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You might even wish you were heading back, too.

I’m a Shopping Fellow who has scored a lot of holy grails from BuzzFeed Shopping over the years, and I’m eager to pay it forward.

Promising review: "So cute and perfect for back to school! It came with two banners pre-strung, which is a huge plus considering most banners from Amazon don’t. The quality was great, and the pictures were bright and clear. There’s a lot of extra string for hanging, so you can pretty much hang it from anything! It folded up super easily and is ready to go for the next school year." —Magical Finds 

Twee is a woman-owned small business based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that makes cute sidewalk chalk designs, like these rainbow donuts and petite macarons. 

Promising review: "This is the second purchase I've made from Twee, and their chalk is just too cute. The sushi chalk is adorable and so fun, I love the packaging as well!" —A.R.R.Get the set from Twee for $25. 

Some reviewers recommend using fabric glue or sewing them on for extra durability. 

Promising reviews: "Love love love! Used for a back-to-school backpack! —Lacey James 

"We got plain backpacks this year, and they picked which patches they wanted. We ironed them on to make them stand out! Quick and easy!" —Pagecarlisle85

Get a pack from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 35 different styles). 

If there's anything better than an olive green dinosaur backpack, it's a matching lunch bag and water bottle to go with it. 

Promising review: "The 3-year-old and the 5-year-old were so ecstatic the next morning when the boys went to school. The older one said he liked the compartments, and he liked the lunchbox at the bottom of the backpack. The lunchbox is big enough to hold the cold box used for lunches." —GA friend

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 15 styles). 

And if your child must have all the cuties (which I would completely understand), here’s a 24-pack.

The Pencil Grip is a family-run small business based in New York and California that specializes in craft materials 

Promising reviews: "Perfect for young children who are typically very messy with arts and crafts. They’re bright, dry quickly, are washable, and non-toxic. Super easy to clean up, and I love that we don’t have to worry about him smearing paint everywhere since they don’t require a brush or water. Also, my son usually doesn’t have patience for anything that he has to sit down for, but these paint sticks really catch his attention! We use them daily now, and he’s learning to say his colors by playing with them. Will purchase again when they run out, but so far they are lasting well. —Natalia

Get the pack of 12 from Amazon for $12.80 (also available in a non-character design). 

And seemingly created just for me and any future electronic music-loving children you might have, neon versions are also available. 

Promising reviews: "This is the second school year I am buying these for my daughter because she loves them that much, and as long as she keeps up with them, they last the whole year. They are Ticonderoga, so of course, they work the best of all the brands. (Their pencils are a teacher’s first choice😉) They are so cute and cheap for as long as they last. Also, they don’t leave a lot of residue, and when it comes to erasing, that’s huge!" —S. Wallace

Get a set of three from Amazon for $3.44 (also available in a pack of 12). 

If you and your child love a bit of pizzazz, you can also get a set of the same bracelets with gold accents here. 

Indigo & Ivy is a small business specializing in handmade jewelry and based in South Carolina.

Promising reviews: "We love ours! Mom & son survived the first day — the bracelets did too!" —Megan

"The bracelets are perfect! My son loved it. Great for the first day of school jitters." —Gia

Get it from Indigo & Ivy on Etsy for $7.35+ (available in child and adult sizes and in dozens of colors). 

Promising reviews: "Pretty sturdy and so cute! This lets my granddaughter go from school to home or my house with all her supplies, then instantly becomes a cup of pens on her desk or table. She loves it, and I gifted it to several granddaughters by getting different colors." —Donna C.

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in four colors and in a grid style). 

And if your kiddo has A LOT of markers and pens, a jumbo version of this pencil pouch in an alien and pink monster design is available here.

Promising review: "I bought this pencil case for my son, and it was a big hit! He used it throughout second grade, and it’s still in fantastic shape for another school year. The design is fun and engaging, with bright eyes and a shiny grin that make it stand out. The unique feature of being made from one long zipper is both clever and durable — it’s held up to daily use without any issues. The case is roomy enough to hold all his pens, pencils, and other small items, and the large diagonal opening makes it easy for him to find what he needs." —Becca

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (also available in six colors, plus cat, unicorn, and bunny designs). 

Promising reviews: "These are the most fun pencils I've ever bought for my students! They absolutely love the colorful, rainbow design. It makes them so much more excited to write. I'm a big fan of them too, especially since they're made from recycled paper. They write smoothly, and I've noticed they hold their point much longer, so I'm not constantly sharpening them. A great eco-friendly and fun choice for the classroom!" —Cindy's Great Finds

Promising review: "I bought this as a gift since my child always goes through the 'small' glue sticks lol. I got tired of eating money on them and came across this here on Amazon. So I thought, wouldn’t it be funny to just get a giant stick? Also, I was really curious if it was THAT big. Lol, it really is that big, so funny and great to use. I bought it a few months ago, and she barely made a dent in it. A must-have for school, no need to buy little ones, this will last from kindergarten through college. Best value for my money. —Jen

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in white and in a pack of six).  

Promising review: "Our homeschool girls loved this for the first week of school. We used it as a table mat all week and then placed it on the wall." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $8.49 (also available in six other non–back to school designs). 

Promising reviews: "We’ve had this for about a year, and it still makes my daughter excited to prepare for the week. So durable and doesn’t hang too low. The cubes are spacious, and there’s enough room for folding a coat or putting shoes in the cubbies, too. Definitely will be buying again! Plus, it’s something to do with my girl that teaches her 'chores' and neatness." —💗

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (also available in blue).

Noot products is a small business based in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2014.

Promising reviews: "Great headphones for my elementary school kid - he has to wear them for a few hours per day and says they're comfortable and the mic quality is good. The cord is long enough to reach across his desk with extra room. He likes the navy and turquoise colors, apparently, other kids in the class have the same type. :)" —Meg

Get it from Amazon for $20.99 (available in five colors). 

Promising review: "Such a smart and fun way for my child to be creative. She spends tons of time drawing/writing on this, keeping her occupied when I need it most. The button to clear the image is fun for her to use as well." —celia 

Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "Wow! So Cute! My son was so excited for me to read to him his first chapter book with his new bookworm bookmark! It is so cute! He listens and plays with it while listening to the story and asking questions!" —abriana

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five colors).

Geddes is a small business that has been selling super sweet school supplies for over 90 years.

Promising review: "I got these for my granddaughter for school and just for play. She loves them! I must say, I love them too for the cuteness factor, and because they are sturdy and actually do erase. The colors are vibrant and translucent. —Spenser Havaneser

Get a pack of 24 from Amazon for $10.74. 

Promising review: "I use these for my son’s school lunches (he is in 1st grade!), and they are a HUGE hit with him. He specifically requests one every morning while I’m packing his lunch! They are very good quality and not too thin! There’s also room on the back for you to write a note! 10/10 recommend!" —Macy

Get the deck of 60 from Amazon for $7.45. 

Promising review: "These ice packs are perfect for my son’s lunch box! The dinosaur designs are adorable, and he loves picking which one to use each day. They’re super slim, so they don’t take up too much space, don't weigh down the lunchbox, but still keep food cold for hours. I also like that they’re non-toxic and easy to clean. The seals have worked great and no leaking experienced. Great quality and such a fun way to keep lunches fresh—highly recommend!" —Caitlyn 

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $10.99 (available in 10 different styles).

Promising reviews: "They make packed lunch so much fun for little ones. My daughter gets excited to see which animals I will put in her lunch each day." —Tiara 

Get the 156-piece set from Amazon for $6.99.

Promising review: "Got this for my daughters to make her lunches more exciting (it was a surprise). When she came home from school, she gave me the biggest hug and said today was the best day of her life because of her lunch. Great quality, easy to use, and easy to clean." —Magdalena Ramirez

Get the set of three from Amazon for $14.98.

Promising reviews: "I bought these so my children could decorate their school stuff, electronics, and water bottles. They liked the majority of the cute stickers. I have to admit I enjoyed watching them go through and pick out what they wanted and seeing the smiles on their faces. The stickers are a little difficult to take off their backing. They stick really well." —R 

Get a pack of 200 stickers from Amazon for $4.99+ (also available in bulk and in different styles). 

Promising reviews: "Love this for kids' crafting fun time! Great price for your money, and quality and durability were nice for children to use! The children had fun making their own keychains, and I will definitely purchase this product on repeat!" —Mrs. Jay

Get the kit from Amazon for $11.19+ (available in two styles).

Chunky Deli Store is a super cute small business specializing in food-themed children's clothing, books, and activities. 

Promising review: "We have a 4-year-old and 7-year-old, and I really loved how there were different games at various levels. The cards were super cute, and my kids love the illustrations with expressions and creative names. It truly is a family-friendly game, especially for young kids. They both had a blast and have asked to play it many times since we received it. I also appreciated the quality, they are durable cards which is a HUGE PLUS with littles that get overly excited during games." —JD 

Promising review: "The 3-year-old and the 5-year-old were so ecstatic the next morning when the boys went to school. The older one said he liked the compartments, and he liked the lunchbox at the bottom of the backpack. The lunchbox is big enough to hold the cold box used for lunches." —GA friend

Get the set from Amazon for $21.99 (available in 10 styles). 

You can also watch a parent share why this little alarm clock has become one of their "best parenting hacks" in this TikTok. 

LittleHippo is a small AAPI business specializing in multifunctional children's products and is based in New York.

Promising review: "This little alarm clock is super cute! I got it for my 4-year-old daughter to be a little independent. She loves that her clock goes to sleep and wakes up with her. I showed her how to turn off her alarm, and now she wakes up by herself every morning for school. This is a great tool to teach your kids some responsibilities. Customer service is GREAT! I received a clock whose “hat” didn’t work to turn off the alarm. I reached out to customer service, and they sent me a new one in a few days. Thanks a lot!!" —J.S. 

Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in four colors).

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Plus, kids' rugs and chairs, and finds from Uncommon Goods, Target, and Walmart.

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.