Rachel Roland is a mom on a mission - exploring beautiful Arizona (and beyond!) with her two little companions, Jeremiah and Sarah, in search of the best restaurants, attractions, and products for you and your children. See what she has in store for your family today!
I've been looking forward to this column all week! I have a great list of products that are going to make not only your child's school days easier, but yours, too! The first featured product is this fantastic Pottery Barn Kids Backpack.
Just look at that little kindergartener! There are so many things to love about the Pottery Barn Backpacks - they're not only made from water-resistant (not that we need to worry about that too much) and extremely durable polyester, these adorable designs are available from a preschool size to a large-roller bag size. Jeremiah's backpack is a small, which will fit his school folders but also fits him well. The designs for these backpacks are great, too, because his school doesn't allow 'pop culture' characters - I have a feeling a lot of schools are heading that way, and with these fun designs, you can still stand out in the crowd. Purchase for your own kiddo at Pottery Barn Kids Online or in their stores at Scottsdale Fashion Square and Chandler Fashion Center. ($29.50-$69.50)
Next, I found a great product for you from the always-dependable Lakeshore Learning Center - the Operations Magnetic Activity Board is a fun (and maybe a little sneaky) way to help your little ones learn math from addition to division. There are even word problems!
Jeremiah and Sarah both love this product - granted, Jeremiah's just entering kindergarten, but it's really never too early to introduce those important math concepts. He loves moving the magnetic numbers around once he figures out the solution to the problem, and I love that everything is enclosed in the Operations Magnetic Activity Board. It's an easy to use toy that your kids will love to use to learn math! Purchase your own online at Lakeshore's Website (they're currently having a back to school sale - free shipping over $79 with 20% many of their products!) You can also purchase the Operations Magnetic Activity Board at one of the local locations, in Phoenix or Paradise Valley. ($49.95)
With school comes a packed schedule! Stay on top of your week with The Board Dudes Magnetic Dry Erase Weekly Planner. With large spots for writing all your weekly activities, you'll be sure to be the parent who's on top of the game! ($18.99)
Naturally, you also need fab things like owl pencils, erasers, as well as an owl-themed pencil sharpener...and you can always use neon-metallic colored pencils, too! RoseArt has your school supply needs covered - from pencils to erasers, markers to glue sticks - you can find all sorts of great products from RoseArt to satisfy your school supply list and your budget - along with your creative side! (prices vary)
Last, but certainly not least, are these awesome labels I found from Lovable Labels. These labels are personalized with your child's name and can be put on everything from water bottles, to binders, to lunchboxes, to pencil cases. These labels will stay on your child's belongings through the dishwasher, washer, and dryer, along with anything your child can do to them! Perfect to prevent any lost supplies, right? Order online via Lovable Labels. (45 labels for $19.95 - prices vary)
As summer ends and school begins, I hope you all have a wonderful transition to the new school year! I also hope these products will help make that transition even easier.
Photo courtesy Red Phoenix Photography
I'm Rachel - a mom, wife, and 'green' blogger at Small Steps On Our Journey. If you want me to come visit your place of business, have any questions on this article or suggestions for a future article, you can email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , tweet me at @rachelroland, or connect with me on Facebook.
