Your Guide to Back-to-School Shopping for School Supplies and Clothes

It may be hard to believe, but the first day of school is just around the corner—already!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed thinking about all the back-to-school shopping you need to do, then just breathe easy—Patch is here to help.

Here is a handy checklist of school supplies that most commonly appear on local schools’ lists for the new year. Following that, you’ll find a list of local stores that carry many of the supplies on the list, including which ones are holding great back-to-school sales so you can find the best deals on what you’re looking for.

You’ll also find tips on local shops that are carrying great deals on back-to-school clothes.

Happy shopping!

What School Supplies Does My Child Need this Year?

Here is a handy checklist of the items most commonly listed on local schools’ supply lists by teachers in each grade for this year:

• Sharpened pencils, or mechanical pencils with plenty of extra lead refills
• Large erasers
• Red pens for correcting homework or in-class assignments
• Colored pencils
• Highlighters
• Binders with subject dividers
• Glue stick
• Ruler
• Protractor
• Calculator – check to see if you need just a basic calculator, or a scientific calculator
• Mini stapler
• Mini tape dispenser
• Post-it notes
• Plenty of binder paper and graphing paper
• A thumb drive that can hold at least 1GB of material

Where to Shop for the Best Deals on These School Supplies

TARGET  

Stores nearby at , and

• 4GB thumb drives: $7.99-12.99
• Children’s jeans, sizes 4-16: $16
• Crewneck and v-neck t-shirts: $7.99
• Scientific calculators by Texas Instruments: $9.39-124.99
• Notebooks: $2-4
• Dictionaries and thesauruses: $2-5
• Backpacks: $29.99-39.99
• Insulated lunch bags: $4.99-13.99
• 10-pack of Papermate pens: $1
• Crayola washable markers: 8 for $1.99
• Protractors and rulers: under $1

WAL-MART

Store nearby at

• Scientific calculators by Texas Instruments: $8.50-80
• Binders: $2.50-4
• Mini staplers: under $1
• Pack of 8 Sharpies: $4
• Children’s athletic shoes: $11-16
• Children’s separates (shorts, pants, tops): $3-10

Where Are Good Places to Shop for Back-to-School Clothes?

Here are just a couple nearby places that are holding great sales on children's back-to-school clothes, currently.

GYMBOREE

Susan Lee of Los Altos says she loves stocking up on basics at Gymboree whenever she is at the Stanford Shopping Center. Her daughter will be starting preschool at the Children’s Center in Los Altos in just a few weeks.

“I’m just looking for any good deals, basically,” she said. “I like to come to Gymboree for the basics, like playclothes, leggings, and anything in cotton that she can move around in.”

Though it may be hard to wrap your brain around shopping for warm jackets or rain clothes with the sunny temperatures we’re still having these days, store employee Melissa Herandez said, “Parents have already been shopping for things like coats, rain jackets, boots and umbrellas, for the past month.”

Nearly the entire store is currently on sale for 25 percent off, for back-to-school shopping. T-shirts are $5.99-12.99, jeans are $19.99, and all rain supplies like jackets, umbrellas and boots are also 25 percent off.

Hernandez says the store is also in the middle of its “Super Accessories Sale,” featuring five pairs of socks for $10, four pairs of underwear for $15, and three pairs of girls’ basic tights for $15. All hair accessories like barrettes and hair bows are on sale as well.

is also home to several other children's clothing stores that may be helpful to check out, such as Naartjie Kids, Gap Kids, Howard's Shoes for Children, and even Brooks Brothers, which just recently started its own line of children's clothing.

KOHL’S

Kohl’s is having a huge back-to-school sale on clothing for children beginning Friday, Aug. 5.

Tops and bottoms for children in brand names like Mudd, SONOMA Life and Jumping Beans, in sizes 4-16 for girls, 4-7 for boys, plus sizes for toddlers and newborns, are all 45-55 percent off, bringing the price down to $6.60-24.20 per item.

Shoes and sandals for the whole family—meaning, Mom and Dad can stock up, too—are 15-50 percent off, bringing the prices down to $9.99-59.50 per pair.

There is a huge sale on Levi’s brand jeans, with prices at $29.99-44.99 per pair.

Backpacks featuring all your child’s favorite faces, like Justin Beiber, and characters from Disney’s Cars and princess movies, are just $14.99.

And, don’t forget the basics—socks and underwear for kids are 25-35 percent off, at just $3.75-13.50 per value pack.

Be sure to grab your “Kohl’s Cash” on the way out of the store, as well—get a $10 off coupon toward a later visit in August for every $50 you spend during the current back-to-school sale.