They say time flies when you are having fun.  Obviously we had a fun summer because man, did that go by fast!  In less than 2 weeks the kids are going back to school.  And you know what this means for this mom?  Shopping!!! (unfortunately not for me…)

Last year I wrote this post about back to school and what you might need to consider buying your kids for their first year of school.  I thought that I would do something similar this year but focus on my favourite things because there’s so much I love about shopping!!!

This year back to school shopping includes buying Z new clothing (pants, sweats, shoes, you name it), a new backpack, and of course, labels!!

1 – Clothing:

When Z was in Kindergarten he lived in sweat pants.  Now that he is going into grade 1, I think I need him to graduate to jeans and cargos a little more often than not! Some of my favourite stores include The Children’s Place, Old Navy and Roots.  Not only will you find a variety of styles and colours to choose from, their prices are always right.  And they have great deals throughout the year. Sign up for their mailing lists and you will get these deals delivered to you whenever you need them.

If you don’t mind spending a little more I found a great gem in midtown Toronto called Whistle Kids.  They offer a wide range of apparel and accessories for just about any age.  And whats great, is they get new styles and selections almost daily.  Check out their photos on Facebook and see why they are considered to be “the stop for fashion forward kids”!

2 – Shoes:

To be honest I have no clue if rules change when you get to grade 1, but for the last 2 years when Z was in kindergarten, he needed two pairs of shoes.  One for indoor and one for outdoor.  Runners, Toms and Converse have been our favourites.  You can’t go wrong with a pair of Nike’s from the Nike outlet in Vaughan Mills.  Lots of styles to choose from, variety of sizes for both girls and boys.  And you can find Toms and Converse almost everywhere.

3. Backpacks:

To me this is one of the most important things on the #BTS shopping list.  Z is a small guy but he needs a bag that is sturdy and can hold everything he needs to bring.  I came across a new product on my search this year called the Kanken Backpack.

Whats great about these is they come in different sizes, from mini (which is great for preschoolers or even adults who want a light comfy bag to carry around) to classic (perfect for students of all ages – primary school up until university!)  They come in a variety of colours (my son loves red the best), are durable and comfortable to wear on your back.

4. Labels:

For those of you who have read previous posts or follow on social media, we are a Mabel’s Labels family.  They make labels for everything; clothing, backpacks, accessories, tupperware, shoes, even for pencils!  You can custom design your own pack(s), they are easy to order and arrive just a few days later.  My son’s love these because they can get any design icon they want – sports, animals, cars, pirates, you name it, they have it.  This is a must have for us, and I know you’ll love them too.

I hope your shopping goes as well as ours and hope your kids have a great school year!

What are your favourite shopping destinations?  Please share!

xo

D