The Ultimate Back To School List

No matter where you live, there’s one thing I’m sure many parents can agree on, back to school this year looks a lot different. There’ll be kids heading back to class in person, while many students will be learning online from home. Whether your kids will be attending school virtually (like mine), or not, I have an ultimate back to school list that’s perfect for everyone — including parents.

The best part is that I bet you would never think you could get it all at DICK’S Sporting Goods store.

Thanks to DICK’S Sporting Goods for inviting me to their virtual back to school event and sponsoring this post, so I can share why “Your Day One Starts Here“.

Who has the best back to school sales?

In case you haven’t checked out your nearest DICK’S Sporting Goods in-store or online lately, you’re in for a lot of surprises plus savings.

They’ve evolved and expanded way beyond sports equipment into more lifestyle brands, accessories and even back to school essentials, for the whole family.

My favorite part is that they have some of the best back to school sales. DICK’S also has many ways to save now, and all year long, thanks to:

Another fun way to save, is to download the DICK’S Sporting Goods store app. Each day you move for 30 minutes or more earns you 3 points. Once you reach 300 points, you can score a $10 reward toward your next purchase.

My kids and I downloaded the app and we have a friendly competition to see who can reach the reward first. I think it’s a great way to encourage a family recess break during the virtual school day.

We ordered Kan Jam and Spikeball from our nearest Dick’s Sporting Goods to add to our outdoor family game rotation. Don’t forget to put some outdoor games on your back to school list.

Thanks to the new bike my daughter got from DICK’S, she may win our family’s contest with her daily bike rides. She loves showing off her sporty style, thanks to the DSG line. It’s pretty much all she wears, thankfully it’s very budget friendly and makes the perfect back to school outfits for girls.

If you aren’t familiar with DSG, it’s a signature line of clothing from DICK’S that’s affordable and inclusive. The best part is that 1% of every sale goes back to the DSG foundation.

What should I get for back to school clothes?

Even though my kids will not be physically going back to school — for now — I wanted to keep some sense of balance in life and normalcy for them in what has been a crazy year. A year filled with virtual travel experiences and vacations at home, instead of our usual getaways and on-the-go lifestyle.

One of our favorite traditions is making a back to school list and spending a whole day shopping together.

I love that DICK’S offers flexible ways to shop, like shopping online and one-hour contactless curbside pickup vs. having to shop in-store.

You know DICK’S has become the “cool” place to shop when your teen and his friends request to do their back to school clothes shopping there.

See for yourself that they have the trends and brands that kids and teens want, like Yeezy, Nike, Adidas, NorthFace, Ray-Ban and Yeti which helps express themselves, even if it’s virtually.

Some ideas for back to school clothes include:

Pieces with strong pops of colors and logos
More bright metallics vs. neutral or muted colors
Footwear that allows them to show off their unique personalities (Air Max 270, Vans, Birkenstocks, Air Force 1, Ugg, Timberland)
Mix and match different brands to let their individual styles shine through (this is especially important for those high school back to school outfits that can help give teens a boost of confidence)
Biker shorts, cropped sweatshirts and wide leg pants are perfect for girls who like a looser fit in their clothes
Licensed lunchboxes to rep their favorite teams
Stickers to put on laptops, books, backpacks and hydro flasks to add a little flair and fun