Back-to-school shopping is a little different with tweens and teens. Gone are the days when they get excited about their new superhero backpack or adorable lunchbox with the kitten on the front. There’s no more buying gluesticks or crayons. And they might be a little harder to wake up in the morning, too. (You may also like to read: 8 Ways Back-to-School Changes When Your Kid Starts Middle School)
But even though they may have traded construction paper for a fancy calculator, it doesn’t mean that even the surliest teen doesn’t get a little enthusiastic about stocking up on some new gear for the back-to-school season. There’s something about loading up on new pens, notebooks, and planners to get even middle and high school students excited to start a new year.
But big kids also come with bigger expenses. Since shopping with your older students can be overwhelming and costly, we’re rounding up some of our favorite back-to-school essentials that you can get at Walmart.
Not only is everything reasonably priced, but we found some aesthetic items that your student will be proud to have throughout the year. Below, you’ll find our top picks for essential school supplies as well as certain tech items that might be beneficial for kids in older grades.
Reviews of Back-to-School Essentials at Walmart
1. Best Backpacks: JanSport Superbreak Carrying Case
A new backpack is a must for carting all the textbooks, binders, and folders they’ll need to cart from class to class. JanSport makes great spacious backpacks that aren’t too hard on their shoulders thanks to the cushioned straps. We also like the front pouch that makes it easy to access pens and pencils and that there’s a spot for a water bottle. It comes in 14 different colors too!
Another great affordable option is this one from Eastsport that’s available in three different hues. We like that it has several compartments to help students organize by classes or stash a laptop. Plus, there’s two front pockets and two water bottle holders, so they can fit it all instead stopping at their lockers too often.
Buy the JanSport Superbreak Carrying Case:
Buy the Eastsport Core Scholastic Unisex Backpack:
2. Best Lunch Box: Arctic Zone Expandable Lunch Box with Ice Pack
This lunch box is perfect for older kids who need a ton of room for snacks and their packed lunch to get them through the school day. This one is expandable to fit it all! It also comes with ice packs to keep food cold, making them great options for field trips or long days filled with sports and clubs after school.
3. Best Locker Accessories: Pen + Gear Locker Letter Board and Lockermate By Bostitch Stac-a-Shelf
Decking out your locker is arguably one of the most exciting parts of entering middle school or high school, and Walmart has some great affordable accessories. From a cute message board, they can switch up to add some school spirit to a functional mirror to fix their hair between classes; these are fun and functional. Don’t forget a stackable shelf, so they can actually fit their books in there.
Buy the Pen + Gear Locker Letter Board:
Buy the Boxgear Magnetic Locker Mirror:
Buy the Lockermate By Bostitch Stac-a-Shelf:
4. Best Reusable Water Bottle: Cirkul Water Bottle Starter Kit
Water bottles have somehow become the trendiest accessory for school and we think it’s a good thing. After the Owala craze, this Cirkul water bottle might be the new it water bottle, so you should get it before the school year starts. It allows you to favor water using the included water drops, which will hopefully make the school fountain water taste a little better.
5. Best Filing Box: IRIS Letter Size PortableWeatherPro File Box
Throughout the year there will be a ton of important papers and projects that you might want to hold onto to reference later on. This file box can hold it all and makes it easy to separate everything by subject or grade. Best of all, it’s weatherproof for safekeeping and has a top compartment to hold different supplies you might need.
6. Best Dry Erase Calendar: D-FantiX Clear Magnetic Calendar for Fridge
Between sports, recitals, lessons, and weekend plans, the school year can get hectic! We find that a dry erase calendar for the fridge keeps everything organized and planned for the month and is a spot where everyone can see it. You can write out the month, dates, and any big due dates and activities going on so everyone knows where they need to be each day.
7. Best Calculator: Texas Instruments TI-84 Calculator
For kids taking calculus for the first time, they’ll likely need a graphing calculator to complete their homework and problem sets. The TI-84 calculator is standard across the board and is good to grab now if you haven’t already.
8. Best Portable Charger: INIU 20000mAh Power Bank
While running from classes to practice, high school and middle school students need to stay charged up. This power bank supports fast charging and has enough power to charge an iPhone 14 four times. It has three USB ports, so they can use it to juice up multiple devices or lend it to a friend in need of a charge.
9. Best Lightning Cables: Bkayp iPhone Charger Lightning Cables
You can never have too many lightning cables to charge up iPhones and other Apple devices. These 10-foot ones are long and durable for extended use. We also like that these are brightly colored, so kids can know which ones are theirs. They’re pretty cheap too!
10. Best Electronic Organizer: Insten Electronics Travel Organizer
This is great for teens who are gone from sunup to sundown! They can organize all their cables, portable chargers, tablets, and gaming consoles they might be using during a long day. It keeps everything in place, and they can safely stash it in their backpack. No more fishing around!
11. Best Car Jumper: AVAPOW Car Jump Starter
This might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to back to school shopping, but if your student is driving, they definitely need a jump starter. If they ever find themselves needing a jump start, this kit will allow them to do so without having to use another vehicle. Just make sure they know how to do it on their own ahead of an emergency! It can even be used as a flashlight or phone charger if needed.
12. Best Noise Canceling Headphones: Srhythm NC25 Noise Canceling Headphones
A good set of noise canceling headphones can help students power through a project or study session, especially if they have younger siblings around. These headphones aren’t too expensive but offer active noise cancellation and are comfortable to wear for a few hours. They can connect to their devices via Bluetooth for a seamless listening experience.
13. Best Tablet: Apple 10.2-inch iPad (2021)
Some students prefer to do their work and flip through assignments on a more portable tablet. This 2021 iPad is a bit cheaper than the newest model but still offers great functionality and all the apps they need. It could be a better choice than working on the family computer or spending too much on a new laptop.
14. Best Notebooks: Five Star Wirebound Notebooks
Back to the basics! When it comes to the best notebooks, students need something that will last most of the school year. This Five Star spiral notebook is a great pick, especially since it works for five subjects and has a handy folder to hold any relevant handouts.
15. Best Pocket Folders: Pen+Gear Letter Size 2-Pocket Paper Folder
Aside from notebooks, they’ll want somewhere to store their homework assignments and paper announcements. These inexpensive folders will ensure nothing ends up crumpled at the bottom of their backpack, and they’re available in multiple colors to organize by subject.
16. Best Planner: Mintgreen 2024-2025 Planner
Your student can stay organized while leaning into the floral aesthetic with this fun planner. It has both a monthly and weekly calendar so they can stay on top of all their activities and assignments throughout the year. Plus, they’re more likely to use a cute planner, right?
17. Best Writing Tools: Pilot G2 Retractable Pens and BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils
Everyone has their preferred pens and pencils, but we think these are a good option for most students. The Pilot G2 pens glide on the page without smudging (something that’s important for lefties!) and the BIC Xtra-Smooth mechanical pencils are always a popular choice. Grab several so they’ll have enough to fill their pencil case this school year.
Buy the Pilot G2 Retractable Pens, 5-Pack:
Buy the BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils, 40-Count:
18. Best Pencil Case: Livhil Pencil Case
Let’s stop the habit of throwing pens and pencils directly into their bookbag with a good pencil case. This large-capacity one has enough space for them to separate their pens from their pencils, markers, and highlighters. Hopefully, they lose a few less pens this school year.
Prices were accurate at time of publication. This is a sponsored post completed in conjunction with the vendor (but our favorite products!)
Are you looking for a better relationship with your teen/tween?
Check out the book You’re Not a Failure: My Teen Doesn’t Like Me Either by our blog’s co-owner Whitney Fleming. It’s available for pre-order at Walmart.com.
Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. These other post may help:
5 Amazing Organizational Apps for Teens to Help Them Balance Their Lives
10 of the Best Homework Apps For Teens To Help Them Succeed In School
Five Parenting Mistakes I Made My Teen’s Freshman Year of High School
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