My boys pick out their clothes the night before, and always check what the weather will be like to plan for it, as well as if they have gym or not. It makes getting dressed in the morning much easier!

The kids are responsible for getting their backpacks ready before going to bed, and making sure they have all their homework, books, permission slips, etc in there, and that it is zipped up and ready to just grab and go in the morning. We sometimes need to remind them to do this, but as it becomes part of the nighttime routine it gets easier and easier!

Z Bars

Clementines. Our school requires that snacks be fruits or veggies "in their own skin" (so, no applesauce), and while we often rotate through different fruits depending on what the kids are into at the time, clementines are my favorite because they are easy to grab and go with no effort (plus, sweet and tasty!). Though most are easy enough for kids to peel, when the kids were younger I sometimes pulled up an end of the peel for them to make it even easier.

My husband and I will usually take the day off work (when we can) so we can be there for drop off and pick up on the first day, which makes it feel extra special for all of us.

Pizza for dinner! (Kids choice actually, it’s just almost always pizza!)

I bought my son a Nike backpack two years ago and it is still going strong. It has a front pocket which is great for little items and side pockets for a water bottle. He loves it!

Our Pottery Barn bags were great, and seem to be a popular choice at our elementary school. We never had a chance to wear them out, but they definitely were in good shape after 2-3 years (when grandma wanted to get new ones!). Fun designs and personalization available, too. I wouldn't recommend getting the smallest size (as we did in Kindergarten), as kids outgrow them quickly and they really will last a long time.