Best Products and Gifts for Kids

Our Pottery Barn bags were great, and seem to be a popular choice at our elementary school. We never had a chance to wear them out, but they definitely were in good shape after 2-3 years (when grandma wanted to get new ones!). Fun designs and personalization available, too. I wouldn't recommend getting the smallest size (as we did in Kindergarten), as kids outgrow them quickly and they really will last a long time.

I bought my son a Nike backpack two years ago and it is still going strong. It has a front pocket which is great for little items and side pockets for a water bottle. He loves it!

I bought my son a Land's End backpack (on clearance!) when he started first grade. This kid is not gentle with his things at all, but his Land End backpack made it through 8th grade before retiring. It was still in pretty great shape to tell you the truth, but we upgraded to a larger backpack for all his high school books.

The North Face Jester backpack is so durable, has great colors and all the rage for 4th grade on up!

museum membership

Afternoon tea time at a fancy hotel. Enjoy a decadant three-tiered array of goodies! But, you may want to confirm if the service offers a children's tea menu should you have a picky eater.

Special behind-the-scene museum/zoo/aquarium adventures or animal encounters. (E.g., shark feeding, penguin painting, etc.)

Spa card. If at a kid friendly salon, younger recipients could get manicures with cute art designs, chocolate facials, temporary hair chalk, etc.

My husband and I will usually take the day off work (when we can) so we can be there for drop off and pick up on the first day, which makes it feel extra special for all of us.

First day of school photos on our front steps, and couple more in front of the school too.

We have our daughter do a quick video of how her first day of school went and what she is most excited about for the year. Also, of course the first day of school sign.

Pizza for dinner! (Kids choice actually, it’s just almost always pizza!)

My boys pick out their clothes the night before, and always check what the weather will be like to plan for it, as well as if they have gym or not. It makes getting dressed in the morning much easier!

The kids are responsible for getting their backpacks ready before going to bed, and making sure they have all their homework, books, permission slips, etc in there, and that it is zipped up and ready to just grab and go in the morning. We sometimes need to remind them to do this, but as it becomes part of the nighttime routine it gets easier and easier!

I have my son put out his clothes for the next day the night before it makes it quicker in the morning to get ready for school.

Prepare lunches the night before. I have a fruit bowl and baskets with healthy snacks, so the kids can help prepare their lunches, too. If they help with preparation, they're more likely to eat it, too.