Back To School DIY Ideas & Essentials

The back to school rush is almost upon us, so it's time to start thinking about getting your school supplies in order. While buying everything you need is always important, you can also get a little crafty to make your school supplies stand out from the crowd! At Spotlight we have heaps of great school supplies you can choose from, as well as many amazing art and craft supplies you can use to customise things like bags and smocks.

Read on to discover all the great ways Spotlight can help you prepare for the school year ahead!

Back To School Essentials

You can find a great range of essential school supplies at Spotlight, including:

• Writing supplies - perfect your handwriting with some quality writing supplies. Grey lead pencils are a must-have, and blue, red and black pens are there for all your permanent writing needs.
• Colouring supplies - make your schoolwork and art stand out with any of our gorgeous colouring supplies! We have coloured pencils, soft-tip markers and acrylic paints that students can use to bedazzle their work.
• Craft supplies - simple craft supplies like scissors and glue are essentials that need to be in every crafty kid's pencil case.
• Other tools - handy stationery supplies like an eraser, ruler and stapler will make school life easier.

Back To School DIY Projects

Try your hand at some DIY goodness when decorating any of your fabric school supplies! Here are some of our favourite ideas:

• Art smock - an art smock is essential for any students who will be painting, and if you have the opportunity to decorate an art smock, take it! Fabric paint can be used on a cotton art smock but the repeated washing from excess paint may cause it to fade. Instead, try adding some iron-on patches for permanent bright colours and imagery that won't fade after washing. For help on applying iron-on patches, check out this project here!
• Library bag - every student needs a library bag, and the classic calico library bag is super fun to decorate! You can use fabric paints to create your own designs, or even make your own library bag from scratch.
• Pencil case - the pencil case is one of the most-used school supplies a student will own, and there are so many different pencil cases out there that it's not hard to find one you'll love. But for a truly unique pencil case, why not try making your own (and a matching bag)?

For more super-fun back to school projects, check out this project page!

Back To School Tips

Here are some more handy tips and tricks you can use to start the new year at school on the right foot:

• Iron-on name tag - the right name tag can be the difference between finding a lost item and never seeing it again. A written name can wash out over time, and writing on a protruding label that can be cut off isn't the safest option. The best way to label uniforms is with a permanent iron-on label! Iron-on labels are very hard to get off once adhered, and are a great option for using on the back of shirts, blazers, pants and dresses.
• Unique drink bottle - not drinking enough water can be a problem for many young students, so make getting the daily dose of water easy with the right drink bottle! For school you'll want easy-access bottles, so that means no hard to use screwtops. Instead, look for pop-top style bottles, extendable nozzles and built-in straws that make drinking quick and easy.
• Plain school supplies - if you have artistic kids who love to decorate, consider buying plainer school supplies that your kids can customise themselves. A plain exercise book, calico library bag and fabric pencil case will give creative students plenty of empty canvas to unleash themselves upon, and plain school supplies also happen to cost you less money.

Get Ready To Go Back To School With Spotlight

Make your next school year a creative one with school supplies from Spotlight! Check out the entire back to school range online, or visit your nearest Spotlight store to buy your school supplies in person.