It’s back to school time! Or your kids probably already started, it's time for the annual ritual of back-to-school shopping. Forget the new sneakers and trendy lunchboxes—what really matters are the school supplies. You might think a notebook is just a notebook, but in the hands of a child, it becomes a magical tool for turning chaos into mild disorder. Let’s dive into the must-have supplies that are essential for taming that whirlwind of papers, assignments, and, occasionally, snack crumbs.

DISCLOSURE: Please note, as an Amazon Associate and affiliate for other brands, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links or product reviews for which I may receive compensation. For more details, please see our Terms & Conditions page. Thanks for visiting!

As a mom and a teacher I have all the school usual supplies my kids may need as far as pencils, crayons, notebooks, binder, paper, etc. Yes, those are important but even more important are the following 7 items:

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

1 An alarm clock

I have a 3 year old that is starting preschool and a 13 year old starting 8th grade. Most times my little one wakes up too early and I still need time to get ready for my day, or my oldest wakes up literally minutes before it’s time to get out of the house. Both my kids have an alarm. As a mom that works from home, alarms are set all throughout my day. Most of the time on my phone. But I also have an alarm that I literally have to walk out of bed to turn off.

Using an alarm clock helps kids develop a sense of responsibility by making them accountable for waking up on time. It also encourages independence as they learn to manage their morning routine without relying solely on parents. When it comes to my preschooler, he is learning that his alarm tells him when it’s too early to get ready and that he can play in his room for a while. It tells him when he has to be dressed and eat breakfast. My teen has a regular alarm clock and my preschool has a visual alarm that I am in love with. See below a pic of the preschoolers alarm clock.

Visual Alarm Kids for Preschool age kids.

2 Back to School Sign with Frame

If you have little ones. Specially in Pre-K through Elementary, a back to school sign makes those back to school picture even cuter! Something like the one below is simple and cute.

3 Back to school literature AKA Books

New settings, new people, new experiences, being away from mom and dad can be unsettling events for little minds. As a parent, I love reading books to my kids. If you you do this as well, I highly recommend sangging these and starting to read to them at least 1-2 weeks before they start school. It helps so much for the transition for those kids that need it. Some kids are troopers and are always ready to jump into new things–no problem.

Ages 3-10

Middle School Age

Most schools provide some type of planner for students. If yours does not, the Dated Middle High School Student Planner 2024-2025 Academic School Year is one I highly recommend and got for my teenager.

4 Water bottle

Back to school is always during the summer and the area in which I live is always above 100 degrees in the summer. Schools do have drinking water fountains, but the water tastes nasty, is usually dirty and hot. So not very refreshing. I got a Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Standard Mouth Water Bottle with Flex Cap and Double-Wall Vacuum Insulation for my teenager and a Bentgo® Kids Water Bottle. I usually fill it up at night and stick into the fridge. These water will stay cold for hours. It will start cooling down eventually, but never be as hot as the fountain water.

5 School Supply Kit

Instead if running around the store looking for essential school supplies one by one, getting a supply kit is great. You get a just enough of everything. All the supplies should last for most of the school year–unless you have my teen and things get lost or used up quick. It is always easier to just buy items as they run out. The best one I found is EPI Essential School Supply Kit for Middle School Students (Grade 6-8). It has all the basics for an amazing price and you can just buy a few items at a time if your teen starts running out.

6 The perfect Backpack and Lunch Duo

My teen usually go through one new backpack every year. I like to go for one that is durable, practical and not too pricey, since backpacks have a rough life. My boy is rough and tumble. His backpack looks like it came back from war when the school year ends. I found the most perfect backpack/lunchbox duo for my preschool with the Infant Packed for Preschool Saver Bundle. I added on a Bento Box to keep his food organized and cool or warm if needed.

7 Personalized Name Stamp

When it comes to preschool, little ones need extra clothes, their things all look alike and can sometimes get mixed up with things that belong to other kids. A name stamp that you can use to add the name of your little one to clothes, lunchbox and backpack can be really helpful. As a teacher, I always check for names and tags when kids are telling me a certain item belongs to them. Rest assured your child's teacher will do the same thing. Hopefully!

In the grand scheme of things, these supplies might seem trivial, but they’re the unsung heroes in the battle against disorganization and missed deadlines. So, stock up on planners, binders, and pencil cases. Your kids might not thank you immediately, but when they miraculously turn in that math homework on time and still have a crayon left by the end of the week, you’ll know it’s all been worth it.

7 Must have back to school supplies that are probably not on your supply list