This post shares the best back to school must haves for 2026.
Back to school season is here and while most of us think about pencils, notebooks, and backpacks there are plenty of other things that can help make the transition back to school a little easier. Whether you have a child heading to school for the very first time or you’re simply trying to get your family back into a routine after summer. These back to school must haves can help start the year off on the right foot.
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1. A Backpack Tough Enough to Last the Year
This is one particular product that I feel you really get what you pay for. While you can find more affordable backpacks I have found they barely make it through one school year. Typically, I will spend a little bit more and get 2 or even 3 years out of it! Another important quality in your backpack is ensuring it has a water bottle pocket, multiple sizes of pockets ( to stick snacks, lunch money, etc), and for junior high and high school ages a laptop pocket.
JanSport has been one of our favorite backpack brands for years because of their high quality materials especially their straps. That’s incredibly important for longevity and comfortability. You can find it linked here!
2. Lunch Gear That Makes Packing Easier
Packing school lunches is hard enough as it is so having the proper gear makes life slightly less stressful.
A few must haves in our household are a Thermos Funtainer keeping their lunch hot all morning! Just be sure to fill up with boiling water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Many times I have seen parents not do this and their kiddos lunch is ice cold.
Another lunch favorite that we have used for over 10 years is the Yumbox . There are plenty of bento style lunch boxes out there but we have loved how they change as your child gets older. Adjusting from when they go to kindergarten and want a variety of smaller items to full sized sandwiches. Plus they have lots of fun designs!
Lastly, we need to discuss water bottles. Having an insulated water bottle is a game changer especially if your child isn’t always on top of drinking their water. When my kids were younger we used the Contigo brand but have since switched to Thermoflask which you can often find in the summer time at Costco.
3. Something to Make the First Day Less Scary
The first day of school is exciting, but for little ones heading into preschool, kindergarten or Grade 1, it can also come with plenty of nerves. Talking about what to expect ahead of time can help make that big first day feel a little less overwhelming.
The Story Bug First Day of School Storybook is a personalized book designed for children ages 4–6 that puts your child right into their own first-day-of-school adventure. Throughout the story, they experience things like making new friends and discovering their new school, helping turn some of those unknowns into something familiar and exciting.
Parents can customize the character with their child’s name, skin tone, hair colour and even their outfit, so kids get to see a version of themselves experiencing their very first day. I love the idea of reading it together in the weeks leading up to school and using the story as an opportunity to talk about what they’re excited about—or anything they might be feeling nervous about
The books are also made with durable covers and thick pages, which is always a bonus when you’re dealing with younger kids. You can learn more about Story Bug’s personalized First Day of School Storybook and create one for your child through Story Bug through the link here!
4. Labels Labels Labels!
Ensuring your child’s school supplies, shoes, backpacks, and more after labeled is a must. My kids like most have quite the talent for losing things and for how much we spend on school essentials I’m not chancing anything. Look for durable, waterproof labels that can handle everyday wear and tear—and ideally survive the dishwasher, washing machine and all the other abuse kids’ stuff tends to go through. A few minutes spent labeling everything before the first day can save you from replacing a surprising amount of stuff later!
We order school supplies online and they supply labels with our kids names but you can easily order some off of Amazon.
5. A Homework & School Organization System
Once the school year is in full swing things tend to get forgotten about, lost, and unorganized. Having those systems in place before that happens can save you a lot of stress. Setting up a designated homework area is a great way to keep all their schoolwork in one place. Making sure its fully stocked with everyday essentials like pencils, erasers, markers, scissors and extra paper so kids aren’t searching for supplies every time they sit down to work. Adding in folders and labeled bins is the best way to make sure nothing gets lost or accidently thrown away.
Photo Credit: Amazon
A family planner can be a game changer for the whole family. It can help everyone keep track of assignment deadlines, library days, extracurricular activities and upcoming school events. For older kids, giving them their own planner or calendar is also a great way to start encouraging them to take more responsibility for keeping track of what they need to get done. This is a great option as everyone has access to it to see whats coming up!
You don’t need to make it some Pinterest worthy workstation ( unless you want to) it just needs to be a functional space your kiddo will actually use.
6. An Easy Morning Routine
School mornings can get chaotic quickly, especially when everyone is trying to get dressed, eat breakfast, pack lunches and make it out the door on time. Creating a predictable morning routine can help take some of the stress out of the rush and make those first few weeks back at school much easier.
Start by moving as many tasks as possible to the night before. Lay out clothes, pack backpacks, prepare lunches and snacks, fill water bottles and make sure anything needed for the next day—library books, permission slips, gym clothes or sports equipment—is ready to go. Having a designated spot near the door for backpacks and other school essentials can also help avoid the dreaded last-minute search for missing items as you’re rushing out the door. Been there, done that.
My kids are old enough now that they can get themselves ready for school but they even appreciate how easy mornings are now. For younger kids, a simple visual checklist can be a great way to help them remember what needs to happen each morning. Things like get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, brush hair, grab backpack and put on shoes give them an easy routine to follow and can encourage a little more independence and save you some added stress too.
7. After-School Essentials
The school day may be over, but afternoons can be just as busy—especially once homework, activities and the inevitable “I’m starving!” hit all at once. Having a few after-school essentials ready to go can make the transition from school to home a whole lot smoother.
Start with easy, filling snacks that kids can grab as they walk in the door. A little fresh fruit, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, yogurt, smoothies or other simple favorites can help them get through until dinner. Older children can also help themselves if you have a snack bin or a section of the fridge that is designated for snacks that are approved by parents.
Having a specific place for everything that comes through the door is also helpful. Backpacks can go on hooks, lunch bags can go straight to the kitchen, and important papers can be put somewhere special for parents to see. Get in the habit of unpacking straight away, and you’re less likely to find half-eaten lunch from Friday on Monday morning!
Once everyone has had a chance to recharge, backpacks can be repacked, homework completed and anything needed for the next day put together—making tomorrow morning that much easier.
Back to school season doesn’t have to mean buying every school supply or gadget you see. A few routines and some well-thought-out essentials can make those first few weeks so much easier. Whether you’re getting a nervous first-time student ready for the first day of school, or sending an older child back for another year, a little prep work can go a long way toward starting the school year feeling organized and ready.
