AD | Gifted items
Can you believe we’re half way through the summer holidays already? When Erin finished nursery I thought the holidays would drag but they’re really going so far. Before we know it, the children will be going back to school and it’s time to get them prepared. Whether you’re already sorted or not, I wanted to share some ideas for back to school essentials!
Growing up I think I was quite lucky to only have the dreaded head lice once. So far since January Erin’s nursery has only had one warning of there being a known case and Erin has somehow managed to avoid getting them. Unfortunately though, I think it’s inevitable for children to get head lice at some point during their time at school so it’s always best to be prepared. We keep Hedrin‘s All in One Shampoo handy so that we’re ready for when the time does come.
Of course, it’s not only head lice that are an issue for children while they’re at school. Issues with feet can also occur, especially when children use changing rooms or go swimming etc. with school. Having some of Excilor’s 2 in 1 Wart and Verruca Treatment in the medicine cabinet is a great idea because it means the problem can be treated easily and quickly and help to prevent anything spreading further.
Erin isn’t the easiest person to persuade to get ready in the mornings. The worst thing I ever have to do before she goes to nursery is her hair and she really isn’t a fan of having it done. Johnson’s have a wonderful range of products that we already use and their ‘no more tangles’ products really help to make doing Erin’s hair easier. Instead of having to fight with a head full of knotty hair, brushing it is a breeze and I don’t have to spend ages convincing Erin that it won’t hurt.
Another thing that needs doing before Erin heads off to nursery is getting her teeth brushed. Like with a lot of children, this isn’t always an easy thing to get them to do. Simplyhealth’s recent Consumer Oral Health Report offers some statistics about children’s oral health with topics such as how long children brush for and packed lunches! Erin’s new toothbrushes are bound to get her excited about brushing her teeth every morning!
Something I can’t live without is my diary. I’m the one who keeps the whole family organised, keeps track of what we have going on and now, I have to keep track of when Erin is on holiday from nursery. An academic diary from Danilo is a great way to keep everything in one place and to keep your family organised for the school year. I love my diary with a Disney design because it’s so colourful and not something I can easily misplace!
A new school year to me always meant new stationery and I loved going shopping for mine every year. GiftPup have some fantastic options that can be personalised including this rainbow notebook and pencils set. Sparkles, glitter and bright colours are bound to brighten up any school bag or pencil case!
After a shopping trip for some new school stationery it’s good to have somewhere nice to keep it at home. If your child has their own desk as somewhere to do their homework then the personalised pen pot from GiftPup could be just the thing. Erin’s is personalised with her name and there’s loads of space for her to keep her own pens and pencils.
No matter what, Erin seems to get herself in a mess. She could be in the cleanest situation possible and still come out of it covered in some kind of dirt. Some school day stains can be a nightmare to get out of clothes, especially if it’s something like paint or grass stains. Our cleaning cupboard stays fully stocked with a great variety of products from ACE. There hasn’t been a stain yet that we haven’t been able to get out of Erin’s clothes and they always come out smelling so nice and fresh. (Products pictured are: ACE Colours, ACE Colours Powder, ACE for Whites, ACE Power Mousse and ACE Stain Remover)
Erin goes to nursery 4 days a week and she takes a packed lunch with her. The nursery has a healthy eating policy so things like crisps etc. are frowned upon but I sometimes struggle to think of new and different things to put in for Erin. MadeGood’s granola bars are allergy friendly which means they are safe for taking into schools and they’re a delicious alternative to other snack type bars.
Erin’s lunch time only lasts around half an hour at nursery and sometimes she doesn’t have time to eat everything if some things take a bit longer to get through. Luckily, Del Monte’s Squeezie pouches are made from 100% fruit with no added sugars so they’re great for lunchboxes. There are 3 flavours available so they can be changed up during the week.
Having to put together a lunchbox for 4 days of the week can get a bit boring and a bit difficult if you’re trying to make it varied for your child. We love the Fruit Bowl range of snacks as the are so many to choose from and they count as 1 of your child’s 5 a day. The unicorn fruit flakes are especially good for lunchboxes as they’re super fun and also delicious. We always have a bit of a stockpile of Fruit Bowl products for Erin to choose from for her lunches.
Another brand we absolutely love for Erin’s snacks is Organix. We always have a stockpile of some of Erin’s favourites in the cupboard like the Oaty Bars but we always look out for new products. Just launched are the Organix Cocoa and Vanilla Gruffalo Biscuits and Melty Veggie Sticks which are great alternatives to regular crisps and biscuits for lunchboxes. Both were an instant hit with Erin, especially the Gruffalo biscuits.
Staying hydrated is so important and children love to have their own drinking bottles for school. The L.O.L Surprise! bottle from GB Posters is a fun way to make sure your child is drinking enough and it’s so bright and colourful that it would be hard to lose. This one has a handle too which makes it easier to carry or it can also be looped onto a lunch bag if it has a handle that opens and closes. We still clip bottles to our pushchair so this is a great way for us to make sure Erin always has a drink handy when we’re out and about.
I’d love to know what your back to school essentials are. Let me know in the comments.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Oh gosh!! I don’;t want the school holidays to end but I guess I need to get organised!! Thanks for the recommendations!
I think you have covered pretty much every area. The headlice stuff for sure, as a ex community nurse who used to treat lice for families, I can vouch for that. I need to get organised when we get home!
What fab items!
My girl has the rainbow notebook and pencils set from Gift Pup and loves them.
I love the L.O.L Surprise! bottle! How cute x
My daughter would be after that LOL water bottle. Packed lunches for holiday club over the summer have nearly killed me so thanks for some great ideas!
I can’t believe how quickly the summer is going?! It seems to speed up as they get older. I need to go and out and do a stationary shop for my lot soon.
Great tips! I love the Disney diary. I’m also DREADING the day nits come to our house!!!
I can’t believe the school holidays are going so quickly. As you say it’s important for kids to stay hydrated so we’ve invested in some hard wearing stainless steel water bottles for the Boys as they tend to get dropped a lot !
Ah yes, the nit shampoo. Shudder. Our school had a call out for a “nit busting weekend” trying to get all parents to comb and check their kids at the same time so we start the new year with a school full of clean heads. Hope it helps!
These essentials are so important. Thank you for sharing these awesome picks, I will add this on my back to school shopping list.