Tips for Getting Personalized School Supplies for Kids
“Mine!”
“No, mine!”
This is a common exchange in households and classrooms everywhere as kids fight over possessions. Though scrawling your child’s name on all her stuff in permanent marker may cut down on squabbles, it’s not the kind of personalization most kids truly desire.
“Having special school supplies can be directly correlated with your child’s overall attitude toward learning and starting a new grade,” says Laura Staal, a professor of education at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a mother of five school-age children. Identity and ownership give kids a sense of pride, she says.
Here are some tips for choosing items that are unique to your child, whether it’s gear that reflects his interests, or personalized school supplies that bear her name or initials.
Personalized School Supplies: Reflect Personality
Kids know what they like — at least for right now — so let them choose personalized school supplies that reflect their interests and tastes. “Buy folders, notebooks, pens and pencils in bold, fun and crazy patterns,” says mom and style expert Lee Heyward of Style with Lee in Charleston, SC. “Their boldness makes them easy to keep up with, and they’re simple to replace throughout the year if needed.”
When you’re shopping for personalized school supplies for kids, make a few notes about their interests to guide your decision making. “Think about what they love to read, what music they listen to, what they’re passionate about,” suggests gift and style consultant Janet McKean of McKean & Company in Hillsborough, NC. “Is the child all about the environment and sustainability, or do they talk nonstop about a favorite TV show, super hero or sports team? Do they love bold prints, or are solid colors and earth tones more their style?” If your child has a number of interests, consider binders with clear covers that he can personalize and use to showcase a favorite picture or artwork.
Personalized School Supplies: Make a Mark
Another way to make school supplies special is personalization. From classic monograms to modern images, it’s easy to help kids leave their mark on everything from pencils to backpacks. Let kids write or choose a fun font for their name or monogram and then make copies on label paper (instant stickers!) and iron-on transfers (for cloth items and clothing). You can order a custom stamp featuring the design to create personalized school supplies.
If you, your child or a relative is especially crafty, “embroider your initials or a symbol you love, like a flower” on fabric items, such as backpacks and school uniforms, Heyward suggests. “Use the same symbol and create your own stickers to use as chic labels.”
Education strategist Steve Peha of Teaching That Makes Sense in Carrboro, NC, thinks personalized school supplies are great for students. “Do all you can within the bounds of appropriateness for your child’s school, your family’s values and your budget to encourage your children to create personalized school supplies,” he says. “This increases motivation and ownership. But most importantly, it encourages children to understand themselves, to take pride in themselves, and to learn to just be themselves. It’s healthier for kids to create their own identity through this process than it is to assume the identity of someone or something else.”
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