My Favorite Gear for School

I do not take school gear lightly, as a toddler teacher, I saw my fair share of water bottles, lunch boxes, back packs, and other school gear, and as a mom I did my research. Here are my favorites complete with links.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission—at no additional cost to you—if you choose to make a purchase through them. These aren’t sponsored products; they’re items I personally use with my own family (or would purchase in a heartbeat).

My favorite water bottle - Hands down I love Pottery Barn Mackenzie water bottle. I have three of these, the first one was purchased over 5 years ago, is our go to water bottle for daily use, and still functions beautifully. I love it because it’s only 4 pieces, and they can be easily taken apart for thorough cleaning. It also seems to resist mold better than other bottles and if mold does grow, it can actually be washed off. It also does not leak (unless you don’t pull the rubber parts all the way through the lid, always double check this!) Plus, if you do need to replace the rubber part or straws, you can purchase them from Pottery Barn’s website. I’ve only had to buy replacement parts once and it was because my son likes to bite the mouthpiece. It comes in 12oz and 17oz sizes.

For older children who like a larger size, I am a big Owala free sip fan. I love the simple easy to clean design, it keeps beverages cold, and I am a sucker for an awesome color way. The gasket in the lid can mold but you can easily buy replacement pieces (these are the ones I bought and they work perfectly). They come in 16oz, 24oz (ideal for older kids), 32oz, and 40oz. I don’t recommend the free sip for littles as it has the big “gulp” opening and they are likely to tip it up and spill all over themselves. They have other designs but I have never tried them.

My favorite backpack - This is a tie between the classic Jansport and Pottery Barn. I still have my Jansport I used in high school and college, my daughter just used it last school year. The strap is finally starting to part from the bag but it doesn’t have any holes in it and we could easily fix the strap. I love all the compartments. Newer versions have padded compartments for laptops and iPads. We will probably be purchasing one of these for my daughter as she now has to carry an iPad with her.

For many of these same reasons I love the Mackenzie Pottery Barn backpack. I also love the size and color/pattern options. The tiny one is great for the half day kiddo’s but doesn't not hold a full size lunch box. If they stay all day the next size up is perfect. We have had a mini, a large, and an XL version and they are all still going strong.

*Note on Toddlers - A Montessori teacher friend of mine mentioned that sometimes back packs that have two zipper pulls per opening can get a little confusing for toddlers, if you can find a back pack with one zipper pull, like this Little Kid one from Skip Hop, that could be helpful.

My favorite lunch box - We have tried so many of these. For soft side lunch boxes, Pottery Barn is again a favorite, mainly because of all of the adorable prints, they hold up well, and they fit well in the back packs. However, you have to use containers for all of the food. So…

My favorite Bento box style is the Omni Box. I know, a little pricey, but hear me out. I tried cheaper versions, but the moment we left my kids lunch in his bag over the weekend, mold grew on the NON-REMOVABLE gasket and it was now useless (and so gross). I tried everything to get the mold off, nothing worked. The Omni box has a removable gasket that, yes still molds if you leave food in there too long, however you can buy replacement gaskets no problem from them or amazon. I immediately bought two sets. Apart from that, I appreciate the compartments, the divider that comes with it, and the thermos is nice however it’s not the most effective I’ve ever had. We typically don’t use it but love the large size of the compartment its supposed to sit in.

For a little added protection we use the Pottery Barn Mackenzie Cold Pack lunch box. The classic is too small but the cold pack version is big enough for the omni box, a flat ice pack and has pockets for utensils and napkins, as well as a side pouch for a water bottle.

Thermos for Hot or Cold foods - I could no longer find the exact thermos we use but this one by WeeSprout has the same features and very good reviews. I appreciate the solid handle so younger children can open it on their own, a removable gasket for easy cleaning and, based on the reviews, keeps hot food hot until lunchtime. Bonus, it comes in cute colors!

Favorite Utensils - We always just packed our usual utensils in a cloth napkin and rewrapped it after lunch but to keep things extra clean, I like this set. I have not tried it personally but what I like about this one is the hinged lid for easy open/close, stainless steal material, and it’s dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. For your smaller kiddos, I like this set for the same reasons. Another option is this set of gorgeous toddler friendly utensils paired with these adorable pouches you can toss in the wash.

Slippers - If slippers are on your list, I love these from Crocs. They’re easy for a toddler to put on and take off themselves and have a nice non-slip bottom. I couldn’t find any information on whether they are washing machine safe but if they need washing I would hand wash in mild detergent and let air dry. I also saw these and like them for the same reasons. I have not tried these personally but they have great reviews and are machine washable!

Raincoat - As a teacher, I saw these Hatley raincoats constantly and love, love them. They are a little on the pricey side but they have a cozy terry lining, are great quality, and come in the cutest colors and prints.

Rainboots - I love a Sperry boot, it’s classic, has elastic for easy on and off, and comes in cute colors. These are a little on the short side though, so if your child is going to be doing some serious splashing, I like these. They’re higher up the leg, have handles for easy on, and have good reviews.

Clothes for Toddlers - When it comes to clothes for toddlers, simple is best. At this age they are working on being able to dress and undress themselves, as well managing their clothing independently for potty training. Look for clothes without snaps, zippers, or clasps and avoid onesies, overalls, dresses, and tight clothing (I’m looking at you, Leggings). Simple tops that stop at the waist and pants with elastic waists are best. I love primary.com. They have simple clothing in fun colors, no logos, easy mix and match, and their website is divided into baby, kids, and adults, not boys and girls.

Some of our favorite styles:

Wide leg pants are great for easy on and off and these joggers are also easy on and off but child will need a little practice getting that cuffed leg off at first but won’t inhibit getting pants off for pottying.

Basic elastic waist shorts, they have several toddler friendly styles such as gym shorts (longer), track shorts (shorter), park shorts (lighter material)

Basic slim or classic fit tee. Really you can’t go wrong with any of their basic tops (just watch length), and Henley style is great for a little extra head room.

Here’s a great pack of pants from Target for the early stages of toileting when your child may have frequent clothing changes.

H&M also has some great options.

I hope his saves you some time! If there is anything I forgot please let me know and I’ll add it!!