Back to School Gear for Pre-K and Up: Must-Have Essentials
Updated: Jul 28
Crowdsourced and Mom-Tested by Friend of a Mom Community
It’s nearly that time again, whether your little one is just heading off to Pre-K or settling into another grade, having the right gear makes all the difference. From stain-proof backpacks to lunch boxes that make mornings easier, here’s everything we love, lasted over a year and can stand up to multiple years of usage.
Back to School Essentials for Pre-K and Up:
Must-Have Gear
Backpacks Built for Toddlers
Choose the right size, lightweight, durable, and easy-to-clean styles. Coated prints and recycled materials are top picks for longevity and sustainability. For pre-k, youll want to make sure you avoid a mini size since you will have to be able to fit a folder.
Affordable and adorable designs that are perfect for Pre-K.
Affordable and adorable animal designs perfect for Pre-K!
Stylish, durable, and comes in fun prints. More on the pricer side but can be used for multiple years.
NapMats + Backback Accessories
Soft, durable case in green and blue keeps school supplies organized and easy to find.
Durable, zippered case with multiple compartments to keep pencils, markers, and school supplies neatly organized.
Extra-large, cozy nap mat with removable pillow and minky blanket—washable and perfect for daycare or preschool. Ours still looks brand new after using it a whole year.
Spill-Proof Water Bottles
Stainless steel or insulated bottles with easy-sip lids keep water cold and mess-free—refill-ready for all-day hydration.
Pottery Barn
This is my favorite water bottle!
It's stainless steel, easy to clean and all the parts are easy to pop off. Bonus you can get it personalized through their website!
Pottery Barn
Love this water bottle and it has a stainless steel option! You can also personalize it and it has three tops to pick from. Also, super easy to clean.
Stays cold for hours, with a straw lid kids can open easily.
Leak-proof, BPA-free, and easy for little hands to open—perfect for school, sports, and on-the-go.
The Best Lunch Boxes for Toddlers, Pre-K and Up!
Divided, insulated lunch kits with removable sections keep snacks fresh. Our top two favorites that are the easiest to open, perfect for little hands and reduce the risk of spilling.
Bentgo
Bentgo Lunch Box is the easiest to open for little kids. They've solved the issues with the prior model where now the tray will not get stuck or spill food.
OmieBox
Leak-proof lunchbox with a built-in insulated food jar to keep hot and cold foods separate. Perfect for sending soup, pasta, or fresh fruit in one container.
Note: its larger size means it won’t fit in most standard lunch bags.
We tested five more lunch boxes, ranked our favorites and put it all in one place:
Lunch Box Accessories + Extras
This is incredibly easy to open! Wide-mouth, leak-proof stainless steel food jar keeps meals hot or cold for hours. Perfect for kids’ soups, pasta, or snacks at school or on the go.
Reusable, leak-proof cups for dressings, dips, and small snacks—perfect for lunch boxes.
Slim, colorful ice packs keep lunches cold for hours, with lots of fun styles to choose from.
Cute, reusable picks make fruits, veggies, and snacks more fun—perfect for bento boxes and picky eaters.
Cute, reusable ice packs perfect for lunch bags.
Amazon
Make lunchtime a joyride with these fun truck, car, and boat food picks—perfect for little vehicle lovers. A playful way to encourage kids to try new foods and add excitement to every bite.
Amazon
Perfect for picky eaters and lunchbox fun, these adorable animal food picks turn mealtime into playtime. A simple, mess-free way to encourage kids to try new foods and enjoy every bite.
Weather-Ready Gear for Every Season
Whether it’s a rainy drop-off or a snowy walk home, having weather-ready gear on hand makes mornings smoother (and drier). These pieces keep kids comfortable, dry, and ready to play, whatever Chicago weather decides to do.
Rain Jacket
Lightweight, waterproof, and easy to pack make sure to look for one with a hood and soft lining for comfort.
Simple, solid colors and fully waterproof with a soft interior.
Classic, durable, and comes in adorable prints your child will love.
Rain Boots
Puddle-jumping approved. Choose boots with easy pull handles and non-slip soles.
Lightweight, flexible, and available in tons of fun patterns with easy to pull on handles perfect for toddlers.
Lightweight, flexible, and available in tons of fun patterns.
Toddler Umbrella
Small hands deserve an umbrella they can actually hold. Look for ones with rounded edges and easy-open handles.
Adorable designs and the perfect size for preschoolers.
Keeps faces dry and light enough for them to hold.
Winter Gear Essentials
Keep them warm from head to toe with cozy, insulated layers—think two-piece snow sets for boys and girls, stand-alone snow bibs, and winter jackets that are waterproof, windproof, and playground-ready all season long.
Ten Little
Waterproof, insulated, and built to keep little feet warm and dry through slush, sledding, and school recess. Bonus each box comes with a size guide.
We buy these every year!
Amazon
Look for easy pull-on styles with sturdy traction to handle icy sidewalks and winter adventures.
Personalized Label Stickers
Water-resistant name labels for everything from backpacks, bottles, sweaters. Help gear find its way home.
Dishwasher- and laundry-safe.
Cute designs with fast turnaround. We've used these for years!
Reusable silicone rubber band labels for bottles.
Fun Daily Extras
Whether it’s motivational lunchbox notes or a plush keychain to comfort them at school—small touches go a long way.
Final Thoughts
Back-to-school shopping can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re shopping for preschool, Pre-K, kindergarten, or the early elementary years. That’s exactly why we created this guide.
Every product featured here is one we genuinely recommend because it’s held up through real school days, busy mornings, playground adventures, lunchbox spills, and everything in between. These are the backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, shoes, and everyday school essentials we’d happily buy again for our own families.
Whether you’re sending your child to school for the very first time or simply replacing well-loved favorites, we hope this guide helps make back-to-school shopping a little easier and gives you confidence that you’re choosing products built to last.
We’ll continue updating this guide with our latest favorite back-to-school essentials as we discover products worth recommending, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back before each school year.
If this guide helped you, share it with another parent who’s getting ready for the new school year.
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