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Even though it's a few weeks away yet, kids will be back to school before you know it. We definitely like to keep ourselves organised so we aren't running around last minute in a panic. I've complied a list of items that we've purchased ourselves and also things we have been kindly gifted.
It is not just the school uniform you have to think about. It is also things like coats, PE kit, socks etc.
For coats, PE Kit, plimsolls, socks and coats we tend to opt for ones from the supermarket's. We find that supermarket brands are reasonably priced and still great quality. This year I even brought bits off Vinted that were brand new to save us some pounds.When it comes to uniform quality as well as price is important to us. Ideally they will last the whole school year. #David Luke have a great range of school uniform that is made with recycled polyester in their eco uniform range. The range has been around for over a decade and during that time they have prevented over 100 million 1l plastic bottles (allpost-consumer waste) from entering landfill.When it comes to school trousers they sell a wide range of sizes and styles, in both junior and senior. Blake is having to wear trousers from the senior boys section . David Luke offer four different leg lengths; Short, Regular, Long, and Extra Long; to ensure you find the best fit. They also do the trousers in slim, skinny or regular fit. Blake feels more comfortable in regular hence we opted for that style for him.Blake has to wear a polo shirt to school and David Luke sell unisex ones in both long and short sleeves in four colour options. They are made using a breathable cotton blend eco-fabric that will keep kids warm in the cooler months.
When it comes to school shoes we use to opt for Clarks which Blake now doesn't get on with so instead he has been wearing these ones by *UOVO. We like that they have a toe cap and are easy for Blake to get on and off. The soles are durable compared to other school shoes we've tried him with hence why we have opted for them again. He has a habit of scraping his feet and occasionally walking on his toes so we need shoes that will last.
Blake doesn't need to take a backpack to school as they just have a book bag/PE bag with his school logo on. However he likes to carry a backpack when out and about he has had a few different ones. Last year he had one from Blade and Rose and Smiggle ones are great too. This year he has this *Minecraft backpack from Amazon.
Lunch boxes/bags have mainly been from supermarkets. We prefer ones that come with a bottle and his new one for September is of course Minecraft.
Labelling your child's uniform is important so it doesn't go missing. We prefer to use a stamp, we got ours from Stamptastic and we love that the stamp can be used again year after year.
New uniform – check. New lunchbox – check. Time to get the Back-to-School stationery sorted! Maped Helix have a great range of products available to get your kids ready for the new school year.
Highlighters are useful especially if you have kids that are studying for exams and are handy for revision. This pack of four gorgeous #*Maped glitter pastel colour highlighters come in assorted shades, including pink, blue, purple and green. They can be used on all types of paper, making them versatile for many uses such as highlighting notebooks and journals. They also have a long cap off time so no need to worry if your child forgets to put the lids back on.
*#The complete back to school is a must as it has everything in one box. The Helix Oxford complete set contains the following:
- Scientific calculator With fraction function and advanced features.
- Maths set including a self-centring metal compass, 9cm graphite pencil for use in compass, eraser, pencil sharpener, 15cm/6” clear ruler with metric and imperial graduations, 45° and 60° set squares, 180° protractor, 10mm lettering stencil.
- Erasable colouring pencils
- HB eraser-tipped pencils
- Six reliable ballpoint stick pens
- a 30cm folding ruler
- a glue stick
- clear pencil case
Maped also do a #*magical tablet that is great for children four and up. The magical tablet is a convenient and lightweight LCD tablet for drawing and writing. The erasable tablet is supplied with a stylus pen and allows your child to practise writing their letters, numbers, spellings and sums. Alternatively, they can use it to let their creativity and imaginations run wild and draw some amazing pictures.
We are fans of Orchard toys have quite a few of their games. We were sent these two games that are especially good for children with Special Educational Needs. SEN pupils often find learning to spell words, telling the time, and solving maths problems much harder than those without SEN needs. Orchard toys makes learning through play fun and offer children stress free, fun opportunities to practise and develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
The first game I was sent is #Slimy Rhymes a great game for teaching rhyming words. The aim of the game is to match rhyming pairs and feed them to the slime monster. The game is great for encouraging both speech and language skills.
#Wiggly Worms is a game to help support children with reading, writing, phonics and spelling. This game is double sided to maximise combinations of words. The aim of the game is to race to play all of your cards. Children will be able to practise spellings they already know as well as learning new words. Full review of both games coming soon.
In need of some fun lunch box snacks? #Peperami’s NEW Roasted Chicken Bites and Munchy Seeds Snack Pack range are the perfect lunchbox snacks.
The Roasted Chicken Bites (available at Asda) are made with 100% chicken breast, with hints of rosemary, paprika and sage, delivering a delightful flavour in every bite. Containing just 95kcal per 50g bag, which are oven-baked not fried, the succulent Chicken Bites are packed with meaty goodness, providing the ultimate protein kick.
Munchy Seeds (available at Ocado) has a flavour to suit all tastes; its sweet and savoury snack packs come in five tasty combos - Mega Omega, Mild Chilli, Honey Roasted, Salted Caramel and Warm Cinnamon.
Munchy Seeds snack packs make ideal snacks for packed lunches. Their mini size makes them perfect for slipping into lunchboxes. They are loaded with nutrients, these delicious little packs are a super way of incorporating more fibre and protein into your child's diet without compromising on taste!
Another lunch box snack idea are the #GoGo SqueeZ. The GoGo squeeZ are fruit pouches are bursting with goodness and flavour and are the perfect on-the-go snack. They are made from 100% fruit, count as one of your five a day, are a great source of fibre and have no added sugars, no artificial colours and no preservatives. They come in two flavours strawberry and apple mango. Currently they have an on the pack promotion with much loved favourite Paddington. Offering families the chance to get their hands on one of +1000 Paddington prizes. That's not all, GoGo squeeZ are giving you the chance to win the ultimate family adventure as you embark on a 2-night stay at Port Lympne Safari Park for an unforgettable experience! The limited-edition packs will be rolling out from mid-August in Tesco and Morrisons stores nationwide and can be purchased online from Amazon.
Cawston Press fruit waters are a great addition to your child's lunch box this year. With four delicious flavours Cloudy Apple, Apple & Mango, Apple & Pear and Apple & Summer Berries. These tasty fruit drinks contain no added sugars and no sweeteners no wonder they are school approved.
For an after school treat #PLAYin CHOC's ToyChoc boxes, are an adventurous line of 100% recyclable, plastic-free, planet-friendly treats. ToyChoc Box® 's are the new eco-friendly alternative to the Kinder Surprise. Each box contains two individually wrapped, deliciously creamy, 100% organic, Dairy, Nut, Gluten, Soy and Allergen FREE chocolates, a 3D cardboard puzzle toy to assemble and a fun facts card about the natural world with ranges from Sea Animals to Dinosaurs. The chocolates contain a third less sugar than other leading chocolate brands whilst keeping their delicious chocolate flavour.
Other items you may consider purchasing:
- Vitamins, kids tend to pick up lots of bugs when they first go back to school.
- Pocket tissues are a great idea to pop in school bags.
- Head lice products as it's probably inevitable that your child may catch nits at some point. So it's handy to have some emergency treatment in the cupboard just in case.
- Hand sanitizer
- Planner and or calendar to keep organised.
