September 2010

Getting Schooled

Long gone are the days when a 12-pack of number two pencils, a couple of spiral-bound notebooks and a new pair of Keds were all you needed to be ready for back-to-school. Today, students are always on the lookout for the next wave of products to help them get a leg up on their peers. Luckily for you, we have a cheat sheet of the top five latest and greatest back-to-school items that all the kids are raving about (just make sure the teacher doesn’t see you copying our paper). 

 

1. iPad

Getting your hands on one might pose a bit of a problem, as stores are running out of stock due to high demand. Because of the iBooks application, as well as an array of Apple office programs, the consensus among many teachers is that the iPad could revolutionize the way our kids learn. 

 

2. Trapper Keeper

When you think ‘Trapper Keeper,’ you probably imagine garish 80s pop art and loud Velcro strips covered in lint. However, once you see Mead’s redesigned line of Trapper Keepers, you’re going to wish it was you who was going back to school. No more Day-Glo, Lisa Frank-inspired designs. Instead, Trapper Keepers are donning a streamlined, more classic impression, perfect for the classroom. 

 

3. Silly Bandz

While no student needs a bracelet in the shape of a duck to help them pass Algebra, it certainly makes the class a bit more fun. These inexpensive, rubber band bracelets have taken the tween market by storm. They function like a regular bracelet, and even as a rubber band, but once removed from the wrist, they take on the shape of anything and everything you can imagine. From dinosaurs to milkshakes to princesses to guitars, whatever your child’s interest, there is a Silly Bandz for them. 

 

4. Messenger Bags

A messenger bag is a great alternative to a backpack. It allows students easy access to their things and doesn’t wreak havoc on their backs. They are also super-fashionable and customizable to your child’s personal style. This season’s most popular style is metallic – silver, gold, bronze and even metallic blues have been seen everywhere from runways to playgrounds.

 

5. Girls – Jeggings/Boys – Neon Nikes

Kids can be picky about fashion. You need to find that perfect line between comfort and style, which is why two of the hottest fashions of the season are so perfect. For girls, it’s all about the “jeggings!” These stretch cotton leggings look like jeans but have all the comfort of sweatpants. Thanks to added spandex, jeggings expand as your child grows, and they are age appropriate whether your kids are six or 16! For boys, it’s all about the shoes, and no shoes are hotter than Nike’s line of neon sneakers. Red, orange, blue or a combination of all three, Nike even allows you to customize your sneaks on their website. Too cool for school!

 

Don’t let back-to-school be a drag. Send your kids off to the bus with some of these, and you’ll definitely win the coolest parent award.