It’s Back to School time, which means it’s time to get the kids prepared for another exciting year of learning. Send them off with their backpacks full of everything they’ll need with value-packed picks that keep costs in check, from school stationery must-haves to cool water bottles and handy lunch boxes.

A series of images showing various colourful and themed backpacks for students, including a dinosaur-themed backpack and a Star Wars backpack.

1. Go Back to School With a Cool Backpack

Every child’s backpack should tick three boxes: it must be big enough for all their school essentials, comfortable to wear and, most importantly, something your child genuinely likes and feels proud to carry. Pick a design that reflects their interests and involve them in the choice, so they’ll look after it, be less likely to lose it and feel more engaged with their school supplies.

Looking for a solid base that lets their accessories do the talking? This Keji backpack is the perfect value-friendly choice, comes in navy or pink and fits a 14-inch device snugly inside. For the student who’s serious about their extracurricular activities, this Lenovo backpack has all the space they’ll need to pack for the busy days ahead. It features two separate compartments in the bag alongside two well-placed pockets on either side for other accessories. If they're after a sturdy backpack that’s bright enough to pick out on the playground, the Studymate School Backpack Blue with three external compartments is just the ticket.

Brighten your kid’s school day with a fun themed backpack. This unique Studymate dino backpack has comfortable and sturdy, adjustable padded shoulder straps, two pockets and a picture of a dinosaur wearing sunglasses riding a truck – so you’ll never miss it. Add a touch of fantasy to their school days with the Studymate purrmaid backpack, a feline-themed bag with a pearlescent sheen plus wide shoulder straps you can adjust as they grow. If you have a little movie-lover on your hands, try the Star Wars bundle set – it includes a lightweight backpack, drink bottle, bento lunch box, Yoda key ring and a sticker sheet. 

What to Try

SEE ALSO: Ace Your Back to School Prep

A flat lay of essential back to school stationery items, such as coloured pencils, highlighters, an eraser, a ruler and a pencil case.

2. Back to School on a Budget

Back to School lists can be long and, because pens and pencils have a habit of vanishing, replacements can add up – but keeping costs down is simple with great‑value stationery that’s easy to stock up on now and top up later while staying on budget.

This brightly coloured pencil case measures 25cm wide, has a customisable name label and will hold all the essentials: a set of graphite pencils and a two-hole sharpener, which are important tools for little learners to develop fine motor skills, and this fun neon eraser will teach them mistakes can be easily fixed. This 10 pack of ballpoint pens is the perfect pick for kids who have received their pen licence, and this four pack of highlighters will help them add some colour to their notes. Throw in this wooden ruler to make sure their margins are precise every time. 

Pop in a 12-pack of coloured pencils, a pair of scissors and a glue stick so they can let their creativity bloom, and add an eight-piece maths set to help them engage the left side of their brain, which is responsible for logic, processing and calculating.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: Back to School Desk Setup Essentials

A series of images showing colourful drink bottles of different styles, including stainless steel bottles with flip straws and plastic bottles with a twist-top or pop-top.

3. Must-Have Drink Bottles

Keep kids hydrated, especially on sports days, with water bottle options to suit every routine and budget. Packing a sturdy, good-sized bottle will ensure they always have water on hand. 

The Smash Stealth drink bottle holds 750ml of liquid for them to sip on throughout the day and its leakproof twist top makes it easy to use. Or, this Keji drink bottle holds 800ml, so they won’t need to fill up till home time, and comes in four colours: jade, black, navy and pink.

If you want to keep their water colder for longer, pop it in the freezer or add ice first and choose a bottle made from stainless steel which can keep drinks cool for up to 12 hours, like this Studymate drink bottle, the Otto Eclectic Pop drink bottle or the Smash Sipper drink bottle.

What to Try

A series of images showing various lunch boxes and bags, including bento boxes in dinosaur, gaming, hearts and summery themes, and an insulated lunch bag.

4. Send Them Back To School With the Best Lunch Box

A good lunch box isn’t just about convenience; it’s keeps food fresh and can save money on unnecessary food packaging. This stylish bento box comes in four different patterns: gaming, blue gaming, summery fruit stickers and sweet hearts and has five removable compartments to keep a variety of foods fresh and separate, making it perfect for any picky eaters. They’re also microwave and dishwasher safe, making them easy to use and clean.

Make lunchtime extra fun for the young ones with this dinosaur themed bento box. It features a spoon, six compartments and a little snack pot. Or, if they're looking for something a little more understated, this lilac B.box lunch box features multiple compartments including a large sandwich-sized one, space for a freezer pouch to keep food cold and a silicon top that expands to fit an apple or other fruit. 

Pair their shiny new lunch box with a lunch bag to help keep their snacks extra fresh. This insulated lunch bag is made with an anti-microbial lining to guard against common bacteria and an ice pack to keep food cold. Plus, it comes in seven different designs to suit every kind of kid.

Hot Tip: Pop the ice pack in the freezer overnight so it's ice-cold for lunch the next day.

What to Try

SEE ALSO: 10 Healthy Kids’ Lunch Box Ideas

A series of images showing kids wearing headphones, such as wireless purple on-ear headphones and wired black on-ear headphones.

5. Comfortable Headphones and Earphones

Whether it’s listening in class or unwinding on the bus, headphones are now considered a non-negotiable tech accessory for students. 

These JBL JR320 Kids headphones are a colourful choice that will allow them to listen in comfort while learning or enjoying some downtime, they feature Safe Sound technology which parents can control for customisable hearing protection. If they're in older primary or high school and need a little more help to focus and drown out distracting sounds, try the noise-cancelling JBL Tune 670 headphones. 

For primary school students just getting used to using headphones, the Keji Kids Volume Limited Headphones have a volume limit feature to ensure the sound won’t hurt sensitive ears and easily connect to a laptop or tablet via a 3.5 mm audio jack.

What to Try