25 Helpful Items To Ease You & The Kids Into The School Year

Say goodbye to flattened lunches with this steel jacket. Strong enough to drive a bus over, it has five compartments and two integrated waterproof containers for the greatest variety of meal possibilities. At the end of the day (or after a long weekend in the car), throw it in the dishwasher for a like-new appearance that’s also completely sanitized for the next use. It’s BPA- and PVC-free.

An industry leader in kids smartwatches, Cosmo’s JrTrack 2 is great for parents seeking a little extra assurance. Strapped to your child’s wrist, it enables 4G calling, texts, GPS tracking, geofencing, and more, all accessible through an app on your phone. It also shields your child from outside calls and texts. Our favorite: Without social media access, your kid will have to be content living in the real world.

Literati has cracked the code to childhood literacy: Give them what they want and they’ll read. Its monthly subscription boxes are tailored to your child’s interests, and the company’s liberal exchange policy ensures that near-misses aren’t at your expense. The result? Kids read an average 39 minutes more per day, and nearly all parents report an increased interest in reading, both of which will only benefit your child as they progress in an academic career.

With a host of bilingual educators at the programming helm, Encantos is one of the most complete ways to teach your child Spanish. Numerous games and activities lead your child through letters, phonics, numbers, and emotional awareness in a foreign language. It’s also updated every month for a near-bottomless well of content to help your child stay engaged and learning.

This movable disco of a scooter is tricked out with neon LED lights in its wheel and along its deck. Sure, it’s a fun feature for a variety of ages. But the A+ Lightshow is also great for those early fall mornings and evenings as a means of adding visibility — and safety — for your commuting child. We love the motion-activated feature, which powers down when not in use so that you’re not bleeding batteries each week. Fold it in half and tuck it away when not in use.

Available in three sizes based roughly on age (6 to 8, 7 to 11, and 10 to 14), Woom’s Now series of bikes are engineered for the cyclist commuter. The front rack holds backpacks and other necessities securely, while a smaller front wheel lowers the center of gravity for greater stability and maximum maneuverability along the way. The company also tweaked its geometry so that kids are sitting high, providing wide visibility to avoid dangers.

Wilde, van Gogh, Picasso, Hemingway, Matisse: Moleskine provided the figurative canvas which allowed each of these artists to create. The heritage company’s legacy may date back more than a century, but your child can benefit this year from its Academic Planner. Spiral-bound and spanning June ’22 to June ’23, it has week and month summaries, a GPA tracker, and myriad other ways of organizing the scholastic calendar. It also carries the timeless look and feel of the company’s legendary notebooks.

Forget Japanese selvedge; if there’s one pair of pants that will be with you until the end (and doesn’t need to be babied), it’s the Everywhere Pant. 686 may make some of our favorite technical snowboard outerwear, but even lifties have to live in something when not on the resort. Water-resistant, with reinforced stitching, a whopping 10 pockets, and a stretch-friendly synthetic fabric, these may sound like a tech pant. But their slim cut and numerous color options allow you to make them an everyday staple.

Filson’s heritage rugged twill fabric is renowned for its durability and abrasion resistance, making it the ideal fabric for your commute. Bridle leather accents are handsome while bolstering its longevity. It fits easily into an overhead bin and includes a 46-inch shoulder strap for commutes of all distances.

Cut from Belgian leather and featuring German pannier hardware, this bag still screams English refinement. For those to whom bike commuting is a frequent occurrence, there’s not a better way to do so with style. An included rain jacket protects both bag and contents should inclement weather pop up unexpectedly.

Soft, stretchy, and eminently wearable, California Cowboy’s Fleece Crew is the ultimate weekend attire. Blended spandex and bamboo is knit and sewn in the United States, and the mix is the softest material we’ve ever worn. Plus, California Cowboy threw in some fun design details. Our favorite: a dedicated “conversation stopper card” pocket, which comes with cues to get you out of annoying PTA small talk when you really must be getting home.

Pound the stress and ache out of your muscles with the Pulse Massage Gun. Power Plate supercharged its design while adding six intensity settings, allowing you to customize to comfort. It’s also incredibly lightweight and includes six different massage heads for every situation. An anti-microbial treatment ensures cleanup is minimal.

You know the saying about how outlook trumps circumstance. Well, Headspace can help drive this point home. Its suite of inspirational tracks help manage emotions, facilitate sleep, curry fitness motivation, and more. Accessible via your phone, it’s a great way to reset and recharge while killing time between errands.