| Issue #26, September 22, 2006 |
Just For Kids...
Too Cool For School
If you’ve been seeing flashes of yellow lately, you’re not the only one. The other day, rushing to drop my son off at my mother’s, I sat behind a school bus that seemed to stop every two feet. Groups of 2, 3 or 4 students walked onto the bus with still-sleepy yawns, half-closed eyes and backpacks carelessly slung across their shoulders. Every backpack, messenger bag and notebook they carried seemed to be emblazoned with an insignia – either self-created, computer-generated or embroidered, making the school supplies as unique as the student carrying them.
Lockers provide a daunting challenge for even the most organized student. So take a 6th grader in total shock of their new middle school environment – nervous to find friends who share the same lunch period, gym period or English class and you throw in the need for 2 notebooks and a folder for each subject, and a big metal locker with a combination – and it can make for pure confusion and chaos. Knowing that they have 3 minutes to get their supplies and get to their next period requires careful precision and organization. I’ve noticed many students using neon stickers to mark their books, folders and workbooks. Color-coding their supplies in a way that has special meaning to them helps a lot of the kids whip out what they need and get to class on time.
Stickers can be fun for just personalizing your notebooks. I-Pods aren’t allowed in school, but a picture of an I-pod on your notebook surrounded by stickers of your favorite music group can make taking notes in that History book just a bit more fun. You are more apt to remember the music-covered notebook, take it home and do the required work and not face the music for forgetting it in school. Stickers of cats, dogs, flowers, cars, and stars and stripes can turn that boring composition notebook into something festive.
Glitter pens and rhinestones can offer a decorative touch to that looseleaf binder. Write your name with the fancy glitter pen, let it dry and decorate all around it in rhinestones or flat beads. You’ll be sure to spot that binder in your locker. Mark the “binding” of the binder with the subject name in glitter glue, let it dry and put a piece of contact paper over it to seal it for the year. The added decorative perk will make the subject fun and ensure that you can find that bulky binder in a pinch.
Backpacks have become a necessary evil for almost every student. While they are sturdy and roomy, often they are just not as attractive as you want them to be. The pretty ones might not be roomy enough and the sturdiest ones are just not going to look great with every outfit. So you need to make it your own. Bracelets seem to be the biggest trend around. I’ve seen many students who macrame or buy ready-made bracelets in various colors and hang them from their backpacks. Key-chains also make great decorations. Just returned from a trip to Disney? Mickey Mouse looks great hanging off the zipper of a backpack. Bad spelling test? Just look at Mickey dangling off the side of the bag and it’s sure to bring a smile to any child’s face.
Lands End has a variety of backpacks in all styles, colors and sizes and the best part, you can have them monogrammed. Put your child’s initials on the bag or the name of their favorite sports team and the pack becomes all their own. Many parents iron patches of sports team insignias, cartoon characters or music groups. They look great and make for some school fun. The other day I saw a shy child walk down the hallway carrying a backpack with “Go Yankees” written on it with a Sharpie pen and it made for instant conversation in the hallways as other kids yelled after him, “Did you catch last night’s game?” and “Way to go Yankees.”
If you’re handy with a needle, don’t hesitate to stitch a personalized design on that backpack. Print out a pattern from the computer and go to town with some embroidery thread. It’s simple and fun. Yarn works well, too. I’ve seen a lot of students with yarn threaded through the rings of their notebooks for a rainbow effect.
Who says that school can’t be exciting? Take those supplies and jazz them up for a little bit of in-class creativity. Be inventive and make them your own...a little color and a bit of time can make learning much more fun.
–Jessica Gold
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