Back-To-School Essentials from Amazon

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School is back in full swing where I live and back-to-school shopping is definitely a top focus around here. I always simplify my back-to-school shopping by buying as much as I can online. The selection is much better and I usually end up getting a much better price than I would by buying things in my local stores. We put together a list of our top back-to-school essentials from Amazon. We are LOVING these back-to-school products and my kids were so excited to stock their backpacks with these as they arrived.

With 6 kids heading back to school this year, back-to-school shopping was serious business. Our school shopping list was ridiculously long and we wanted to make sure that we purchased products that would not only last for the entire school year but also had an element of fun … because heading back-to-school is exciting and kids should have some school essentials that they are excited about.

Back-to-school shopping is always an exciting time for my family. It gets my kids excited about a fresh school year and helps us to get organized. We all love picking out some things that help my kids express their own unique personalities.

Essential Back-t0-School Supplies

We all have a LONG list of school supplies that kids need for a new school year. There are some great sales to be found everywhere on school supplies this time of year but I find for the basics, I end up much better off buying in bulk on amazon.

I generally keep large cases of the things that every kid uses year after year. Sometimes I have extras that we can set aside for the following year so I don’t have to buy large quantities of everything each year. It lets me get a lower price per item and I’m not rushing around trying to track down individual items.

Here are a few of the bulk essential things we like to buy in bulk on Amazon:

• Glue sticks – The Amazon Basics brand is a fraction of the cost of other brands. We bought this box of 60 glue sticks this year.
• Spiral notebooks – We bought this pack a few years ago and have been slowly working our way through it ever since. I suspect we’ll get another few years out of it before we have to buy more.
• Composition books – These I can often find super cheap in my local stores so I stock up there if my store is offering a doorbuster sale. If not, I love these larger packs so I don’t have to run to the store every time one of my kids comes home and needs a single composition book.
• 1-inch binders – Every year my kids need several 1-inch binders. I love having a case of them so they can just shop for school supplies in our storage room. We get the basic white ones with plastic sleeves so they can decorate them any way they like. It is much cheaper than buying colored or printed binders.
• 5- Tab Dividers – My kids each needed several sets of these. Buying a larger package like this one makes it easy for them to grab what they need.
• Pens – You can never have enough pens and this time of the year is the best time to buy them.
• Filler paper
• Pencils –  I buy both mechanical pencils and Ticonderoga pencils (because there is a difference in pencil quality). These usually only last us one school year but I like having enough that my kids can grab some fresh ones when they lose them or they use them up.
• Colored Pencils – My kids all have colored pencils on their back-to-school list. I love these Zebra Cadoozles Starters Colored Mechanical Pencils because you don’t have to worry about sharpening them.

Back-to-School Supplies with Personality

There are always a few things on our list that are a bit more fun. Several of these things were requested by my kids’ teachers but they are exciting back-to-school supplies that really get my kids hyped for the new school year.

When doing our back-to-school shopping, I love throwing in a few extras that help make learning fun for my kids. We love to supplement the things they are learning at school with some fun, hands-on activities.

• MEE audio KidJamz 3 Child Safe Headphones for Kids with Volume-Limiting Technology – My younger kids all had headphones on their school shopping list. This year we went with volume-limiting headphones because I wanted to be sure to protect their ears. These come in some fun colors and really got my girls excited about school.

• Fire HD 10 Kids Edition Tablet  – I’m a huge fan of getting kids reading as much as possible, especially once they start school. I LOVE all the fun options for books on the Kindle Fire Kids Edition. Freetime Unlimited has some great audiobooks for kids to listen to and fantastic ebooks. My girls have been listening to books while they play and practicing their reading skills with ebooks and reading games.

• Reusable Water Bottles – With kids spending long hours in school, I like to send reusable water bottles so they can sip water throughout the day. This saves me money on drinks for school lunches too and I feel much better about my kids drinking water vs. sugary drinks. We love this S’well Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle and it comes in so many fun designs.

• AmazonBasics Everyday School Laptop Backpack – I think it is so important for kids to choose their own backpack. They get so much use out of it and it is one of the most visible ways for them to express their personality at school. I love this AmazonBasics backpack because it comes in so many color options.

• Fun pencil cases – I love giving my kids the chance to express themselves with the school supplies they choose. That isn’t always possible with the basic supplies they need but a fun pencil case is a perfect way to show a little style while still getting the job done. We love this ZIPIT Twister Pencil Case and this EASTHILL Big Capacity Pencil case for older students.
• A blank notebook – Kids have a lot of pressure on them. I encourage my older kids to journal as a way to dealing with the stress they face on a daily basis. I have journaled since I was a child and it has been one of the best way to cope with life that I have found. I love this Be Brave. Be Bold. Be You blank notebook. For a more minimalistic style, this Classic Notebook Journal is a great option and comes in plenty of color options.

• ThinkFun Rush Hour Traffic Jam Logic Game – My kids love finding extra learning opportunities and logic games are some of their favorites. This Rush Hour Logic Game from ThinkFun is a fantastic addition to our collection.