These Are the Best School Supplies for 2026

These thin and sleek Japanese notebooks are really easy to use and they’re the perfect size pages. Unlike with a spiral notebook, the pages never rip out. The notebooks are also very thin so you can easily fit them in your backpack, even if you have 20 subjects! (6 notebooks have the same thickness as 2 spirals!). With 60 pages, each notebook still contains enough pages for each subject.

Some girls prefer the thicker version of these sleek notebooks with 80 Pages.

If you like the looks of Japanese-style notebooks, but need something with pockets, these have more function with included pockets. Why do they look different than the typical five-star? A colored spiral, premium paper, plastic cover, and muted colors help a lot. There’s multiple sizes and types of interior lines available. Make sure you choose the right type!

The best #2 pencils (enough to last the year, or to fill the pencil case for multiple children)

Compared to 0.5 mm lead pencils, these 0.7 mm lead pencils break less often while writing and have a steady grip.

If you prefer a finer point, these are the popular choice. Girls love the pastel or sparkle editions (available on the same listing).

All the extras in this set make it fun to write.

The no-fuss classic pen that is the best and easiest to use. And there’s enough in the box to last the whole year! They’re a junk drawer staple as well.

Our kids love being able to erase and keep their notes neat.

These erasable pens are their favorite.

Note that the pen ink is sensitive to heat. Warning: While they are fine to use for midterms, we wouldn’t advise using them for finals. We had a situation where a test paper erased when exposed to the summer heat.

This pen won when we tested out multiple popular choices for the “smoothest” writing experience.

This one was preferred by some of our “pen testers” for its bold and clear writing.

The best and easiest-to-use erasers!

These erasers by Pentel also work great.

This is the king of correction tapes. You don’t need to wait for it to dry and it blends right in!

If you prefer liquid whiteout vs. correction tape, the Presto has a fine tip for very precise correcting. It also has great coverage and dries quickly.

One of the most popular highlighter sets because of their soft, calming colors that are pleasant to the eye.

With over 75,000 reviews, why are these highlighters to popular? Great colors, high quality, comfortable to use, and they seem to last a really long time without drying out.

These are great! They have a window so you can see exactly what you’re highlighting, and it’s actually really helpful.

This is the fun pick (although they’re still highly rated!) for extra sparkle in your notebook. Check out the Metallic and standard Pastel versions as well.

When our children get past the shticky highlighters and simply want the most functional, they turn back to the Sharpie Tanks.

No more tears when they color outside the lines! These are so fun to use and allows kids to be extra creative.

We love these. No more searching for the matching cap! Alternatively, you can use standard markers and try our Duct Tape Marker Hack!

Binders are pricey. But with these, at least, you get what you pay for and they will stay strong throughout the year. This time, it’s worth the investment.

The best alternative to cumbersome binders.

Super durable and slimmer than standard binders as well. Note that it is slightly more annoying to open and close the rings on these when adding and removing pages.

They might not be “cool,” but these plastic dividers simply work the best. The pocket comes in very handy for storing test paper.

These have lots of holes, so they’ll fit in a variety of types of looseleafs. They also come the A5 size so you can fill your mini looseleafs as well.

Once you go reinforced, you don’t go back to regular paper. This is the go-to looseleaf paper we order on repeat.

These are great for holding those papers that you don’t know where to store. And they fit nicely in any loose leaf.

Don’t get stuck with one of those bulky, heavy hole punchers. These are so light and easy to keep handy in the binder.

Retire the old fashioned hole punchers. These are easier on the hands and are a kid-favorite.

This one is mini but mighty! We have a bunch of them. It’s often all they need for small stapling jobs. So much more convenient than the heavier options (also perfect for the junk drawer).

The most reliable, from year to year. Pass them down as each child outgrows his or her pair. From the preschoolers, to the elementary kids, and beyond.

Kids love this fun style of sticky-notes over the standard versions because of the creative way they dispense.

Always so practical!

Always so practical!

These sticky notes are brilliant. They come in a variety of colors so you can easily divide your notes into any subjects you choose.

These sticky notes are brilliant. They come in a variety of colors so you can easily divide your notes into any subjects you choose.

This set of labels, with three different types, was custom designed for Between Carpools readers and features exactly what your child will need to start the school year–at a very nice price!

This is fun.

This supply box comes pre-filled with lots of  coordinating supplies.

This is another option, with a different variety of supplies.

Some of our children prefer the standup style pencil case for the items they always need to have handy.

This tried-and-true case has a great capacity and will keep her organized for the entire school year and beyond.

This one is also tried and true and an amazing value. We can vouch for both the storage space and quality.

Really, you’ll underestimate how much this little shelf will help your teen organize his locker and create more space.

This comes in handy for making the basic essentials easily accessible.

Especially great if your allergic child is starting in a new school.

Tried and true!