26 Biggest Back-to-School Trends According to Pinterest

For kids, September spells out a fresh start. To help your little ones gear up for a great fall, here are the 26 biggest back to school trends for young children according to Pinterest. 

We can't conjure a better way to show off your little girl's barrettes, ties, and headbands than with a wall mounted hair accessory organizer. It guarantees you'll never misplace a cheerleading bow again.

Related: 12 Creative Ways to Store Accessories

Take the hassle out of dressing your little ones for school by laying out their outfits for the week on the weekend. To keep it all organized, you can use a plastic drawer set as shown. 

Related: The Best IKEA Storage Hacks and Products for Bedrooms

A couple of hanging closet organizers with separate compartments will also keep your kid's outfits for the week neatly organized. Adding day-of-the-week labels will avoid any confusion regarding what to wear when.

Related: How to Store All Your Clothes from A-Z

Play that sparks the imagination is essential for young developing minds. That's why we love painted rocks like the ghostly ones shared here. For kids, rock painting is an engaging activity that encourages creative thinking.

This spooky village you can make on the cheap will get your little ones excited about crafting. To get started you'll need rocks, discarded cereal boxes, and craft paint.

Related: Paint and Hide Rocks With Grandchildren

We love painted rocks so much we had to share this adorable pet rock tutorial. 

To make these cute cactus rocks, you'll need several smooth, flat stones, self-adhesive googly eyes, craft paint and of course, several tiny, terra-cotta pots.

Related: How to Make Crafts Using Rocks

Get your kids — not to mention yourself — out the door faster on school mornings with an organized drop zone. To keep muck out of the house, you can turn unused space in your garage into a no-fuss mudroom. 

Related: 5 DIY Boot and Shoe Racks 

You don't need a mudroom if you have an old dresser. This drop zone hack shows how to keep your kids' grab and go stuff from taking over the entryway. The trick is assigning an individual drawer to each family member.

Related: 19 Hanging Storage Hacks to Get Your Home Super Organized

Simply put, magnetic Scrabble boards are wildly popular particularly, among parents of young children. Hanging one on your wall can make spelling out messages and learning new words fun for school-age kids.

Related: 5 Best Word Games for Children

Children love playing with​ DIY putty — And as it turns out, it's a simple act that packs plenty of brain building benefits.

Pulling and stretching clay or putty can soothe hyperactive kids. Plus, molding it develops motor skills and dexterity. Most important (we think) making stuff out of putty boosts a child's creative, problem-solving skills. 

Related: 6 Fun Sensory Activities for Kids

You don't have to save car games for ​​family road trips. Car hacks like this word building kit made for a kindergartner will warm up your kid's mind on the way to school so you can focus on driving.

To make an activity travel kit like this one you'll need a metal lunch box, permanent markers, jumbo craft sticks, magnetic letters, and magnetic tape. 
 

Related: 10 Fun Learning Activities for Kids

You can stimulate a kid's spatial thinking skills with this DIY traveling kit that's small enough to fit in a purse.

To make you'll need a handful of LEGO bricks, a plastic container with a self-closing lid, and several DIY activity cards. So that you know, for young children, playing with LEGOS also enhances fine motor skills.

Related: Building Toys That Promote Independent Play

If your little one loves taking things apart, then perhaps it's time for a DIY busy board. You'll find gazillions (OK dozens) of toddler boards on Pinterest because they're loads of fun for active preschoolers. We love the one featured above because it has peek-a-boo doors.

To make your own, you'll need sensory hardware, which is pretty much anything a kid would love to grasp and move — several examples: knobs, latches, wheels, and chain door guards. You can even add a few gadgets like an old push button phone and tap lights. Just remember to avoid anything that could pinch, catch, or scratch small fingers.

Related: Outdoor Toys and Activities for Toddlers

Keep tiny fingers busy while learning how to buckle, button and zip by making a cushiony soft busy board using zippers, buttons and ribbons.

Related: Top 10 Toys for a Toddler's Cognitive Development

Getting picky kids to eat breakfast, particularly if it's something healthy, is an impossible feat in many households. Unfortunately, skipping the first meal of the day can make children cranky by midmorning, which doesn't help them become successful learners when at school.

A handheld treat that's fun to eat, like an egg muffin cup, will provide your kids with the brain food they need to kick start their day. 

 Related: Back-To-School Breakfast Recipes and Ideas

When it comes to protein, peanut butter is a heavy hitter. That's why these peanut butter no-bake, trail mix bites are a favorite on Pinterest. They will satisfy a kid's sweet tooth while sustaining their energy level for hours.

Related: High Protein Granola Bars

Your kids won't miss eating sugary cereal for breakfast after tasting this delicious and healthy treat called Greek yogurt bark.

The no-bake, yogurt treat is a kid favorite because it's frozen for fun eating. You'll love that the recipe is sweetened naturally with strawberries, blueberries and a touch of maple of syrup. For nutty texture, we suggest topping it off with your favorite granola before freezing.

Related: No Bake and No Cook Desserts 

Sandwiches get boring fast. To keep school lunches exciting, put your child's favorites foods on toothpicks or skewers. The best part, no more cutting crust off bread. 

Related: 101 Yummy Kids' Lunches for Home or School

Lunch kabobs packed into bento boxes can make eating vegetables fun for school kids. This idea turns an easy to make spinach tortilla wrap into two dozen tiny sandwiches strung on two sticks.

See the little hearts? They're carrot slices. How can you make steamed veggies like broccoli more enticing for kids to eat? This little lunch box includes dressing for dipping. 

Related: Bento Box Lunches

Turn fruit into an irresistible treat with this lunch kabob idea. The meatless meal features little peanut butter sandwiches in between Concord grapes. For dessert, there are two berry and grape kabobs. Another treat you can bring to the plate is edamame for extra protein.

Related: Beyond PB&J — School Sandwiches Kids Will Love

Take the mess out of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with this twist on the classic sandwich. You'll need an uncrustable sandwich press (yep it's a thing) to make. It removes bread crust while sealing the edges of the sandwich.

Related: Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups

Need another reason to make peanut and butter uncrustables? They're freezable sandwiches.

To get it right, place several freshly made sandwiches on a cookie tray. Make sure they're not touching and then pop the tray in the freezer for two hours. When the uncrustables are frozen, pack each one in a separate sandwich bag and stack in the freezer for later. FYI, sandwiches will take roughly an hour to defrost.

Related: The 5 Best Freeze-Ahead Sandwiches

Another yummy idea to try is the lunch in a pocket. Homemade varieties like this taco pop tart are healthier than store bought options like (cue the jingle) Hot Pockets.

This one filled with seasoned ground meat, Colby-jack cheese, and fresh salsa is delicious at room temperature, so it's perfect for school lunches. After you bake them, you can store them in the freezer in separate bags or containers. Each taco pop part takes around an hour to defrost. To speed up the process, pop in the microwave.

Related: Cheeseburger Pop Tart Recipe

When you were in high school, Hot Pockets may have been a favorite snack. These days you can feed your kids a healthier version made from scratch. This homemade pizza pocket is stuffed with pepperoni, cheese, and savory tomato sauce. You'll need pizza dough to make. After it's rolled out, add your favorite pizza toppings and bake. 

Related: Crescent Roll Pizza Pinwheels

The pizzadilla combines two favorite foods, pizza, and cheese quesadilla into one healthy meal. Even better, you can make this school lunch for kids in less than 20 minutes using a skillet. To do, heat up a tortilla. Afterward, add your favorite pizza toppings and fold the tortilla in half. After cooking on one side for three to five minutes, flip and heat for another few minutes.

Related: DIY Version of Taco Bell's Crunch Wrap Supreme

Some elementary schools are teaching young kids, particularly those with behavior problems, how to meditate. The results? The student's grades have improved, and even more surprising; they're better at controlling their emotions. More good news, a recent study revealed that meditation significantly improved ADHD symptoms for children who practiced regularly. 

Related: 8 Words Every Child Needs to Hear

Yoga is popping up in elementary schools around the country, and it makes good sense. Kids reap enormous benefits from a steady practice. Yoga postures enhance not only a child's flexibility but also their strength and coordination. Yoga also boosts concentration and tames young monkey minds.