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Back to school stationery essentials for 2020

Give your kids a reason to be excited about heading back to school with fun and colourful new stationery.

Stephanie Yip
Stephanie Yip

Updated

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From funky pencil cases to novelty notebooks, picking out new stationery can get kids invested in heading back to school for another year. With a range of retailers on offer, you can find the perfect back-to-school stationery to put a smile on their faces and make getting them back into school-mode a little easier.

If you're on a tight budget and can't afford designer gear, that's okay. There are loads of deals out there that offer impressive value for money while still letting your child keep up with the latest trends.

If you're after more back to school essentials, you can also check out our top pick of school backpacks for all ages or see all the latest back to school shopping offers on now.

Top online retailers to school stationery

Shopping for back to school stationery

If you've been too busy these school holidays to make a list of your child's stationery needs for the year ahead, we've got you covered. Whether you're shopping for essentials, or just something fun for a little added motivation this school year, check out our top product picks:

Pencil cases

Notebooks

Pens, pencils and textas

Sharpie 18 Piece Pencil Case Gift Pack
Sharpie 18 Piece Pencil Case Gift Pack

Target Australia

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2 x Penline Manhattan Blue Ink Ball Point Pens 4-Pack
2 x Penline Manhattan Blue Ink Ball Point Pens 4-Pack

Catch

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Paper Crane 90 Pack Coloured Pencils
Paper Crane 90 Pack Coloured Pencils

Target Australia

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Papermate Kilometric Pens Variety Pack
Papermate Kilometric Pens Variety Pack

Target Australia

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Complete Paint Drawing Colouring Set - 72 pcs
Complete Paint Drawing Colouring Set - 72 pcs

eBay

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Faber-Castell Connector Pen Cube - 48 Pack
Faber-Castell Connector Pen Cube - 48 Pack

Target Australia

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Faber-Castell 12 Pack Tri-Grip Colour Pencils
Faber-Castell 12 Pack Tri-Grip Colour Pencils

Target Australia

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Other essentials

Typo Take Charge Laptop Cover 13 inch - Mint
Typo Take Charge Laptop Cover 13 inch - Mint

Cotton On

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Jastek CS2 EVO Scientific Calculator
Jastek CS2 EVO Scientific Calculator

Target Australia

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Elmer's All Purpose School Glue Sticks 6g - 2 pack
Elmer's All Purpose School Glue Sticks 6g - 2 pack

Target Australia

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Typo Take Charge Laptop Cover 13 inch - Black and Rich Tan
Typo Take Charge Laptop Cover 13 inch - Black and Rich Tan

Cotton On

View details

Stationery buying guide

Follow these simple steps to find useful stationery your kids will love:

  1. Choose colourful items. Kids are attracted to bright colours, so choose stationery that features cartoon characters or their favourite colour. It will help them easily distinguish between notebooks for different classes and might even encourage them to do their homework!
  2. Get quality items. Purchase products that will last at least a year. This will ensure your child's schooling won't be interrupted by broken spiral notebooks or pencil cases.
  3. Choose simple, useful items. Minimise the amount of stationery your child has to carry by shopping items like 4-colour pens and make their lives easier by grabbing a binder to help keep all of their notebooks together.
  4. Find a reputable shop. There are countless retailers that sell stationery, so look for one that provides a combination of affordability, style and quality. The amount you need to shell out for pencils, notebooks and staplers can start to add up, so you want items that will give you your money's worth.

Stationery for primary school

Even in their early schooling years, your child will need a set of stationery that will take them from colouring in to improving their writing skills. Here are some handy hints for the best stationery to suit their first few years:

  • It will take some time before kids start learning to write with pens, so ensure they're stocked up with a range of pencils. Getting a multi-pack of colourful pencils will help bring out their creative side. Don't forget to grab an eraser or two so they can learn from their mistakes.
  • Learning to write can be a challenging task. Make life easy by purchasing A5 notepads to give your child more room to improve.
  • Kids will likely be doing a lot of cutting and pasting throughout their primary years. Keep little fingers safe with a pair of safety scissors and save some cash by buying glue sticks in bulk.

Stationery for high school

The further through schooling your child progresses, the more their stationery needs will grow. Ensure they have everything they need by bearing these things in mind:

  • Note-taking will be a huge part of your child's day to day workload, so make sure they have plenty of pens to keep the ink flowing. Whilst their days of colouring-in are long gone, pencils are still needed for some subjects such as art or design technology. Double check their schedule with them before the year starts so they can start their classes with the right equipment.
  • Another staple item they will fly through in no time is notebooks. Buy them in bulk because you know they'll forget to tell you that they're running low until the very last minute.
  • The further into mathematics studies they progress, the more kids are increasingly reliant on calculators. Get value for money by ensuring they're set with a good scientific calculator that will see them through to graduation (don't forget to stock up on batteries).

Best deals on stationery

ASOS ASOS

ASOS

FREE returns for all orders within Australia

Last verified

Get deal
Target Australia Target Australia

Target Australia

FREE home delivery on orders over $45

Last verified

Get deal
SurfStitch SurfStitch

SurfStitch

$20 off when you sign up

Last verified

Get deal
Typo Typo

Typo

Free shipping

Last verified

Get deal
Zazzle Zazzle

Zazzle

20% off first purchase when you sign up

Last verified

Get deal

Deal ends

Popular Back to school - stationery coupon codes

Last checked Code description Code
25 Oct 2019 FREE returns for all orders within Australia ********
13 May 2020 FREE home delivery on orders over $45 ********
9 Sep 2019 $20 off when you sign up ********
24 Jul 2019 Free shipping ********
27 Nov 2018 20% off first purchase when you sign up ********

More back to school guides

Main image: Getty

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