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It feels like we wait so long for the summer holidays to come around and then they are over before we know it. It’s now time to start thinking about getting prepared for the return to school in September. In not so many weeks we’ll be packing those school bags again so today I’m sharing some back to school essentials!
No matter what age your child is or what year they are going into, they’re going to need a decent bag. The Amazon Basics School Backpack comes in two different colour options, either pink/ purple or blue/ green. The large main compartment has lots of space for essentials and the elasticated side pockets are perfect for drinks. There are also adjustable straps and mesh back panels to make the bag breathable.
Every day Erin needs to have a drink bottle with her at school and it’s so important for children to stay hydrated. The B and Co Hamelin’s Stainless Steel Bottle can keep drinks cold for up to 18 hours or hot for up to 12 hours. The silicone seal and the leakproof lid are great for children at school to ensure there are no spillages.
If your child likes to take a packed lunch to school then the Active Munich Insulated lunch bag is a great choice. This lunch bag has a long carry strap which makes it easy for children to carry themselves. Helping to keep lunch cool and fresh is the fact that the bag is insulated and it’s also washable in case of any spills.
Casio has been such a big name since even before I was at school and if your child is thinking about their GCSEs soon you’ll need a scientific calculator for them. The Casio FX-83GTX Calculator is recommended for GCSEs and will be an essential piece of kit for those later years of high school.
Another great set for maths lessons is the Helix Oxford Maths Set. It comes in a lovely tin so you can keep all of the bits together and safe in a school bag. Inside the set you get Metal Storage Tin
. 9cm Compass Pencil
. 15cm (6 inch) Ruler
. Stencil (alphabet and numbers 0-9)
. Self- Centring Compass with safety point
. 180 degree Protractor
. 45 degree and 60 degree Set-squares
. Pencil Sharpener with anti-tamper safety screw
. PVC free Eraser
. Timetable and Maths Factsheet
I remember having a Berol handwriting pen way back when I was at school (and that’s going back some now). There’s a reason why these pens are still going strong and that’s because they’re designed to help children to develop a neat and easy style of handwriting.
Ryman has a great range of highlighters in a whole rainbow of colours! STABILO are such a well-known brand and offers a wonderful selection of colours. These pastel highlighters are a great way to help with revision and notes and they’re sure to make things stand out.
Somehow when children start school you end up with so many pens, pencils and other stationery items but nowhere to put everything. I really love these Amazon Basics Pencil Boxes, which come in a pack of 4 (in a variety of colours). The boxes are a great size and can hold a lot of pens or pencils. The pack of 4 means that you can organise them how you like and you’ll be able to find everything easily.
Another really great find from the Amazon Basics range is this pack of 12 highlighters. Coming in a range of colours, these highlighters are more like pens compared to other highlighters. This might make them easier for younger children to hold as they’ll be more used to the shape and feel.
When children are just starting school, maybe in Reception and then into year 1, they’re really starting to learn how to write. Holding pens and pencils can be a bit tricky at times but STABILO has a great range called Easy Start. From the EASYgraph pencils to the EASYergo 3.15 pencils, which come in both left and right-handed options, are a great way to set children up for a great start.
Another product from STABILO are EASYcolors. The triangular shape and moulded grip zones promote the dynamic tripod grip and even after sharpening, these features stay the same. Children will be able to create their colourful masterpieces with these colouring pencils.
When children first start school, and then as they carry on, it’s so important to help to make learning fun. Orchard Toys have such a fantastic range of fun and educational toys. For ages 5+, Slimy Rhymes and Number Bears are really good choices. With a mix of word and number games, these offer children a great way to extend their education at home.
Why not make something like learning times tables super fun at home with the Times Tables Heroes game from Orchard Toys. Not only do you get a great times tables board but there are 2 games in 1! Along with Hero City Board Game you also get Multiplication Bingo so there are loads of fun ways to learn.
Got children that absolutely love learning? I really love this 100 Things to Know Collection from Books2Door. There are 5 books included covering topics such as space, the human body, science, planet Earth and numbers, computers and coding. Not only will these be great for topics at school but also for anyone interested in learning a few new facts!
Books2Door has a brand new delivery service, Books2Door Plus+. There are two different options with Plus+ Silver or Plus+ Gold where you pay a fee and get unlimited free delivery for a whole year. The speed of delivery depends on which membership you decide to go for.
When I was at school I LOVED history and I remember really enjoying certain topics such as the Romans or Ancient Egypt. The Horrible Histories Savage 8 book collection from Books2Door is full of fantastic facts from the following time periods; Awful Egyptians, Rotten Romans, Vicious Vikings, Measly Middle Ages, Terrifying Tudors, Vile Victorians, Frightful First World War and Woeful Second World War.
If you sign up to Books2Door and make a purchase with this link we will both get a £5 off coupon.
Erin is moving up into year 2 in September and I know it’s quite a big difference compared to reception and year 1. Children start to learn more about topics and have more homework and I want to be able to help with this where I can. Oaka topic packs are really great revision guides designed to help visual learners.
Topic packs start with KS1 (age 5-7) and go all the way up to GCSEs! I’ve gone for a mix of KS1 and KS2 topic packs for Erin, covering subjects such as The Roman Empire, The Great Fire of London, Rocks and Soil, Living Things and their Habitats and Plant Growth and Lifecycles.
Reflected by the curriculum, there are more topic packs available for older children compared with KS1 and KS1. Packs can include things such as timelines, booklets to read, and activities to complete to help children to remember the information!
Are you ready for back to school yet?
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