When your kids were little, back-to-school shopping was (in hindsight, at least) a breeze. You checked everything off the list of required supplies. You tossed their favorite character backpack in your cart, maybe even a matching lunchbox. Bing bang boom, you were done. Everyone was delighted.
Then the tween years hit. And teenage-hood.
Now they have so.many.opinions. The level of specificity they bring to conversations about everything from water bottles to earrings is enough to make even a seasoned negotiator sweat. But, ya know, you’re still Mom, and you still want to buy some things for your kid, too.
So, here’s your list. It won’t look exactly like their list, obviously. Some of it’s deeply practical, like the jump starter for the teen who is now (God help us) driving. Then there are the pure dopamine picks, for the joy of a Bigfoot-shaped perfume bottle.
If you’re looking for a few things you can sneak into their back-to-school arsenal, this gives you plenty of mom-editor-approved options. And prices run from $3.49 to full splurge because, well, that’s how back-to-school shopping goes.
Hollister Talia Top
According to social editor Katie Garrity, this Hollister Talia Top is the answer for any tween with very strong opinions about what she’s wearing on the first (or any) day of school.
“It’s a fitted scoopneck with ruffle trim, all-over embroidered eyelet detailing, a smocked back, and a full button closure that hits that perfect sweet spot between cute and age-appropriate,” Katie says. “It's the kind of top that looks intentional and put-together without trying too hard, which is exactly the vibe every tween is going for. It keeps selling out for a reason so grab it now before it's gone again!”
Noco Boost Air AX65 2000A 12V Jump Starter, Air Compressor & Tire Inflator
I need someone to hold my hand when I say this: I have a new driver in the house this year. GULP. And since they just got their first (used!) car, the first thing I did was start checking off all of the practical things my kid would need for it. This multi-purpose gadget was a no-brainer. It jump-starts a dead battery without needing another car or having to remember which cable goes where since it’s built so that hooking the clamps up backwards doesn’t, like, fry anything. Among its other uses: inflating a flat (or topping off a low-pressure tire), charging a phone over USB-C, and acting as a flashlight. Win, win, win, win.
Winky Lux Lip Libations
Name a tween or teen who doesn’t have an emotional support lip balm of some sort... I sure can’t. And of all the beauty stuff my teen hits me up for, a sheer tinted balm is one of the more reasonable ones. Of course I swiped one of these for myself to test it out, and I was really impressed by how moisturizing it is (thanks to the combo of squalane, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides). Also, it leaves the prettiest wash of color!
Cloud Nine Aromatherapy Hoodie
I have a very anxious 15-year-old, so I was so excited to find this really cool brand that creates a hoodie to help with just that! Obviously a sweatshirt alone isn’t going to fix anxiety, but this is a great tool to add to our anxiety toolbox. The obvious pros: super soft and cozy, comes in several great colorways. Then there’s the squishy stress ball sewn into the cuff that’s perfect for squeezing when my kid needs to feel grounded, along with a tiny pocket in the hood that holds a scented aromatherapy disc. It’s a little pricier than a standard sweatshirt, but these thoughtful little features make it so worth it. My kid is obsessed!
TAL 2-in-1 Straw and Chug With Push Lid
The water bottle is right up there with lip balm in the emotional-support-object category... probably even at the very top. My kid wanted something that actually shuts at the top (no exposed straw sticking out), light enough to lug around for theater and dance rehearsals, and, of course, cute. This checks all the boxes: stainless steel, double-walled, a lid that flips between a straw and a wide spout, and in a ton of colors and patterns. Bonus: It’s way more affordable than so many other water bottles on the market.
Denman D28 Wide Tooth Detangling Comb
We’re big fans of Denman brushes in our house, and every single person in the family has one of these wide-tooth detangling combs (well, except for my husband, who has no hair). It has fourteen extra-wide, curved teeth that move through wet hair without ripping or yanking, which, overall, means fewer tears and “you’re pulling my hair!” meltdowns. Especially life-saving if your kid has thick or curly hair.
Nomatic Travel Pack
This bag is a Scary Mommy editor fan-favorite! I use mine for travel, but as our social editor Katie Garrity points out, it’s genuinely a multi-purpose bag (which makes it great for tweens and teens).
“Yes, this pack is an investment, but I promise you this is the last backpack you will ever buy and that math starts to feel pretty good pretty fast,” she says. “The Nomatic Travel Pack is built from waterproof, virtually indestructible materials with a thoughtfully engineered interior that has a place for absolutely everything: laptop sleeve, water bottle pocket, magnetic water-resistant zipper, hidden passport pocket, and more organizational compartments than you will ever run out of uses for. It works equally well as a school bag, a work bag, a personal item on a flight, and a day pack on a trip, which means one bag genuinely replaces four. The back-to-school investment that pays for itself a thousand times over!”
Pioneer Magnetic Smart Phone Cradle
If you’ve got a new driver in the house like I do, you already know the dread that comes every time you watch them slide behind the wheel. One thing I was crystal clear about with my teen: You will NOT be messing with your phone while driving, and this Pioneer magnetic cradle and wireless charger makes that easy for them to actually follow. You just clip the holder onto an air vent and your phone snaps right on thanks to the magnetic ring. It swivels 360 degrees and comes with a USB-C cable in the box.
TAO Clean Umma Diamond Sonic Toothbrush
Now that my kid is in high school, we’re kind of out of the years when I’m supervising their brushing. But they also have a super-busy schedule, and I need to know they’re actually keeping up with their dental hygiene in there! A sonic toothbrush with a two-minute auto-shutoff definitely helps. This one runs 40,000 strokes per minute and, my favorite part, sits in a UV-C dock that sanitizes the head between uses. I would say this is for sure the kind of thing that’s a worthwhile investment during any kid’s braces era.
Vaseline Lip Therapy Mini Lip Balm
We are a Vaseline Lip Therapy-loving family, so clearly we could not wait to get our hands on the new flavors: Pistachio Donut and Pink Grapefruit. My oldest kid loves the Pink Grapefruit; my youngest and I would like to go ahead and build an apocalypse stash of the Pistachio Donut, please and thank you.
Pip Pop Endless Hoops (+ Charm)
I’m about to pull the trigger on buying these Pip Pop Endless Hoops... for my kid and for myself! Small gold hoops are practically part of the tween/teen uniform these days, and these are great because they’re designed to integrate with Pip Pop’s charms. Meaning, your kid has lots of options for accessorizing, and you know they’re all about that. As a mom, I appreciate that there’s no clasp or hinge: The post slides into the hollow tube, so nothing catches on a hoodie, hair, jersey, whatever.
HP Smart Tank 7603 All-in-One Printer
With one kid in his last year of middle school, another in their sophomore year of high school, and me working from home, a good printer is a non-negotiable in our house. We just upgraded to this new HP Smart Tank all-in-one, and it is already pulling its weight. I love that you just refill it from bottles instead of having to bother with expensive-ass cartridges that we seem to run through so fast. According to HP, there’s up to three years’ worth of ink in this box! Plus, it scans and copies, and the HP app means you can print right from your phone.
Bondi Boost Miracle Mist Leave-In Conditioner + Heat Protect
“This mist has become a non-negotiable step in my daughter's morning hair routine,” social editor Katie Garrity says. “I curl her hair before school almost every day, and having a leave-in conditioner that also protects from heat damage in one single spray has genuinely cut our getting-ready time in half. It detangles, hydrates, reduces frizz, and shields against heat up to 450°F, and the strawberry gum scent is so good that she asks for it by name now.”
Limitless Innovations TotalDesk
My kids don’t always want to do homework at the kitchen table or their desks, and I don’t blame them. Even I agree that it’s way comfier to work from bed or on the couch! That’s where this lap desk comes in clutch. It has four height settings, a tilt that goes all the way to 90 degrees (perfect for reading or sketching), a little drawer to hold their pens (and which doubles as a cup holder), and a stand to prop a book or tablet up next to their laptop. As if all of that wasn’t enough, it also folds down to under three inches so you can slide it just about anywhere to get it out of the way after your teen inevitably just leaves it lying in the middle of the floor.
Squishmallows Wonder Whirl
Is perfume a total necessity for back-to-school? If you ask your tween or teen, the answer will 100% be yes. And if your kid is anything like mine and went through a STRONG Squishmallows phase (who are we kidding, they’ll be in it forever), they’ll flip over this new Squishmallows Wonder Whirl perfume. Notes of blue raspberry, tangelo, and berries make it sweet and fruity, but sakura and vanilla make it feel gourmand. Maybe the biggest draw, though, is the bottle: It’s shaped like Joelle the Bigfoot, and I’m confident it will live on my kid’s dresser long after the perfume runs out.
Willox 240W Mountable Retractable USB-C Cable
Need to solve the whole annoying cable chaos situation at your tween or teen’s desk? Look no further, says social editor Katie Garrity.
“The Willox retractable USB-C cable mounts right to a desk, nightstand, or locker shelf so there is always a charger exactly where you need it without a tangled mess of cords to deal with. It retracts when you are done so it stays neat and out of the way, and the magnetic mount means it is easy to move and reposition without any damage. The kind of small, smart organizational upgrade that makes a desk setup actually functional for a kid who is just getting into the routine of doing homework in one consistent place!”
Aloha Icons 13-Inch Keep It Light Laptop Case
I always gravitate toward Aloha Collection because their stuff lasts. It’s water-resistant, a huge draw for moms (who KNOW their damn kid is going to spill something on or in it at some point), and the ripstop nylon is really durable. At the same time, the prints are super cute and poppy, so it’s an added layer of protection for a laptop without feeling stuffy. I really like that my teen can just pop this in their backpack or grab it and go when they don’t want to schlep a bigger bag around.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB)
I’ve had my Kindle Scribe for a few years now, and it’s probably one of my most favorite pieces of tech I’ve ever owned. While I’m not about to drop this kind of money on a Kindle for my 13-year-old son, who moves through life like he’s playing Smash Bros., I’m getting one for my older teen. She’s a total bookworm, so, you know, Kindle’s great for that. But what makes this different is that she can write on it. Take notes. Doodle. Import a syllabus and jot things down. You can even convert handwriting into typed text when something needs to be turned in. It’s a great investment for a kid moving ever so quickly toward the college years.
source https://www.scarymommy.com/shopping/back-to-school-products-tweens-teens
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