Back-to-school is in full swing with everyone on Facebook seemingly starting the school year in August— what is up with that??? It’s still summer! Luckily, I live on the Northeast, where school starts when it should— at the beginning of September.
The rest of the country is CRAZY.
In order to ease those back-to-school jitters and take the edge of your brand new morning routines (IF WE DON’T LEAVE NOW, YOU’LL MISS CIRCLE TIME!!!!!!), I’ve put together a back-to-school guide for parents and kids alike.
There’s also lots of exclusive promo codes throughout and a big giveaway at the end, so make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to win over $500 in prizes. You know, like how you missed the signature on that lice check form and now you’re stuck with your kid at home another day.
Here are 60 items that will get you and your kids through the school year with an A+ in Student Preparedness. If only that counted on their school transcripts….
If your daughter is anything like mine, your kids ask you to carry their bags. It’s important to find a bag your kid will be proud to carry all on their own.
1) Apple Park Purple Who Owl Backpack; 2) Mad Pax Spiketus Rex Half Pack; 3) Chooze Shoes Choosepack in “Crave”; 4) So Young Blue Robot Backpack; 5) Land Of Nod Teacher’s Pet Unicorn Backpack.
Special Offer:
To receive 20% off on all Apple Park products, use the code MS20 at check-out. Promo code valid from August 17-31st.
1) Micro Maxi Kickboard; 2) Micro Helmets; 3) Elbow & Knee Pads.
Mazzy loves scooting to school on her Micro Maxi Kickboard. Not only does it cut the commute time by half, it’s lightweight, foldable and easy to carry or stow in a locker. Designed for ages 5-12, the Maxi is has exceptionally strong construction and is extremely easy to brake and maneuver. Even Harlow can do it!
SPECIAL OFFER:
Get 20% off the Pink and Blue Maxi using code BACKTOSCHOOL from Aug.24-Aug 31st.
Sandals are the best thing about summer but with these new kicks, hopefully your kid will forget all about their flip-flops and Birkenstocks.
1) Mini Boden Girls Short Leather Boots; 2) Chooze Scout Loafer in “Rock”; 3) Chuck Taylor Allstar Shine; 4) Girls Slide Glitter Sneakers in Silver; 5) Cole Haan Boys Oxford.
SPECIAL OFFER:
Click here for an automatic 15% off all Mini Boden clothes + Free shipping.
There is nothing more frustrating than opening your kids lunchbox at the end of the day and discovering a fully packed meal untouched inside. These fun colorful lunchbox accessories might make your kid’s food a bit more enticing.
1) Gourmet Getaway Lunch Tote; 2) 3-Pack Spork Set; 3) Minion Thermos Funtainer; 4) Silicone Cupcake Holders; 5) Munchkin Silly Sandwich Cutters; 6) Trio Stainless Steel Bento Box.
This year, I was introduced to kid’s clothes from Lands’ End and I found they make adorably stylish high quality items for kids of all sizes. I’m particularly fond of their cardigans and hoodies which come in many colors and styles for girls and boys and are perfect for layering over your kid’s favorite summer outfit and calling it FALL.
1) Lands’ End Boys Long Sleeve Colorblock Sherpa Hoodie; 2) Lands’ End Girls Solid Tuck Stitch Cardigan in Coral.
My girls aren’t up to homework stage yet but when I am, you can bet I’ll be buying supplies that up the fun factor. You know, so I can steal them.
1) Zoey Mini 3-ring Binder; 2) Staple-free Stapler; 3) Poppin Acrylic Rulers; 4) Draw It Yourself Calculator; 5) Ban.do Sweet Talk Pen Set; 6) Gold Icons Notebook Set; 7) Take 5 Wall Bin.
1) MyCharge AMP Plus w/ USB; 2) MyCharge AMP Mini; 3) MyCharge AMP Max w/ USB.
When you’re on-the-go from drop-off to swim practice to all the errands you need to run in between, smart parents know to carry a portable back-up charger at all times. The myCharge Amp series is so small they can easily fit in mom’s purse, dad’s pocket or little junior’s backpack, with pretty significant extra juice. The AMP Mini provides 15 additional hours of talktime, the AMP Plus delivers 22 and the AMP Max (which charges smart phones as well as tablets) comes in at a whooping 45 additional hours.
Special Offer:
Get 40% off the Amp series by using code SCHOOL.
Everyone knows Mazzy’s got a crazy thick head of hair, which is gorgeous but a beast to maintain. Harlow is rarely seen without her signature pigtails (aka “pinkie tails”) so TRUST ME, I am the person to ask for hair accessory recommendations.
1) The Wetbrush Detangling Shower Brush; 2) Goody Girls Sassy Barrettes; 3) Janie & Jack Blossom Headband; 4) Hair Braid Bands; 5) Hair Braid Headband; 6) Frozen Fever Hairstyles Book.
Check out these easy-to-clean reusable snack bags from Spbang! Not only can you toss them in the dishwasher, they have a space to write notes in non-permanent marker that comes clean in the rinse cycle too! Spbang’s snack bags are durable, eco-friendly and crafted with food safe materials that contains no lead, no BPA and no phthalates.
SPecial offer:
Get 25% off all spbang products with the code MOMMYSHORTS; valid until September 31st.
If you want to stock up on must-have toiletries while teaching your kids how to make a positive difference in the world, shop at Walgreens and Duane Reade who are donating to Give H2OPE to Others during the back-to-school season. Every TRESemme®, Suave® or Caress® product purchased between July 26 and September 30 will result in 5 gallons of clean water given to families in need. Kids can visit TrackYourImpact.com to see exactly where the water is donated, to help them understand how they are making a positive impact in other people’s lives.
1) Suave Shampoo & Conditioner; 2) Tresemme Hairspray; 3) Caress Daily Silk Body Wash; 4) Caress Bar Soap.
Finding clothes that make kids want to take off their pajamas and get ready for the day is harder than it sounds. These fun items will hopefully have your kid dressed and ready before you’re halfway out the door.
1) Mini Boden Sparkle Jersey Dress; 2) Polka Dot Ankle Socks; 3) Ruby & Bloom Pink Tulle Skirt; 4) Boys Dinosaur Boxers; 5) Gymboree “High Five” Long Sleeve Tee; 6) Girls Everyday Leggings in Wild Horses Print.
SPECIAL OFFER:
Click here for an automatic 15% off all Mini Boden clothes + Free shipping.
Once you’ve made a sandwich and remembered to include a drink, you need a variety of no-fuss snacks easy to toss in your kid’s lunchbox. Plum Organics Fruit & Veggie Mashups are the perfect healthy treat, made from organic fruits and veggies mixed and mashed into squeezable purees. Mashups use USDA-Certified Organic apples and 25% less sugar than the leading applesauce pouch.
special offer:
Get 20% off any Mashups purchase at the Plum Store using code MASHUPS20 at checkout.
There’s nothing more emotional than sending your baby to preschool for the first time. These items will help your kid get through the day, even if he’s without mom and dad.
1) Sticky Bellies ‘Picture Me Proud’ Posters; 2) Puffs Soft Pack; 3) Day of the Week Undies; 4) Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons; 5) Pocket Frenz Hoodie with ultra soft tactile tabs hidden in the pockets 6) Kidecals Custom Clothing Labels; 7) Melissa & Doug Triangular Crayons; 8) Hello Kitty Band-Aids.
Special Offer:
Get 10% off Sticky Bellies ‘Picture Me Proud’ Posters using the code MAZZY10; valid through 9/30.
Like Harlow, many kids start their school day with cereal and I’m a big believer that parents should not feel bad about that. Over the years, General Mills has made whole grain the first ingredient in all their cereals and reduced sugar. Currently, more than half of General Mills cereals are made without artificial flavors or colors from artificial sources and they will continue working until artificial ingredients are removed from all of them— even Lucky Charms. Come September, five varieties of Gluten Free Cheerios will be available.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVEAWAY
No back-to-school guide would be complete without a back-to-school giveaway! Today, one lucky reader is getting a prize pack worth over $500.
The prize pack includes 1) Micro Maxi Kickboard; 2) $50 to Walgreen from Unilever; 3) mycharge AMP Max, Amp Plus and Amp Mini; 4) $50 Lands’ End gift card; 5) $75 worth of Plum Mashups; 6) set of 3 dishwasher safe reusable bags from spbang; and 7) Two cases of your favorite General Mills cereal plus one case to donate to your favorite charity.
To enter:
You must be a Mommy Shorts daily or weekly subscriber to enter. Then leave a comment below telling me what grades your kids are going into this fall and what they currently want to be when they grow up.
FYI, Mazzy wants to be an artist who sells ice cream on the side. Practical.
WINNER UPDATE:
What a great giveaway! Zoe’s entering kindergarten. She wants to be a ballplayer when she grows up. Not sure what sport since she seems to mix them together.
Julia will be starting preK this year and is so excited to finally starting her educational career.
She can’t wait to grow up and be a professional Tap Dancing Tuba player. 🙂
My oldest just started Preschool on Monday and wants to be a beautiful princess when she grows up. I mistakenly told my husband she wanted to be a princess and she quickly corrected me because I forgot ‘beautiful’. My mistake.
My daughter is 12 & wants to be a therapist. My son is 9 & wants to be a video game designer. So one wants to destroy brains; the other wants to fix them. Does that mean a 50% success rate for me as a mother?
My oldest is going into pre-K. He has currently clarified that he no longer wants to BE a train, but a train engineer. He will take us on trips to destinations. Like Arizona.
I’m pretty sure the two year old is going to have his own reality show about hunting ghosts. We spend a lot of time with flashlights hunting monsters.
My 10 year old daughter wants to a journalist, lawyer, and chef. My 3 year old wants to be an astronaut.
I forgot to mention my daughter is going to fifth grade and my 3 year old son is starting preschool !
My son Ben is going into kindergarten and when his teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up, he said “King”
I have a girl going into 2nd grade who wants to be a teacher and a son going jnto kindergarten prep and he wants to be a race car driver!
My 4 1/2 year old is going into Pre-k. She wants to me a back up singer for Taylor Swift!! 🙂
And I have a 2 year old who can’t tell us what she wants to be but loves animals and shoes so maybe she will be a vet… Or the next Manolo Blahnik.
I have a 6-year-old daughter named Melody and a 1-year-old son named Jason. Melody is in first grade this year (school started on August 19 here in California) and she wants to be a mother when she grows up.
One is in pre-K; she wants to “just stay home and play” when she grows up, so look out world! The other will be 2 next month and headed to the “young tods” room at daycare. She has not yet articulated her career path, but if I had to guess it would be professional Minnie Mouse character.
My daughter just started kindergarten and wants to be an “animal doctor”, as well as a circus performer.
My kid is going to be a 2nd grader. She wants to be an astronaut.
My daughter, Sydney, will be going into 1st grade and wants to be a baker/cheerleader when she grows up. My youngest, Quinn, will be starting preschool and wants to be Elsa when she grows up. 🙂
My girls will be in preschool and pre-k this year. . The youngest wants to be a monkey handler when she grows up. My older, more practical daughter ( 4 1/2 yrs) wants to be a librarian when she grows up :).
My son Cody who is 6 is going into Kindergarten next week!! He wants to be a “Professional Gamer fox Xbox” when he gets older.
My son (Jacob) is almost 3 and going into pre-school…and he wants to be a Ninja Turtle when he grows up – the blue one, of course.
My daughter is starting Pre-k this year and as, of now, she “wants to go to Notre Dame to be a doctor”. We may have encouraged that by buying an awesome vintage Fisher-Price doctor kit. Happy week and thanks for this awesome post and the chance to win such a fabulous prize!
My son is in prek this year and wants to be a ninja when he grows up.
My son is only 2 but I’m thinking preschool might be next year for him. Can I still enter? Winning the mashups and cereal alone would be so well worth it. He eats those so well! And judging by the obsession he has had with cooking for the last year and a half, he wants to be a chef when he grows up.
I have a 4 year old in pre-k and a 1st grader. (+a 2 yr old at home). My first grader wants to be a teacher but only if she can be a cheerleader on nights/weekends. My 4 year old says no to growing up and wants to be a little boy everyday.
My daughter will be going in to 3rd grade this year! My son is only 3, and won’t be going to school until age 5.
My boys are going into preK and Kindergarten. They want to be the first brother astronauts to go to space together. (At least,we’re guessing that a pair of siblings haven’t done that yet)
I have a 7 year old who wants to be a soccer star and a doctor, a 4 year old who wants to be a “powice” (police) and a “fire mans” but still live at home and marry his big brother so they will always live together, and an 18 month old who has an ambition to breast feed until he leaves for college – not sure what he’ll want to be aside from a professional eater.
I didn’t follow directions, which does not surprise me at all. My school age kids are in 2nd and last year of preschool 🙂
My son is starting preschool!
preschooler and of course she has no clue what she wants to be when she grows up, but mommy would like her to do whatever makes her the happiest, that doesnt mean she will be rich monetarily but happy in her soul!
Hallie is in preK & wants to be a pet doctor & a princess when she grows up.
My son is starting kindergarten. He wants to be a policeman!
Our big boy is starting pre-k 4 on September 1st! And he currently wants to be a member of the Paw Patrol (backpack and lunchbox are helping him get there)!
My son Lincoln is going into 1st grade and wants to be a boxer! I think because he is currently fighting with his little sister, LOL!! Layne is going into 3 year old preschool and would like to play dress up ????
Nice items! I like the reusable writable snack bags!
Savannah is 4 and is stating 4 yr old preschool. She wants to be a dr for kids!
Lacie is 2 and starting 3 yr old preschool. She’s our story teller/writer!
Emma is only 4 months so no school or career choices for her just yet! 🙂
We start school this Monday and my kids would love some new gear! I have a 5th grader who wants to be a baby doctor/dance teacher :), a 4th grader who wants to be a toy inventor & own his own toy store behind our house :), and a little one who will start preschool next year! Here’s to a fresh new school year!
My oldest just finished her first week of PreK, and her current career of choice is to be a baker. (I think she just wants an unlimited supply of cupcakes.)
My little trouble makers are 4 and 2. The 4 year old just started pre-k and the 2 year old just started preschool 3 days a week-3 hours away from my little baby- sniff sniff. Anyway the 4 year old want to be a “money maker” when he grows up, yes you can’t make this stuff up! And the 2 year old said “Ryder”. Maybe I should cut back in the paw patrol
My oldest daughter is in college, son is in 4th grade and youngest daughter is in 1st grade
I have a Kinder, who wants to be a policeman and a 3rd grader who wants to be an artist.
My daughter is excited to be entering preschool this year, she tells me she wants a job to read a story and go in a big seat. My son will be in pre-k this year and wants to be a mail carrier.
my son will be going into s/k this fall. He wants to be a train conductor when he grows up ????
My daughter just started 4th grade a few weeks ago. At the present time she wants to be a veterinarian.
My son is starting Kindergarten and he want to be an Entomologist!
My kids are in 1st and 2nd grade. Sophie Rose wants to be a doctor and a hair cutter, but doesn’t want to work for someone else. That way she can decide each day which job she’s going to do. Logan George wants to be a police officer. He hasn’t waivered from that in almost 4 years.
Our 4 year old staring preschool wants to be a policeman or a rock star, and our 5 year old going to kindergarten wants to be a baseball player or a dentist 😉
Jordyn just began preschool today….but she has informed me she wants to be a doctor when she grows up….YOU GO GIRL!!
My son is going to the 2 year old room on September 1st. He’s currently 19 months and still in the nursery section of his daycare. He can’t tell us what he wants to be yet, but we are pretty sure if he could talk his answer would be a drummer. He bangs on everything with any kind of stick he can find, so we actually built him his own real drum set with pieces left over from his dad’s drum set.
My son is going into K4 this year. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and like every other person, he has no idea! I tried selling him on the idea of a marine biologist because he loves the water and loves all sea creatures, but trying to explain what a marine biologist is, was quite amusing! By the end of the conversation he was wanting to be some form of a police officer and super hero!
My kids are in K2/1st grade and PreK this year. The oldest wants to be a video game designer and the younger wants to be a ballerina.
My boys are going into 3rd 2nd and kindergarten. My oldest wants to be an engineer, my middle son wants to be an artist and also own a toys r’ us store lol and my youngest wants to be a superhero more specifically the green arrow.
Girls look more attractive & cute with the best arrival of cute leggings at “https://bit.ly/2jkI3fx”. Hurry up girls