19 Random-but-Useful Finds That Make Going Back to School So Much Easier

If your kid's known to fidget in his seat, this cushion is worth a closer look. Pop it onto the seat of their chair; it allows for discreet movements, helping with posture and focus. (There's a smooth side and one with rounded spikes, depending on the tactile feel you're going for.) It can also be used as a balance tool, per the brand.

Just because summer camp is over doesn't mean the need for sunscreen is behind us. This SPF 30 mineral stick blends in clear and has a cooling sensation, plus it's just the right size to stow in the front pocket of a backpack to use before gym class.

Transparent sticky notes have been huge on TikTok, and it’s easy to see why. They can be placed over a book so that you can mark a page without marking it up or obscuring anything—great for tracing over diagrams or highlighting text without ruining the book. 

Homework, deadlines, peer pressure—school life can be anxiety-inducing. This slightly weighted hoodie (which clocks in at about 2 pounds) is designed to soothe, thanks in part to its heft and to the removable, squishy stress balls in the cuffs. Each order also comes with a free anxiety workbook and journal ebook.

As tweens enter puberty, a common concern emerges: What happens if I get my period at school? This kit includes a range of pads, tampons and liners, all in a slim zippered pouch, to help girls feel prepared when that day comes. (There are even adhesive heat patches and a guidebook, and the pads and tampons are non-allergenic and made of 100 percent organic cotton.)

Their backpacks are crammed enough, which is what makes this silicone water bottle stand out: When empty, it collapses to half its size, making it easier to stow. There's even a carabiner clip to attach it to the outside of their bag, and at roughly 16.9 ounces, it can fit a standard water bottle's amount of liquid.

Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint always keeps a spare set of earring backs in her daughter's backpack because "she's always losing one at school." Honestly, same, only make it at work, while running errands—you name it. I plan on packing a pair of these flower-shaped silicone backs in my own purse, and gifting some to my nieces in a tiny pouch for their backpacks.

My 7-year-old dreams of being Rapunzel; our morning routine would benefit from her getting really into bobs. I've tried everything to tame her tangle-prone hair (short of actually cutting it), and uncovering the Tangle Teezer was a game-changer. Its wide teeth have helped me manage the gnarliest snarls with relative ease. (I'm such a convert that I use one myself.)

Give their locker a literal glow-up—and make it easier to see which books they're grabbing in the process. These motion-activated lights are magnetic and USB-rechargeable, able to last up to 30 days on a single charge.

I've been searching for these shoes since I saw an Instagram Reel raving about them and finally found them at Famous Footwear. For car-obsessed kids, this is the ultimate shoe to get them excited to get ready in the morning. Each shoe features a tiny "garage" in the heel that's just large enough to stow a tiny toy car. (More importantly, though, the shoes are still comfortable to wear.)

When is a stuffy not just a stuffy? When it's designed to boost toddlers' communication skills and social and emotional intelligence. This Target-exclusive just hit stores, and it's a cuddly take on Ms. Rachel's pal Herbie. When kids press his hands, he'll say a joke or prompt to encourage conversation (like, "Can you help me find my feet?"). Whether your little one is in daycare or not, it's an easy way to reinforce and build on those skills at home.

Plus, Herbie also makes for a great gift to stow in the closet for last-minute birthday invitations, since the cheery character tends to be a crowd-pleaser.

Preschool was all fun and games, but it gets real in kindergarten. Meaning your kid will start to learn life skills like reading, writing and math. Help your child grasp basic number concepts like addition and subtraction with these colorful linking cubes (they’re basically the real-life equivalent of the hit Netflix show Numberblocks.) 

Forget messy Wite-Out; cool kids use these ink pens that glide smoothly onto paper and erase even better, thanks to some sort of sorcery that we don’t quite understand. All we know is that you can erase your writing again and again without pulling or tearing up the page. Because, hey, mistakes happen. 

Bigger kids mean more stuff. Keep track of all their supplies, lunchboxes, clothes (yep, these can also mark tagless clothing) and more with this bundle of sticky name labels that won’t come off and can be personalized to their style. 

For the teen whose phone is always dead (meaning you can never contact them when you need to!), gift them this cute keychain with a charging cable to stick to their backpack. Now they have no excuse not to text you before going over to a friend’s house. 

Those chili cheese fries were great...until they dripped down the front of your high schooler's favorite shirt at lunch. These stain-removing pens can let them clean up their act, fast. Or at least tame the stain until it can be tossed in the wash at home.

"For the daycare set, these nap mats include a handle for easy transfer and come in so many cute prints to match your toddler's style and personality," says Executive Managing Editor Catrina Yohay. "My son moves up a class this September (bye bye, baby room!), so I'm hoping this personalized mat will be a source of comfort, helping to make the transition from a crib to a cot a little bit easier."

For the writer—or college-bound kid—in your life, there is no pencil quite like Faber-Castell's. It bills itself as the "perfect pencil," and SEO Editor Marissa Wu is inclined to agree. "I am a pencil purist," she attests. "I love a Blackwing 602 (known as the Steinbeck pencil), and I love a perfectly sharp fresh point of graphite." This handy pencil, with its own built-in sharpener and cap, is a splurge, but Wu swears by it so much she actually travels with it. Your teen might too; especially if he or she is working on the next great American novel.

You start out the school year with the best of intentions: Healthy, well-rounded meals and dinner at the table, all together, every night! Then homework, after-school obligations and work projects pile up, and before long, you're hitting up the drive-thru. Rachel Mansfield gets it—and she just launched the cookbook to streamline your days. "I feel like it was written for all parents everywhere: The tagline reads 'feel-good meals for busy families and their picky eaters,'" Yohay says. "There are tons of balanced, tasty, easy meals (like the Crispy Tortilla-Crusted Absolutely Loaded Quiche and the freezer-friendly Thai Turkey Meatballs with Coconut Curry) that will make school night cooking way less of a chore."