I haven’t been in school for over ten years, but I can still remember the “back to school days”, oh and the YouTube videos, oh my god what nostalgia. It is always exciting to go back to school. As I said, it has been over 10 years. I am going back to school and now I am going back to school! After years of trying and giving up on going back to school I am finally back as a nurse student. I am very excited. In my next blog post I am going to go deep down of what I have put on my back to school University of Applied Sciences version list.
But in this post I’m going to help you to make a list of things to buy for your primary schooler.
You don’t have to buy expensive things to make your little one look cute on their first day back to school. What is important here is to buy essentials that are still cute and useful but also budget friendly. I remember when my mom used to buy us school stuff and she always went above her budget, because it is easy to go above your budget when buying back to school items. So here I listed “back to school” must have items to buy for your little one.
This post contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.
I listed these list in two different degrees:
1. Elementary school supplies
2. Middle school supplies
3. High school supplies
Okay let’s start with elementary school.
Our theme for girls is cute and for boys is cool. As parents we want our children to look adorable and cool on their first day of school. A lot of colors, well I have to admit that living in Finland we feel more comfortable with mostly dark colors and it can have some funny design on it, but I don’t want this list to be boring.
- Glue stick
- Washable markers
- Craft paper
- Safety scissors
- Colored crayons
- Pencil pouch
- Whiteboard markers
- Measurement ruler
- Coloring pencils
- Learning flashcards
Middle school wonders
Now we are with teenagers here. Kids start to have their own minds and things they want. And even school subjects start to become more serious than ever before, so we have to be more mindful of things we are getting for school.
- Binders (with dividers)
- College-ruled notebooks
- Pencil case
- Pencils, pens, and highlighters
- Erasers
- Pocket folders
- Index cards
- Sticky notes
- Graph paper
- Graphing calculators
- Combination lock (for lockers)
Now we are moving to high school.
By this age, kids usually know what they want and need for the new school year. That’s why I recommend having a conversation with them or even going school supply shopping together before making any purchases. This list is a bit longer, as teens typically have more advanced and diverse subjects to prepare for.
Essential Supplies
- Multi-subject notebooks (spiral, college-ruled, etc.)
- Divided binders
- Pencil pouch or case
- Writing tools (pencils, pens, highlighters)
- Erasers
- Pocket folders for organizing handouts
- Sticky notes & page markers (tabs)
- Index cards for studying
- Graph paper
- Planner or academic agenda
Study Aids & Tech (Bonus)
- Study guides or reference books
- Graphing calculator
- Laptop or tablet for coursework
- Combination lock (for lockers)
Extras & Activities
- Supplies for clubs or other stuff (e.g., sports gear, instruments)
Back to school shopping is exciting but can also get a little confusing. You feel like you know what your kids need, but at the same time, you’re not really sure. If you’re feeling stuck, try asking a family friend or even the school. There’s probably an email or message somewhere with info about what to buy, so it’s worth checking.
I made this list to give you an idea of what your school-aged kid might need, but before buying anything, take a look at what you already have at home. Only go out and buy what’s missing.
