32 Best Back-to-School Deals on Uniforms, Backpacks, Pens, and More
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It’s high time to start thinking about back-to-school shopping, because the deals are here — and the first day of school is right around the corner.Whether you’re after a brand-new backpack, school supplies like notebooks and mechanical pencils, school uniforms, or anything else for every stage of grade school, I’ve rounded up everything you might need below. And there’s a buy-more-and-save sale at Amazon worth noting: You’ll save $10 when you spend $50 on select school supplies.
I’ll be checking back to add even more sales as they roll in. If you don’t want to miss any sales coverage, be sure to sign up for the Strategist Sales Alert newsletter to receive each day’s best deals in your inbox (as well as sales just for newsletter subscribers).
Updated on August 24, 2025
We made sure everything below is still on sale and available.
Backpacks
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Lands’ End’s sturdy backpacks come in a variety of sizes and patterns, and they’re all half off with the code KAYAK.
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This one’s technically for hiking, but I think it would make a very cute and simple school bag that can last them several years.
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For the kid who is on a dinosaur kick.
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And an extra-cute option for animal lovers.
School supplies
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The gold standard for mechanical pencils, now $4 for a pack for 24.
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The “It” pencils of my youth are on sale, too.
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For the pen people, here’s a big pack of BIC ballpoints. With 36 in the box, you’ll be well stocked for the whole year.
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A large set of the classic Mr. Sketch scented markers, ranging in scents from raspberry to “rotten melon alien ooze.”
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Classic markers for more than half off.
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I spotted a two-pack of kids’ scissors for just $1 at Office Depot. Works for both righties and lefties.
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Treat yourself to a stainless-steel ruler this year. This one from Officemate has a nonslip cork backing and is approved by an origami artist.
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If your kid needs binders, you can’t go wrong with a couple supremely simple $2 ones from Staples.
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College-ruled notebooks for every subject, now just under $3 apiece.
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Ban.do Rough Draft Large Notebook
One of our favorite notebooks is on sale in select patterns.
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And a robust planner for middle- and high-schoolers.
Kids’ clothing
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Several parents (including Strategist staffers) swayed us to name both of these organic-cotton briefs the best overall kids’ underwear.
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Always a good idea to stock up on undershirts.
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If their school requires a uniform, this is a good deal on kids’ khakis.
Educational toys
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Several toys like chalk and play dough are deeply discounted at Martie. (Just note that you’ll need to spend at least $30 in order to check out.)
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We love KiwiCo, which sells a wide range of individual craft sets and STEM kits. This set, which is now 25 percent off, will teach them how to engineer a drip-irrigation system. Your in-home herb garden awaits.
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For decorating notebooks, poster board, and perhaps their bed’s headboard.
Lunch boxes, water bottles, and snacks
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Baggu Lunch Box
Baggu’s slim lunch box features prints from the brand’s summer and fall collection.
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Stasher’s reusable storage bags are a part of the Strategist canon — they’re just that good. We first heard about them from contributor Alison Freer, who told us, after furiously buying and trying out many different brands, that these were undoubtedly the best of the best. “They can go in the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher; they absolutely never stain or leak; and even though I’ve washed mine in the dishwasher hundreds of times (with the high-heat drying cycle on, even), they haven’t fallen apart or degraded in any way,” she says.
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Having a backup water bottle will come in handy when one of them enters the vortex of the lost and found halfway through the school year.
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Little Spoon Plates
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Little Spoon Lunchers
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Little Spoon Biteables
One of our best kids-food-delivery services, Little Spoon, is offering half off everything with the code 50BTS. You can choose from a variety of options, from lunches to after-school snacks.
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The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
