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Back to School Shopping Checklist & Guide for Busy Parents | Sophias Style
If you're a parent and you have kids in school, you know already that Back to School is getting closer. Start prepping for the for the biggest shopping session of the year as soon as you can. Avoid the unnecessary stress and make sure your kid has all the things he needs.

But don't worry! You don't have to bother about making shopping lists anymore because we already did that for you!

This complete Back to School Shopping Checklist & Guide will help you plan your shopping session so you can grab the best Back to School deals!

Why You Should Have a Shopping Checklist

Back to School is the biggest shopping event for parents and kids. This is the time you shop for school supplies, clothes, and gear. Every year many of parents are looking for school stuff for their kids in August and September.

Making a list when going shopping is a healthy habit that could save a couple of bucks. Besides helping you not breaking the bank, lists can help you rank your buyings. This way you should be able to estimate how much you want to invest in clothes, supplies, and gear. And focus on the important things.

If your kid has a school uniform, a checklist can be a life-saver! There are so many things to buy and it's easy to miss something out. If you're interested in how to buy the best school uniforms, this complete shopping guide is your go-to source.

Back to School Shopping Checklist

Before going shopping, take a look at this list. It can prove to be very useful when shopping for clothes, supplies and gear for your kid.

Clothes

Buying clothes can be pretty expensive. Especially, If you're buying stuff without making an evaluation of the stuff your schooler already has. Many of the things can be re-used, like Polo t-shirts for example.
Re-using clothes is a great way to save money and invest the savings into another type of school essentials, like a new backpack or a good lunchbox.
If the school has a uniform or a dress code, pick a complete list of necessary items or recommendations before starting looking for new stuff.

Back to School clothes


Your kid's Back to School clothes should be high qualitative pieces. It is also very important to pick the correct size. A frequent mistake is to buy clothes that are too loose or too tight. Keep in mind that your kid must feel good and comfortable wearing these clothes at school every day.

Shopping List For Boys

    • 3-4 Polo T-shirts
    • 1-2 Polo shirts with sleeves
    • 2 white/blue shirts
    • 2 pairs of trouser pants
    • 1 pair of short pants
    • 1 V-neck cardigan with buttons
    • 1 pair of school shoes

Shopping List For Girls

    • 3-4 Polo T-shirts
    • 1-2 Polo shirts with sleeves
    • 2 Shirts
    • 2 Knee-length skirts
    • 2 Jumper dress
    • 1 pair of pants
    • 1 pair of short pants
    • 1 V-neck cardigan with button
    • 1 pair of school shoes 

Supplies

There are lots of schools supplies your kid can use. Still, he won't use everything you buy and that's a fact. Try to focus on the essentials for the beginning and buy extra stuff just when your kid runs out of something.

A schooler needs lots of pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, paper clips and lots of notebooks and this is just the beginning. Check out this Back to School supplies checklist from Real Simple if you want to simplify the planning process.

The best way to make sure you don't overspend on school stuff is to keep track of the supplies used in the previous year. We guarantee you this piece of advice it's going to prove pretty helpful in the long run, especially if you already have some forgotten supplies in some drawer somewhere.

School Gear

Back to School gear



Backpacks, messenger bags, lunch boxes or pencil cases are some essential items for going back to school. Without them, your kid wouldn't have a great experience during classes. These things are going to help your schooler get through the day. He'll use them daily so it's important to invest in a couple of great pieces.
We've gathered some cool stuff to help you make a great decision!

Backpacks

A good backpack will help him carry all his school stuff around so investing in a durable piece it's a must.

Make sure the backpack has ergonomic padded shoulder straps. It is important that the backpack has a decent size and fits the textbooks and school supplies needed for classes. Check out this backpack guide if you want to find out more on how to choose the perfect backpack.

Backpacks for Girls

Explore our backpack models: Backpack with Colorful Pattern, Lady Bug Backpack for Toddlers, Pink Backpack with Kitty.

Backpacks for Boys
Explore our backpack models: Army Style Backpack, Backpack with Blue Sharks, Light Blue Backpack.

Laptop Bags

A laptop bag can prove to be very useful for your high school kid, especially when working at the library with some classmates on a project. Check out this messenger bags for a very cool look!

Explore our laptop messenger bags: Pink Laptop Messenger Bag, Green & Blue Laptop Messenger Bag, Snake Pattern Laptop Messenger Bag.

Pencil Cases

This is the most common piece of school gear for every student out there. Picking the right size is crucial if you want to stock a lot of pens and crayons in there. Remember that choosing a cheerful pattern can do wonders for your young schooler's mood!

Pencil Cases for Girls

Explore our pencil cases for girls: Blue & Red Cupcake Pencil Case, Light Green Paris Pencil Case, Orange Ice Cream Pencil Case.

 Pencil Cases for Boys

Explore our lunch boxes: Purple Multi-pocket Lunch Box, Orange Ice Cream Lunch Box, Garden Multi-pocket Lunch Box.

Lunch Bags

Lunch boxes are extremely popular among both parents and schoolers. It's a great way to eat a healthy and filling meal during the school lunch break without spending extra cash on food.

A lunch box usually is divided into a couple of compartments. When choosing your kid's lunch box make sure there's no leaking going on. You should also check out the closing system.

Putting a lunch box directly into the backpack isn't a good option, especially if your kid already has a heavy backpack. Try out this fashionable lunch bags for a stress-free lunch at school!

Lunch Bags for Girls

Explore our lunch boxes for girls: Garden Multi-pocket Lunch Box, Purple Multi-pocket Lunch Box, Pink Leopard Lunch Box.

 Lunch Bags for Boys
Explore our lunch boxes for boys: Light Blue Game On Lunch Box, Green Dino Multi- pocket Lunch Box, Blue Sharks Multi-pocket Lunch Box.

School Sets


School sets usually include matching gear such as backpacks, lunch boxes, and pencil cases. Buying a school set can save you a couple of bucks and moreover, your schooler will always know how his things look like so he won't forget them behind or switch them accidentally with someone's else stuff.

Explore our school sets: School Set Grey & Green Robots, School Set Blue & Green Cupcakes, School Set Red Zoo

Back to School Shopping List for Every Age

Now that you know what stuff your kid's going to need in school, take a look at these pieces of advice for every group age.

Kindergarten (3-4 years old)

The required dress code in kindergarten is not as strict as in primary school, for example. However, depending on the demanded school uniform, make sure you choose qualitative clothes, that allow the skin to breathe. Kids are very active at this age and it's very important to make sure they're feeling comfortable.

For boys: T-shirt and pants; if the weather is warm, short pants can be a good option.
For girls: A comfortable jumper dress.

At this age, the children will need some proper supplies for creative work. Drawing, crafting, playing - just a couple of fun activities that your kid will do on a regular day. Among the needed supplies, there are colored pencils, a glue, erasers or a pencil box.

pre-school crayons

Elementary / Primary School (5-10 years old)

In elementary school, all students have to dress accordingly to the school's dress code or wear the uniform on the daily basis. Polo T-shirts are very practical, for both boys & girls.

If your girl will start wearing a skirt, make sure it's long enough and it respects the dressing guideline. The last thing you want is to be called by the principal and asked to take your girl home or bring her change clothes.
The backpack has to be large enough to fit all those notebooks and textbooks. Be sure it has ergonomic padded shoulder straps for a comfortable wear.


Another mandatory item on the list is the lunch box. There are plenty of options from which you can choose from. They came in all kind of shapes and sizes. Some of them have a water bottle included. Before choosing a lunch box discuss with you kid and try to figure out how the lunch is going to look like. Some kids don't eat very much at lunch so a huge lunch box will be a waste of space.

Middle School (11-13 years old)

Students in middle school are already pretty used to wearing a uniform during classes. However, there are a couple of changes in the way kids at this age see themselves and their colleagues.

They'll became eager to express their own personality and have a personal style, maybe even bend the rules of the school just to wear something they like.

Always shop for clothes and other school supplies together. They can become pretty picky when it comes to stuff they have to wear at school.
Balance is the key: respect their personal taste, but keep in mind the school's dressing guidelines when going shopping.


Some girls will want to trade a proper school backpack for a fancier option, like a tote bag. Carrying heavy textbooks and notebooks isn't that fun when you don't have a good backpack. A cute, but small bag isn't proper for school use so try to convince them to stick to the old classic option: it's safer and healthier in the long run.

High School (14-18 years old)

Before shopping for new clothes, reconsider the things your kid already has from last year and figure out if there are a couple of pieces that can be re-used. There's no point in buying another skirt if the old own is still a good fit for your daughter.

Your kid will need extra stuff that helps him to stay organized and keep up with the papers and homework he has. From day planners, folders to color highlighters or even gadgets, there are many things that a high school student can use.
Ask your high-schooler to make a full list of the stuff he needs and review it together. While making the list, ask him to look through the stuff he already owns and cross out those things.

high school back to school


Don't try to buy everything! Stick to the essentials for the beginning. Focus on the big spends and leave your kid to handle the little things. If there is anything else he needs, he can pick those stuff next time he's going to the store. By now your kid has for sure things from last years that he can use again, like pencils, markers or pencil cases.



We hope that this Shopping Checklist & Guide will help you shop more efficiently for Back to School stuff. There's no much time left so you better start Google-ing for some amazing offers!