Back to school supplies for your teen

What to pack in school backpacks?

As back to school time slowly approaches, you may be thinking about all the things needed to set your child up for a great start to the new academic year. We know it can be tricky building up a list from scratch so we’re here to take the mental load off you with a checklist of what we’d recommend!

Stationery

• Notebooks: invest in sturdy, good quality notebooks for your teen’s studies, spiral notebooks are especially handy. If the school does not provide exercise books, it may also be worth grabbing some for jotting things down
• Pens and pencils: stock up on a variety of pens with different coloured ink (e.g. black, blue, red, green), you might also invest in some “fun” pens depending on your teen’s desires. Pencils, erasers and pencil sharpeners are some other important additions. Some teens may also find it useful to have ink correctors to easily fix errors. 
• Pencil case: once you buy the above, it is essential to have a solid pencil pouch where they can store their various school supplies.
• Highlighters/marker pens: highlighters are an essential study tool, making it easier to call attention to key points in notes and textbooks. Marker pens can be useful for note-making and school projects
• Geometry/maths set: ensure they have at least a basic geometry set (e.g. ruler, protractor, and compass.)

Organisational tools

• School planner: this is crucial for staying on top of assignments, important notices, and any extracurricular activities. Traditionally these are paper, however nowadays there are apps that function the same, so choose whichever would work best for your teen
• Folders, dividers, and document wallets: clear wallets, topic-specific dividers and subject-specific folders can make it easier for your teen to find what they need quickly. Lever-arch binders can also be useful if your teen requires larger storage space for their paper notes
• Post-its/bookmarks: these are more of a suggestion, but can be useful for marking out important pages in textbooks
• Laptop/tablet: depending on requirements, a reliable laptop/tablet can be useful for various academic activities. Headphones/earbuds are also good for any downtime they might have during the school day

Miscellaneous

• School backpack: choose a sturdy, back-friendly school backpack with enough separate compartments to keep classroom essentials organised
• Water bottle: personal water bottles are useful for encouraging adequate hydration throughout the day
• Snacks: stocking up on essential snacks can keep your child going until lunch and stop them from spending unnecessary money in school. If bringing in lunch from home, it’s also important to purchase a lunch book for easy transport

Personal items

• Hand sanitiser: schools can be a place where germs spread, so a small easily-accessible hand sanitiser is always a bonus
• Period kit: if your teen has started their period or you expect they’ll start their period soon, equip them with a discreet period kit filled with their preferred period care items to have to hand.
• Mini toiletry bag: a small kit with items like hand cream, anti-perspirant, lip balm and hair bands can help your teen stay fresh and comfortable throughout the school day. You can also include any medication they use need in this

Extras

• Art/creative supplies: if your teen is taking creative classes, make sure they have essentials such as sketchbooks, glue, scissors, etc. for their projects
• PE Kit: make sure they has the appropriate clothing for sports lessons (e.g. trainers/non-slip shoes, sports kit, hair bands, hair clips, sports bra)
• Club supplies: if your teen participates in extracurricular activities like music, or sports teams, ensure they have the necessary items (e.g. instruments, hockey sticks, shinpads, tennis racquets etc).

Tips for back-to-school shopping

• Create a shopping list: stay mission-focused by preparing a list with your teen’s help of everything they think they need for the new year – you can skip this step if you’re using the one we just gave you which is a timesaver! Schools may often provide suggestions as well to help you get an idea of all the necessities, and may let you know what items are already provided by the school. This gives your teen some agency over what they bring to school, and also ensures nothing is left off by error
• Crunch the numbers: work together with your teen to set a budget for all their back-to-school supplies. This can be a chance for them to start learning about accountability over their financial decisions which is a key part of growing up
• Avoid last minute panic: avoid any last-minute shopping frenzies by gathering all your supplies on time. Around the later half of summer, many stores have back-to-school offers on several items, so try to make the most of it!
• Personalise where possible: allow your teen to choose some personalised items (in line with any school guidance provided). This can help easily identify any items that may go missing, and they may be more likely to take care of things better if it’s something they picked out for themself! 

Preparing for the new school year can be a great chance to spend some quality time with your teen, whilst teaching them important skills such as budgeting, so try to enjoy this experience as best you can! 

luna’s wishing you and your teen good luck with your back-to-school prep, and make sure to check out our piece on what’s worrying teens most about getting back to school – to make sure you’re clued up on how best to support them going into the new school year.

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Our app, luna, has dedicated advice on navigating school life which can help them stay happy, healthy and motivated in their studies, friendships plus more!

You can think of luna as a modern, digital approach to wellbeing – it’s cost-effective, verified by doctors and safeguarding experts, and has a direct line into the biggest concerns facing teens today – so it’s actually addressing what they need advice on, when they need it.

If you’ve been looking for an antidote to the misinformation and negativity shared on social media or forums, you can get luna for your teen via our luna premium page for the price of a coffee each month or manage their subscription by downloading luna yourself and signing up as a parent (it's "we are luna" in app stores).