A "Type A Mom's" Back-to-School Prep Tips

Written by Amanda Brown

August 6, 2026

My first kid started school in 2016! Since then, I’ve had 2 more kids and between the 3 of them they've attended 4 preschools and 3 elementary schools in 2 different states, and have gone to both public and private schools. That means I’ve experienced a lot of different kinds of back-to-school prep!

My youngest son A(5) starts kindergarten a week from Thursday so back-to-school prep is definitely top of mind for me (click here to read how I’m getting him ready for kindergarten and click here for kindergarten back-to-school supplies). Since many of you are in the same boat, as your Type A Mom friend who’s here to help streamline the behind-the-scenes work of parenting, I thought I’d gather all my back-to-school tips and ideas together to help with whatever stage of back-to-school you’re in. I hope you find a few helpful ideas below so that you can spend the rest of summer break focusing on your kids and not on these back-to-school “to dos”!

Very soon our kids will be back in a classroom - it’s time to make sure they (and we!) are as prepared as possible so that when things inevitably don’t go as planned, at least we’ve taken care of what we could so we can handle whatever surprise comes our way!

TOP BACK-TO-SCHOOL PREP TIPS

*Add all school holidays, early dismissals, late starts, parent/teacher conferences, etc. into your family master calendar BEFORE school starts so you can prepare for those dates - find childcare, figure out a different carpool or bus, take time off work to attend, etc. (click here for how I set up our free family digital calendar) Type A Mom Tip: if you have a back-to-school parents only night coming up soon, find a sitter now - they may book up quickly since so many parents need to go to that and that means they’ll all need sitters!

*Add all after-school activities into the family master calendar as soon as you sign up - and include all special end of season events like playoffs and performances so you don’t miss any of them!

*Make a plan for the morning timing - work backwards from arrival at school and plan each step so you have enough time to complete each step and arrive to school on time.

*If you have a bathroom near the front door, put kid toothbrushes and toothpaste there so it’s easy to brush their teeth right before they leave.

*Keep a bin of socks next to kids’ shoes so it’s quick to put on shoes before leaving home.

*Create a “morning drawer” in the kitchen stocked with items kids need to use before they head out the door like hairbrush, lice spray, hair ties, deodorant, etc.

*Create a “lunch packing zone” in your kitchen with everything accessible so it’s easy to quickly make lunches for everyone. Type A Mom Tip: the night before, make what you can ahead of time to avoid extra morning stress.

**This is how I organize my kitchen’s “lunch packing zone” for efficient lunch making each morning.** **Click here** **for more details about setting this up.**

*Find out the allergy restrictions regarding what can be sent to school as a snack or lunch - for example, some schools allow nuts and some do not.

*If your child has a food allergy, find out what the birthday party celebration/class party food rules are so that your child can be included in all parties. For example, my daughter is allergic to eggs so can’t have a lot of cupcakes/frosted cookies, so we keep prepackaged "sweet treats” with her teacher so she can have one of those and not be left out of the celebration snack.

*Stock up on easy-to-make school snacks, lunchbox items, and after-school snacks so there is no stress about getting that food made quickly. I like Thrive Market for many reasons, and in this case I love how easy it is to order healthy snacks. The snack items I usually order from there are beef jerky, good crisp (aka healthy pringles) sour cream n onion chips, Hippeas (chickpea puffs), dried strawberries, applesauce, yogurt pouches, and veggie sticks/chips.

*I will make muffins in the days before school starts for easy breakfasts and easy snacks. The recipes my kids like (and that are nut free for school lunches) are banana spinach muffins, banana buckwheat muffins, and I’ll also use a Kodiak box mix if I’m in a rush (love how they have extra protein in them). Type A Mom Tip: use different size muffin tins so they can fit into different lunchbox compartments!

*Make sure your kids know your first and last name, and at least one parent’s phone number, so they can help someone contact you/find you if they need to. Type A Mom Tip: I taught my kids my number in a sing-song melody which seemed to help them remember it easier.

*When getting school supplies for the classroom, get school supplies for home so kids have them available for homework. This is something schools don’t tell you to get but is so important for kids to have to be successful at homework, and to avoid last minute panic about needing materials the night before an assignment is due!

**These are the** **school supplies** **that we use over and over in our house - the basic ones like** **pencils**, **erasers**, **glue sticks**, **scissors, but also the items that make doing homework at home easier to do like a** **timer**, **flashcards with rings**, **portable desk**, **smooth placemats, and more. Full list on Amazon** **here**!

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*Clearly label all sweatshirts and water bottles - those seem to be the most common items that go missing!

*Double check that there are enough clean clothes/uniforms to get through the first 3 days so you aren’t adding doing laundry to your to-do list during those hectic first school days. Type A Mom Tip: if your kid has a uniform or dress code, create a section in their closet (I dedicate a drawer) that has only those clothes in it so it’s quick and easy for your kid to pull out what they’ll wear that day.

*Find out the exact drop off and pick up process and timing. Some schools we’ve gone to have a carpool/carline only option and some only have a park and walk to sign kids out option. Timing is a big deal too - some schools set a time that’s the earliest they’ll allow cars to get in carline or park on campus. Type A Mom Tip: if you are new to the school, reach out to a parent who is already there to hear their experience and tips.

*Assess backpack/lunchbox/water bottle/clothing needs before school starts so there’s no scramble and you have all you need to send the kids to school on the first day. Type A Mom Tip: I have two lunchboxes and two water bottles per kid in case something gets left at school or doesn’t get washed overnight.

**I put together** **this ShopMy list** or **this Amazon list** **of the back-to-school essentials and extras that my kids love, and that I have found to be durable, functional, and still cute!**

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*Double check that all medical forms are complete with the school nurse. Check this early so if your kids’ doctor’s signature is required you have time to get it completed.

*Confirm that emergency contact info is up to date in your kid’s file. Type A Mom Tip: remember to tell that person that they are your kid’s emergency contact!

*Double check the school’s website for any summer assignments that need to be completed.

*Confirm that the school has your correct email and cell number on file and that you’re signed up for all alerts.

*Follow the school’s Instagram account since that often has extra information not included in school-wide emails.

*Find out if there is a class or grade-wide WhatsApp group of parents, and make sure you’re on it. Yes, these groups can be overwhelming, but they’re also where a lot of information is shared…

*If you like to take “first day of school pictures” order/make the sign your kids will hold and print it out a few days ahead of time so there’s no panic on that first school morning!

**My youngest son’s first day of school sign from last fall.** **This is the one** **I will print for him this year.**

*Take your time writing the emergency letter to your kids - make it personal and upbeat, and a bit long so in case they’re at school for a while, they can be comforted by having it read to them again and again.

I hope those ideas are helpful as you figure out how to best prep for your kids’ new school year!

I wish us all a wonderful last few days/weeks/month of summer, and I’m especially wishing us the strength we’ll need to carry us through the intense rush (and crush!) of September…

❤️, Amanda, your Type A Mom friend

Additional back-to-school resources: