101 Tips for Back to School

Summer is only halfway over, but the back to school shopping season officially started on July 14th! Build a complete checklist and sniff out superb sales with these 101 tips to get you thinking about what the scholars in your life could use this school year.

#1: All work and no play makes your kid's school experience no fun! Get a silly start to the year with a new set of Silly Bandz.

#2: Got a picky eater or disappointed in school lunch offerings? Every kid will wish they had you as a parent if you send them packing with a lunch bag, which is way more flexible and lighter than an old-fashioned lunchbox.

#3: Students who wear makeup don't need heavy foundations and concealers. Mineral makeup, like that offered by Youngblood Cosmetics, is the perfect weight for teen skin and is much better for the pores.

#4: Ensure that files, reports, and research stays accessible and uncorrupted with a portable external hard drive that can travel with the user when the entire computer can't.

#5: Consider a color laser printer now that prices have come down. Your child might create the most gorgeous graphics for their projects and reports, but the quality of a color printer over a smudged (and expensive) inkjet or a grayscale printout could mean the difference between a B and an A.

#6: Prepare for unexpected periods with neon-colored supplies from U by Kotex that will make her the coolest girl in school - everyone will want to borrow from her stash!

#7: You don't want your kids to mess up their new school clothes with pit stains and smells, so tuck Speed Stick Stainguard deodorant in their backpack so girls and guys can refresh when they really need it.

#8: Off to college? Everyone brings a microwave and a mini fridge – get more useful gear like a Nuwave oven that works wonders on anything your student could possibly want to eat!

#9: See if they're serious about actually being sick (as opposed to just playing hooky) with a top-notch digital thermometer that will tell the true story.

#10: Stave off sick days with a children's multivitamin every morning.

#11: Don't let limited student budgets be blown on expensive coffee shops – gift your student with teas and instant soups paired with an electric kettle.

#12: Further save money with instant coffee like Starbucks VIA.

#13: Pre-packaged food is a student staple, but it doesn't have to be boring and unhealthy if you send them off with a case of delicious Tasty Bite meals!

#14: Make not waking up impossible with multiple alarm clocks strategically placed around the room.

#15: Boost brain function with a fish oil supplement, like Coromega Omega3 + Vitamin D.

#16: Getting tired of typing? Voice-recognition transcribers have improved tremendously, and are easy to use – just hookup, train for a few hours, and homework can be talked out in a timely fashion.

#17: Make breakfast in advance the night before and pack in Tupperware so that your kids don't miss the most important meal of the day, even if it means that they're munching on it as they walk out of the door!

#18: Rock the first day of school with really fantastic and fashionable clothes. For girls, look for leggings made out of jean material – jeggings, which really are cuter and cooler than they sound.

#19: If retainers or mouthguards are starting to smell, affecting mouth hygiene, a NatureZone Sanitizer & Deodorizer removes odors and bacteria fast.

#20: Dingy undies are easy to spot in the locker room, so splurge on some new underwear for your student.

#21: Guys look great in cargo pants, too, which have plenty of pockets to carry all their snips and snails and puppy dog tails!

#22: If it's still hot when school starts, cargo shorts for boys are great.

#23: Girls like and look great in cargo shorts, too!

#24: Of course, looking nice feels more complete when one smells nice, too – Axe products, while ridiculous to many, are really popular with the puberty crowd.

#25: Flavored milk is a student favorite, and chocolate milk is a known picker-upper, but Recovery Brik flavored milks not only have added vitamins but also don't require refrigeration!

#26: Who needs a boring bookbag when you can carry your stuff in a Baggu reusable tote? Way cooler and kids love them!

#27: If there's room, throw in a couple of Colgate Wisp Mini-Brushes, too, to keep kids' breath fresh and to unstick embarrassing food from front teeth.

#28: Even if you don't want her to grow up, be honest with yourself (and her): if she needs a bra before beginning school, get one that has soft cups so that she'll stay comfortable.

#29: Store away summer stuff that is taking up unnecessary space in underbed storage.

#30: Cool school shoes are a must, but don't forget to get new socks, too! Lorpen socks are heaven on earth for when your feet are on the ground.

#31: For boys, fashion is fun, too – Converse shoes in all colors and styles always win!


Go for Classic Converse shoes >>


#32: If their face looks dirty even when it's clean, consider starting the school year with an electric razor.

#33: Notes by hand get lost, but computer files are always around, so consider gifting good students with a digital notepad that scans and stores your handwritten notes as you jot them down!

#34: Whether to rejuvenate or to better focus, Sprayology homeopathic oral sprays help to create calmer minds.

#35: When expensive sweaters get stinky, frugal students might not have the money to take them to the drycleaners, so consider showing your college kids how to use Woolite.

#36: For other non-washable items, like practice uniforms, couches, and even desk chairs, a student's best friend is often Febreze.

#37: If no purses are allowed in your schools, or if your child has an allergy and needs to keep their medicine on them at all time, Portapockets are a fantastic investment.

#38: When planning for class parties, be the cool parent who brings delicious but trans-fat free cupcakes and birthday cakes that taste like they're made from scratch with Naturally Nora baking mixes.

#39: Show off college pride or instill the idea in youngsters with a university t-shirt.

#40: 15 percent of elementary school students start the year off with a new laptop, but if you think your baby's not big enough for the real deal, consider a netbook that can be carried by littler kids with ease.

#41: If your student is suffering from back pain produced by uncomfortable school chairs, make sitting more comfortable with this Anywhere Back Comfort seat attachment.

#42: A solid set of Klipsch Image S4 headphones can help students better listen to homework podcasts or tune out noise while doing homework!

#43: Biking to and from school? Your body's not the only thing that may have experienced a growth spurt over the summer! Get good gear that fits properly, like a new bicycle helmet.

#44: Healthy snacks that are interesting, don't have an expiration date, and that still taste good are a godsend for hungry students, and Funky Monkey freeze-dried fruit that crunches fits this bill perfectly!

#45: Late night studying might be more comfortable on the couch or in the bed. A lap desk is the answer to keep kids from crouching.

#46: Keep desks clean and cords untangled with a charger organizer.

#47: Good desk lighting is key to keep eyes healthy and study habits from harming students.

#48: Smartphones can't do everything – math is hard (thanks talking Barbie for that reminder) but scientific calculators make it much easier!

#49: Still, for keeping in touch and taking pictures and videos of after-class antics, a smartphone is certainly fun!


Browse our selection of Smartphones >>

#50: For extra credit, consider helping students tape their book reports and presentations with a nifty and easy to use Flip video camera!

#51: School uniforms leaving little opportunity for fun while getting dressed up for school? Splurge on a great pair of silver earrings to get your girl excited about the first day!

#52: A unique Nooka watch is also a way to set your student apart from the crowd.

#53: The dog might eat the homework, but keeping it on a flashdrive to print out at school will keep grades high.

#54: If there are frenemies in the future, prepare girls with a movie night showing 'Mean Girls' to prove that fitting in isn't always the only option.

#55: Steer students away from sodas with Ech2o, a self-filtering water bottle that makes even nasty, germy fountain water taste great!

#56: An extra laptop battery keeps students going throughout the entire day without searching for an often impossible to find electrical outlet.

#57: Protect that expensive phone, too, with an OtterBox case, which keeps drops from damaging your wallet as well as the phone!

#58: Low-tech pencil cases provide storage space not just for easy-to-lose writing utensils but also other unwieldy items, from tampons to lunch money.

#59: Laptop sleeves make it easy to tote laptops on top of piles of books without worrying about damage from the elements, so invest in one if your student walks around with their laptop all the time.

#60: Keep valuables safe and locker combinations easy to remember with a Wordlock which uses words instead of numbers.

#61: Prepare for sleepover parties with new friends and get your student excited about a good night's sleep with cute new pajamas.

#62: No time to wash up before eating? Travel-sized Cleanwell hand sanitizers get rid of germs naturally and without chemicals.

#63: Don't wait too long before stocking up on extra long twin sheets for dorm room beds! The cute ones tend to sell out during this season.

#64: Work on physical education skills with young kids who feel defeated by gym class with activities you can play together, like basketball with this Grow to Pro Basketball Hoop.

#65: Prepare a goody basket for college kids to dip into during the school year with a bulk box of Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop microwave popcorn!

#66: Who says back to school is only for kids in kindergarten and up? Start teaching reading with Your Baby Can Read!

#67: Keep toes from fungus and generally gross and grimy bathroom floors with shower shoes.


Flip Flops are a campus essential! >>


#68: Better yet, enroll elementary school kids in group sports like soccer, and save with online soccer supplies here.

#69: Glam up last year's gear with fun keychains to show off personality while saving bundles.

#70: Brighten up boring walls that are illegal to paint with posters!

#71: Better yet, look into wall decals that are easy to remove but range from elegant to electrifyingly absurd.

#72: Instead of paying retail prices for required purchases, shop online for books that you know your students will need.

#73: The same savings can be found for musical instruments – online retailers often have superb sales this time of year as kids get ready for band class.

#74: Cold legs are not cute, but tights are adorable for girls of all ages!

#75: If legs are bare, some students might find that it's time to start shaving. Schick Intuition razors make it easy to endure hair removal with as few nicks as possible.

#76: If a razor still seems too unsafe, depilatory cream is a painless way to keep prickly skin away.

#77: Make remembering memos easy with a pack or two of Post-It Notes in all shapes and colors.

#78: Keep hairstyles nice and scalps from sweating during gym class with Buff headwear, which wicks sweat and smell away from the head while still looking cool.

#79: Still, even carefully kept scalps can end up full of dandruff, so try out Phillip Kingsley's scalp tonic to tend to dry scalps and damaged hair.

#80: A first-aid kit to keep in the locker is useful for unforeseeable accidents, too.

#81: An emergency umbrella can keep colds at bay on the nastiest of days! Dome umbrellas are the best!

#82: When your student doesn't want to wear sneakers, Crocs come in all shapes and sizes and are great for the feet as well.

#83: To keep feet from hurting after a long day, choose comfortable sneakers for casual days.

#84: If you're in a climate that commonly gets a lot of rain, look into waterproof outerwear to avoid having to buy a separate raincoat.

#85: Even on hot days, classrooms can be cold, so keeping a hoodie around never hurts.

#86: Keep backpacks light and homework always accessible with an ever-increasing in popularity e-reader!


Have you been thinking about an E-Reader? >>

#87: Build a brown thumb-proof garden in the tinest of spaces with an Aerogarden!

#88: Crockpots are great for student dining on the cheap – the Slow Cooker Mate is even better, with the capacity to cook three things at once!

#89: If your student is a snorer, look into solutions like this Sona pillow, which is especially good if they share a room with a light sleeper!

#90: Make sure that the ones your students are sleeping on are comfy, too. Memory foam pillows help to support the neck while sleeping.

#91: Calm minds and de-stress student bodies with a yoga DVD.

#92: An attractive wall clock means that students don't have to rely on their cell phones to tell the time, and also adds a bit of spice to the walls.

#93: Even during gloomy days, keep spirits bright with the GoLITE BLU energy light.

#94: Keep tetanus shots away (and stay out of the principal's office for wielding a weapon these days) with a staple-less stapler!

#95: A compact mirror helps to check faces for embarrassing food particles and smudges.

#96: If acne is a problem, finding a pimple cream that works can be great for their skin and self-esteem.

#97: Sensing sickness coming on? The changing seasons can be harsh on health, so stock up on Emergen-C for a great tasting immune system boost.

#98: Sidewalk chalk makes waiting for the bus less boring and stressful.

#99: Decorative pillows brighten up the blandest of dorm rooms.


Spice up your pad with fun pillows! >>

#100: If your student has unruly curls, now is the time to get them under control with products by Hair Rules that are made for curled heads!

#101: Whatever your students need to buy, before going into a store, always check online to see how steep the savings are. Not only will you save, but also you won't regret starting early, saving gas, and enjoying the packages that are fun for all to open, young and old! Happy back-to-schooling!