This fall, gen Alpha heads back to school.
As the adults in their lives, you can’t stop them from calling you “unc” or prepare them for AI’s infiltration of their classrooms. Yet you can equip them with the right back-to-school essentials – whether a new pencil case or the toy of the moment.
We interviewed six kids aged nine through 12 (many of them the children of Guardian staff!), asking them what made their back-to-school wish list orwhat they’ve already grabbed for the year. And we tapped the opinion of a few spunky eight-year-olds – because they’ll be tweens soon enough.
Sour and spicy snacks
I want some popular food because I know they have snack rooms. It would be a fun treat to have, like sour Warheads, Pringles and Takis. Leo, 11
New pencils
Something I’m looking forward to buying are new pencils. I’m just excited to see what I have to get for the new school year. I was accepted to go to this middle school that starts in 5th-grade. (Note: We’ve linked to personalized pencils for a less common gift, but you can also get your tween classic No 2s.) Axel, 10
Steph Curry basketball-style shoes
I want new shoes because mine are getting pretty banged up. The shoes that I need to get replaced are some Steph Curry basketball shoes. They had foam at the bottom that put back energy into you so that you can run faster.Copper, 9
Cinnamoroll sweater
I definitely want to wear the Sanrio Cinnamoroll sweater. I don’t know if it’s possible to get it. Lily W, 9
NeeDoh squishy toy
I really like my round NeeDoh. My friends have the square one; I have the round one. Lily D, 8
… or if that’s sold out, a regular squishy
I collect squishies. The big ones or the NeeDohs. I don’t care as long as it’s a squishy. Dion, 9
Minecraft Jelly Cube Squishy
I have too many squishys to share. I have an ice cube. I have fake gumdrops. I want the Minecraft jelly cube or glitter dumpling. Leo, 11
Matching school supplies set
Something I kind of want this year that I didn’t have last year is matching and clean school supplies because a lot of schools, especially my school, get mad if you don’t bring pencils. This isn’t particularly me, but a lot of people want matching stuff, like backpacks and pencil cases and even outfits because a lot of things are just about aesthetics and stuff. I don’t know. I’m not really that into that sort of thing. I just want to be kind of prepared for school. Eva, 11
Mechanical pencils
Some stuff to write with in case they don’t have sharpened pencils or the teachers are not prepared in general. Not to outsmart them but to say, “I’m more self-aware.” I like mechanical pencils because they’re more advanced than regular pencils. Leo, 11
Roller skate shoes
Soccer jerseys
The novel Fantasy League by Mike Lupica
Oyyn baggy jeans
‘Plain’ clothing
I think a lot of plain things are kind of coming more back in style, like people are wearing plainer shorts or, I mean, shirts and plainer outfits overall. Eva, 11
Fuzzy-covered notebook
I want a fuzzy book. I want the alpaca one. I want that book for classes. Lily D, 8
Hello Kitty stickers
A clipboard with my favorite stickers on it. My favorite are Cinnamoroll stickers. Not cinnamon roll like the thing you eat, Cinnamoroll from Hello Kitty. Lily W, 9
Jansport backpack
I’m bringing my dad’s high school Jansport backpack. So many pockets. Lily D, 8
Lip gloss
Cute keychains
A bunch of keychains. I gave my friend one of my keychains I got from the movies. They can be stuffie keychains, backpack keychains, book keychains. I probably have 20. Lily D, 8
Five Nights at Freddy’s lunch box
I like the game. I like Freddy Fazbear. Copper, 9
… and a Five Nights at Freddy’s water bottle
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
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هلدینگ کاسپین استانبول | خرید ملک در ترکیه | صرافی معتبر ایرانی در ترکیه | خرید و فروش طلا در ترکیه | مهاجرت به ترکیه | واردات و صادرات در ترکیه | نیازمندیهای ترکیه | اخبار ترکیه | اخبار جهانی | توریست ایران | خدمات توریستی در ایران | تورهای گردشگری ایران | هلدینگ اول | خدمات کاریابی و فریلنسری و شغل | مرجع اطلاعات ایران (همه چیز در ایران) | کیف پول و خدمات مالی و پرداخت یار | اخبار ایران | تابلو زنده قیمت ارز در ترکیه و استانبول | صرافی آنلاین ترکیه | قیمت طلا و نقره در ترکیه | سرمایه گذاری در ترکیه | جواهرات در ترکیه | نرخ لحظه ای ارزها در استانبول | قیمت دلار امروز در ترکیه | قیمت دلار استانبول امروز | قیمت لحظه ای دلار | اخبار روز ترکیه استانبول | اپلیکیشن ISTEX | اپلیکیشن قیمت لحظه ای دلار و یورو و لیر و ارزها در ترکیه
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