Back-To-School: How To Choose The Best Stationery For Your Child's School Year
Back-to-school is an exciting time for both parents and kids. You get to relax and not worry about keeping the child busy during the school vacation, and kids get to see their friends and advance their minds. However, before you send your kids to school, you need to ensure that your child has all the required stationery and back to school supplies.
We all know what a mission it can be to choose back to school stationery and that not all items are made equal. That is why we have compiled a list of the best products to choose from in each back-to-school category.
Kids Backpacks
When choosing a backpack for your child, you want to look for a bag made from quality material like canvas or soft polyester. These materials will ensure that the backpack is durable and can take a lot of damage.
Make sure to purchase a sizeable backpack at least 33 x 12 x 40 cm. Kids have a lot of schoolbooks and will get additional work and assignments throughout the year. If the backpack is too small, your child will have an uncomfortable time carrying around all the extra notes, leading them to lose their schoolwork if not packed away safely.
Since the child will be carrying around their backpack throughout the school day, it's a good option to choose a bag with padding on the shoulders to avoid injury to the child's back.
While having a nice-looking backpack is important for a child, their taste changes over time, and if you are planning for your child to use the bag for a long time, then it is best to get a backpack that has a neutral colour or a design that they will like as they grow older.
Motivational Water Bottle With Straw
As a parent, I am sure you know the importance of keeping your child hydrated. It leads to better brain function, and it helps kids focus on the task at hand. Getting kids to drink water can be quite a mission, and that is why choosing a water bottle that can help motivate your kids will make it considerably easier for them to drink water.
Water bottles that can help motivate your child have markings on the side and indicate different times when your kid should drink water. Kids enjoy these motivational water bottles because they start to see drinking water as a competitive challenge, and we all know how competitive kids can be.
The water bottle should have a capacity of 500ml and up. This way, your child doesn't have to keep filling up the water bottle, and it is also not too big to fit into their bag. A water bottle with a straw is the best option to prevent it from leaking.
Lunchbox With Utensils
One of the best times of the day for a kid at school is a lunch break. It's the only time during the school day they get to relax and enjoy a few snacks to help refuel them for the rest of the day.
When choosing a lunchbox, you want one that has a proper seal that closes the lunchbox tightly to avoid the food in the container from messing all over your child's books. Choosing a lunchbox with utensils is convenient as it won't take up any extra space in the container.
A microwave and dishwasher safe lunchbox is a good choice so that it is easy to clean, and you can reuse it for the next day without any hassle. Having different compartments in the lunch box will ensure that you can add various snacks to your child's lunch, adding to a variety of nutritional food.
The lunchbox should be big enough to add a sandwich and a few snacks.
Notebooks
Kids at school are either studying, making notes, completing work assignments, or doing homework and having a good quality notebook can make a big difference. You can never have too many notebooks as your child will always need one for school.
A4 notebooks with 150 or more pages are recommended since they will last a long time, and you won't have to replace the notebook constantly.
Notebooks should have a good quality paper ranging from 70-90gsm. If the gsm is higher, the price of the notebook will increase.
You can also purchase a dedicated notebook with a stylish picture that the child can use to write down important notes, for example, when the next school event is or homework tasks that need completing.
Pens
Colour pens are one of the best ways to bring out your child's creative side, and they can be used to make notes for studying, complete art projects and schoolwork assignments.
While there are many different types of colouring pens to choose from, including ballpoint pens, fibre-tip pens, rollerball pens and gel ink pens, the best option will depend on how advanced your child is when it comes to using different pens.
Gel pens are an excellent option for artwork. However, they tend to smudge on the paper if you are not careful, and they can dry out fairly quickly. The same goes for rollerball pens, but they are a lot nicer for application, and the colours are vibrant.
Fibre-tip pens can take a while to get used to, but the plus side is that the ink dries quickly, which means you don't have to worry about the colours smudging over the kid's workbook.
Tablets for kids
As much as parents would like to limit the use of technology, a tablet for your child is an excellent way to keep them entertained, and these tablets generally have many educational apps and games.
When looking to buy a tablet for your child, you should look for one that has parent control to manage what programs your kids are watching, and you will be able to limit the amount of time your child spends on the tablet.
While you might be looking to spend money on a cheaper tablet, it might not be the best option since the higher quality tablets are made from strengthened glass. If your kid happens to drop the tablet, which is a huge possibility, it will be less likely to break.
Look for a tablet that has a one-to-two-year guarantee. If it does get damaged, the supplier will replace or fix it.
Art set
Every kid has a creative side, and having a well-stocked art set can help them explore their ideas. Instead of buying individual art products, you can buy an art set containing all the materials your child needs to create an art project.
Look for an art set that includes acrylic paint. This type of paint can wash off clothes if you remove it before it dries. Other art supplies that should be included in the art set is colouring pencils, chalk, paint brushes, a palette and canvas paper.
A benefit of art sets is that they come with a container that holds all the materials. You won't have to worry about the supplies lying around and making a mess.
Children’s books
Books are a fantastic way to accelerate a child's learning. Not only does it enable them to explore a different world that aids their imagination, but it also improves their spelling and grammar. Books are a great way to learn about a subject like plants, animals, cars, or geography.
When choosing a book for your child, you want to look for one that is a little above their reading level. This way, the kid won't easily get bored with the book, and it challenges them to improve their reading abilities. However, choosing a book that is too difficult to read can lead to your child feeling unmotivated.
The books you choose should also interest the child to help keep them engaged for longer.
Pencil case
When choosing a pencil case for your child's stationery, you want one that can hold many school items like glue, scissors, pens, erasers, and markers. Kids tend to accumulate more stationery over the year, and having a big capacity pencil case can ensure that you don't have to buy an additional one.
Good quality pencil cases are made from canvas material, a durable material that will last a long time and can be washed without affecting the quality of the material. Choosing a pencil case with a lining inside will protect the rest of the backpack if a pen leaks.
Pencil cases come in different colours and often have stylish patterns that you can choose from. Since your child will be using it the entire year, having one they like will hopefully ensure they take better care of their stationery.