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You can't send your kids back to school without all the right supplies. Whether your first-born is heading off to Kindergarten or your kid is somehow finishing up their senior year of high school, we've got all the school supplies they need here.
Depending on how you feel about school, going back to the hallowed halls of education either fills you with joy or dread. Either way, there's one thing to look forward to at the very least: new school supplies. Every year, schools send home supply lists with all the gear kids need to make it through the year. While your kids may take this as an excuse to get new clothes, shoes, and gadgets; you need to get all the basics for them, too.
Since the back to school season can do some damage on your wallet, we've worked hard to round up the very best school supplies you can buy, while still saving some money. We cover general supplies that will be on most kids' lists, whether they're going to Kindergarten for the first time or busting through their last year of high school. If you're looking for college dorm room gear, read our guide here.
Read on to find our top picks for backpacks, lunch boxes, pens, pencils, highlighters, notebooks, planners, paper, folders, binders, art supplies, calculators, laptops, and so much more. You can also skip ahead to the specific supply you need by clicking on the link in our table of contents:
CLICK HERE: Backpacks | Lunch Boxes | Pens, Pencils, & Highlighters | Notebooks & Planners | Paper, Folders, Binders, & Dividers | Arts & Crafts | Calculators, Laptops, Printers, & Flash Drives | Index Cards, Rulers, & Sticky Notes | Our College Dorm Guide | More Back to School Content
SEE ALSO: The best college supplies and dorm room essentials
The best backpacks for students
Elementary backpack: The JanSport Superbreak backpack comes in tons of fun colors and patterns.
JanSport is still the go-to backpack brand for tons of school kids. The Superbreak backpack is sturdy, just the right size, and it comes in tons of colors and patterns. The list of options on Amazon is epic.
Pros: Tons of colors and patterns, good size, sturdy material
Cons: A tad expensive
Buy the JanSport Superbreak backpack on Amazon for $31.00 (price varies based on color and pattern)
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Middle School backpack: The L.L.Bean Deluxe Plus Book Pack has lots of compartments to hold everything you need.
L.L. Bean makes great backpacks, and the Deluxe Plus Book Pack is perfect for middle schoolers who need to carry more textbooks, binders, and notebooks around with them every day. It has lots of compartments, two water bottle holders, and a fleece-lined pocket for your kid's smartphone.
Pros: Lots of compartments, fun colors and patterns, sturdy design, good supportive straps
Cons: Expensive
Buy L.L.Bean Deluxe Plus Book Pack on LLBean.com for $49.95
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High School backpack: The North Face Recon and the Fjallraven Kanken Big Backpack are the best backpacks you can bring to high school.
In high school, a backpack serves two purposes. It's a practical place to toss your books, pens, laptop, phone, and lunch; but it's also a fashion statement. If you just want a practical sporty look, the North Face Recon is the best backpack for you. Those of you who are more interested in style than pure function will like the Fjallraven Kanken Big Backpack.
Pros: Lots of pockets in North Face, fun style on the Fjallraven
Cons: Pricey
Buy the North Face Recon Backpack on Amazon for $84.99
Buy the North Face Recon Backpack on eBags for $69.99
Buy the North Face Recon Backpack on eBags for $79.12
Buy the Fjallraven Kanken Big Backpack on eBags for $110.00
Buy the Fjallraven Kanken Big Backpack on Amazon for $110.03
The best lunch boxes for students
Pre-School lunch box: The Bentgo Kids Bento Box is divided into small compartments to match your child’s appetite.
The Bentgo Kids Bento Box is made from sturdy plastic with rubber edges, so it won’t crack if dropped, and the two clasps are easy for little hands to open and close. The inner tray is portioned into five compartments just the right size for the appetites of the pre-school crowd. Best of all? The foods won't touch.
Pros: Sturdy, proportioned perfectly, comes in fun colors, easy to clean
Cons: Pricey
Buy the Bentgo Kids Bento Box on Amazon for $27.99
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Elementary lunch box: The Packit Freezable Lunch Bag keeps your child’s lunch cold for hours.
The Packit Freezable Lunch Bag is made of poly canvas, with a food-safe, water-resistant lining. It zips shut at the top and also has a Velcro tab for extra security. You can pop it in the freezer the night before school so that the special lining keeps lunch cold all day. It comes in tons of fun colors to make every kid happy.
Pros: Tons of fun designs, freezes to stay cold, easy to carry
Cons: Velcro tab may wear out
Buy the Packit Freezable Lunch Bag on Amazon for $15.95 and up, depending on design
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Middle School lunch box: The L.L. Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box hits the sweet spot between grown-up and kid-friendly style.
The LL Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box comes in a wide range of bright colors and equally bright and fun prints, yet it has a simple "grown-up” design that proclaims the owner is no longer a little kid. The rugged outer fabric is strong, and the inner insulation keeps food cold for hours, is easy to clean, and resists leaks and stains. There’s a handy mesh pocket in the top of the lunch box to hold sandwiches, chips, utensils, or snacks that are easily crushed, and there’s plenty of room in the lower section for drinks, fruit, sandwiches, or plastic containers of food.
Pros: Sturdy, fun colors, practical design, easy to clean
Cons: None
Buy the L.L. Bean Flip-Top Lunch Box on LLBean.com for $24.95 in both solids and prints
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High School and college lunch box: The L.L. Bean Insulated Lunch Box looks cool, and it has a super sturdy, practical design.
The L.L. Bean Insulated Lunch Box is well-designed with an outer mesh pocket for utensils or small snacks, an inner mesh pocket on the box’s lid for sandwiches, chips, or other goodies that might otherwise be easily smashed, and a roomy lower section that’s big enough for drinks, plastic food containers, fruit, sandwiches, or whatever else your kiddo enjoys at lunchtime. It's also grown-up enough that your teenager won't roll their eyes at it. Even college kids will like it.
Pros: Great design, sturdy, fun colors, grown-up look
Cons: It's on the small side
Buy the L.L. Bean Insulated Lunch Box on LLBean.com for $19.95 in both solids and prints
The best pens, pencils, and highlighters
Ballpoint pens: The uni-ball Jetstream RT Ballpoint Pens write smoothly without smearing, and they come in a three-pack.
If you love ballpoint pens and hate the way gel pens smear, you'll love the Uni-Ball Jetstream RT Pens. The ink is a school-approved black, and it dries almost instantly to avoid any smudges as you frantically take notes in science class. These pens come in a three-pack on Amazon for a reasonable price, so parents will love them, too, though you'll probably need more than three to get through the school year.
Pros: Writes smoothly, lasts long, black ink, 3-pack, affordable
Cons: None
Buy the uni-ball Jetstream RT ballpoint pens (3-pack) on Amazon for $13.99
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Gel pens: The Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens write smoothly and help color code all your notes.
If you prefer gel pens and you don't mind the occasional smudge, the Pilot G2 gel pens are the best ones you can buy. Although your teacher will skin you if you turn in homework in colorful ink instead of blue or black, having multiple colors for note-taking can be very helpful. Take it from a serial color coder — it helps. I've been using these pens for the past few years to keep my editorial assignments in order (and color coded!), and I'll never go back to normal pens.
Pros: Writes smoothly, retractable design, many colors for color coding notes, affordable
Cons: Dries slowly and can smear
Buy the 8-pack Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens on Amazon for $7.33
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Pencils: The Dixon Ticonderoga Wood-Cased 2HB Pencils write well, sharpen easily, and pass every test.
Dixon's Ticonderoga wood pencils might as well represent the word "pencil" in the dictionary. These pencils are iconic for a reason: They write well, last long, and satisfy that "number two" pencil requirement for scantron tests (do they still have those?).
Pros: Number 2 pencil lead, real wood body, good eraser, pre-sharpened
Cons: You have to sharpen them
Buy the 30-count Dixon Ticonderoga Wood-Cased 2HB Pencils on Amazon for $5.97
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Mechanical pencil: The uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil lasts long and writes well.
If you hate sharpening your pencils, you'll love the Uni-Ball KuruToga mechanical pencil. It's not your average mechanical pencil, either. It has stronger lead for less breakage and it's very comfortable to hold. You will need to buy more lead and possibly some erasers after a while, but that's the case with all mechanical pencils.
Pros: Sturdy lead, good eraser, long lasting
Cons: Erasers run out before lead
Buy the uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil on Amazon for $7.38
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Highlighters: The Sharpie Clear View Highlighters come in both wide and narrow sizes, and you get four different colors.
When it comes to highlighters, Sharpie is probably among the best-known brands. These Clear View highlighters come in narrow and wide sizes so you can choose which kind you need. The highlighters will last you a long time even if you're a highlighting fiend, and, you get four different colors in a pack for color coding.
Pros: Both wide and narrow sizes, multiple colors, good highlighting color, long lasting
Cons: None
Buy Sharpie Clear View Highlighters on Amazon for $6.99
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