The start of a new school year means the start of new routines. With the return to busy schedules, homework and extracurriculars, it can be a hectic time for kids and parents (slow down, summer!). With this chaos in mind, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite products to help you get organized, since the countdown to the classroom is on.
Simply 3 Tier Rolling Cart
Why we love it: No more rummaging through drawers and cupboards looking for pens, pencils, rulers, calculators, etc. This three-tier utility cart is a great way to keep school and craft supplies organized and handy. It has three mesh baskets to hold everything you need, and if you have multiple kids, you can label each basket with a child’s name to help them track their own belongings. This cart features four wheels (two are lockable), making it easy to move around or put away.
$60, staples.ca
Learning Resources Create-A-Space Mini Centre
Why we love it: This rotating craft caddy keeps all of the homework supplies accessible. Perfect for storing homework essentials like pencils, glue sticks and scissors, it’s an especially handy organizer for small spaces. It also has a convenient carry handle if you need to relocate the study zone.
$15, chapters.indigo.ca
Mabel’s Labels
Why we love it: Kids lose things. They just do. But you have a much higher chance of eventually finding those winter hats and water bottles if you label them with your child’s name. We love these labels because they’re easy to use, extremely durable, dishwasher safe, laundry safe and come in some very cute prints. They’re easy to remove and don’t leave a sticky residue like other labels can.
$42.50, mabelslabels.ca
Reward’um Visual Schedules
Why we love them: Back to school means starting a new routine. These reusable routine stickers were designed by a child life specialist who recognized the power of visual schedules for little ones. Visuals can help younger kids understand what is expected of them, empower them to do tasks without being told and show them what comes next. If you’re tired of telling your kids to brush their teeth 100 times, or reminding them 47 times to pack their lunch bags, give visual schedules a try.
$30, Rewardum
Ikea Stadis Pegboard
Why we love it: This pegboard has all the components required for the ultimate family command centre. It comes in a number of colours and with a variety of accessories, making it easy to create a communication and scheduling station to meet your family’s unique needs. Keep all your school forms, permission slips, reading journals, homework and keys organized so they’re easy to grab when you’re heading out the door.
$30, ikea.com
Melissa & Doug Responsibility Chart
Why we love it: Help kids to take responsibility for their chores and daily activities with a chore chart. We love this magnetic pick because it’s highly customizable—just choose different magnets as your kids mature and take on more at home. Kids love sticking a star magnet beside the task once they’ve accomplished it, watching the board fill up over the course of a week. The dry-erase section at the bottom allows you to write notes, keep a to-do-list and keep track of homework or other tasks.
$34, chapters.indigo.ca
