You’ve managed to preserve those cherished family memories from summer but the inevitable has happened. It’s time for the kids to go BACK TO SCHOOL. Did you feel the seismic shift as every student let out a collective groan at the same time? It’s true that the vast majority of kids don’t love school (shocker, we know), but there are ways to ease the transition. Read these for suggestions on fun back to school gifts for this fall. It doesn’t have to be that bad!
New Clothes
Shopping for new duds is the quintessential back-to-school outing. They might moan and groan but trust us, kids do care what they look like, so they’ll be thankful if you get them the clothes they want. Don’t make it a dictatorship. Letting them have autonomy over what they choose to wear (within your budget) will go a long way in helping them to be grateful. Allow them to reflect their personality in their clothing. Of course, an offensive tee might be taking things a bit too far, but you can shop Stance – The Uncommon Thread for socks that will, well, knock everyone’s socks off. With everything from camouflage and Star Wars to sports-themed and tigers, these socks will help your child make an impression.
Their Favorite Treats
Going back to school can be pretty anxiety provoking. We give our kids flack for complaining about school but in our hearts we know we went through the jitters, too. This is a nice time to bake or make their most treasured treats. Whether it’s brownies or a even an outing to get their favorite meal at your local Shake Shack, this will mean so much to them. If you love to get creative in this realm, try baking these super cute Back to School Apple Cupcakes. Bring one in for the teacher to assure your child’s status as the teacher’s pet!
Goal Gifts
Some might call this dangling the carrot, but you might consider buying them something they’ve wanted for a long time (Xbox 360, anyone?), with the stipulation that they can begin to use it once they’ve gotten their first A (or whatever the goal you deem appropriate for your children). A little bribery never hurt anyone!
B2S Gear
Just ask any student or teacher. The school year is lo-oo-oo-ng. When you consider how much time your kiddos spend in school, you realize that it’s worth it to buy them quality back to school gear. Consider investing in one of the best backpacks for kids, as those books can get heavy, especially as your child gets older!
When it comes to lunch boxes, you need to remember that food items can perish in as little as two hours. Consider packing food items that don’t perish, or invest in a quality lunch box that has sufficient ability to keep the lunch cool.
Of course, jackets and hats are always helpful for when the weather gets cold, and if your kids are anything like ours, they’re likely growing like weeds! If you’re on a budget, try checking your local second hand store and/or Craigslist for these items. Many times kids outgrow clothes so fast, they’ve barely been worn.
Best in Class
If you’ve got the time and the inclination, hop on Pinterest and simply enter “back to school gifts.” Your head could possibly explode from the sheer number of ideas. There are great tokens of appreciation for meeting and greeting your teacher, and also little things you can bring for each of your child’s classmates. This goldfish bags with tags that say “You are o-FISH-ally a Second Grader” are too cute for words, although you definitely want to keep those for the young kiddos. Just try and make those for your teen or tween and be ready for the mother of all eyerolls.
Summer coming to a close can be downright depressing, but you can ease the pain for your child with these fun back to school gifts for fall.
shelly peterson says
School is about to start for us and I think I am finally ready. I have found a very good sturdy is best even if you have to pay more for it. I like the idea of goal gifts.
Janet W. says
Back to school shopping is so much fun for my grandsons! I try to find the best deals I can to save money.
Julie Wood says
My kids love getting clothes and new shoes and getting fun new treats for Back to school. It is a very exciting time!