Five Items Not On Your Back To School List

Five school supplies that can help your kid, but that aren't on the list. Here are some items that are essentials for kids heading back to school. They vary across every age range, so use your discretion when determining if a product is right for your child.

Avery 3-in-1 Pen
This company makes a wide variety of writing utensils that satisfy everyone. One design I found particularly useful was a three-function pen.  This three-function pen had the pen, highlighter, and post-it tabs. This little gadget does everything and it makes life easy because you only need to carry around one versatile pen. They are sold at almost all retailers by the school supply items.

E- Readers
I know of course this can easily become a debatable topic. Some schools are using Ebooks all across the country and while the practice is not done by RUSD it is utilized at several of the private schools in the area. I have a friend who has children in high school and she buys the book on Ereaders for her kids so they do not have to haul books back and forth to school. Here's what Amazon offers.

Lunch box notes
I know it sounds silly, but for any child to receive a positive note from their parent can be just the amount of encouragement that they need to turn their day around. Several stores sell these or you can simply make your own. These are great for elementary students, but can be great for middle school children, as that seems to be a key time in their development. Here's a link to 51 ideas on how to make your kid smile using lunch box notes.

Flash drive or External Hard Drive
So often the children are using the computers for project that they work on between home and school. With a flash drive they can easily keep all the information accessible. It’s also important to know what type of computers and software that your child school uses, it allows for them to gain in proficiency. runs on Macs and let me say that when I bought a Mac, my son was thrilled to show me the things he learned in school.

Water Bottle
Make sure your kids are staying hydrated throughout the day by getting them a new water bottle. Try an eco-friendly reusable one made from stainless steel or aluminum; it’s kinder on the environment and many come in fun designs too. Boston Store has some for $2.99.

Here are a few retailers to check out in our listings pages: