98.
Contact Self-Adhesive Clear Book Covering Roll
Get a jump on your book-covering this year with this roll of adhesive contact, which will protect their notebooks from the onslaught of rain, food spillages, and damage you can expect from the oncoming year. Currently 19 per cent off, you can get this 10 metre roll almost immediately with Amazon's next-day delivery.
BIC Kids Evolution ECOlutions Coloured Pencils
For your art-loving student, this pack of 36 pencils will more than last them the school year. Made from intensely pigmented leads, these pencils are ultra-durable, easy to sharpen and will provide excellent coverage across their many drawings. You can get them from Amazon now at 40 per cent off, costing you just $6.60.
TI Financial Calculator
Your high schooler will need a high-tech calculator to tackle the many complicated equations coming their way this year. Save yourself the headache of trying to help them with their homework by making sure they're well-equipped from the get-go. While it's advertised as a 'financial' calculator, it has the usual suspects, including the SIN, COS, and TAN buttons they'll come to know wel
Pilot Erasable Markers
If your young one likes to experiment within their art classes, an erasable set of markers will make the perfect back to school surprise. Using therm-sensitive gel ink, these Pilot pens allow you to erase and instantly re-colour over any mistakes, making sure they can create the masterpiece they're envisioning.
Faber-Castell Super Fluorescent Highlight Markers
Your Year 12 student will love you forever if you're able to hand over a literal bucket of highlighters that will last them throughout their biggest year of study yet. Coming in a range of colours – which they can assign to the subject of their choice – they'll be able to coordinate their study notes and make everything a bit more fun. Grab the pack of 25 from Amazon for just $33.76.
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