Gift ideas back to school

Why personalise your child’s school belongings?

At the end of every school year or term, a mountain of lost clothing is displayed in the school entrance hall for pupils and parents to sort through. Sadly, most of these items are never reunited with their owners and eventually end up being donated to charity. While that’s good news for charities, it’s also something that can easily be avoided with simple, fuss-free labelling solutions.

To help, Amikado offers a custom textile stamp that’s perfectly suited to clothing. Forget sewn-in or iron-on name labels — there’s a much easier solution. One quick stamp and you’re done.

And it’s not just clothes that go missing. Pencils, pencil cases, sports bags and school bags are often lost too. That’s why Amikado helps turn the practical need to label everything into something enjoyable, by offering your child a fun and motivating back-to-school gift. A great way to kick-start the new school year with enthusiasm.

When does the 2026 school year begin?

This year, the teachers’ pre-term day takes place on Monday 1 September 2026, and pupils return to nursery, primary or secondary school on Tuesday 2 September 2026. This means that many families — often just back from their summer holidays — will have only a short window to prepare for the new term and tackle the traditional back-to-school shopping. All this despite the fact that teachers will inevitably make a few specific requests that differ from the official supply lists.

These few days of preparation give children — and their parents — the opportunity to find original and practical back-to-school gift ideas that not only motivate them, but also help prevent belongings from going missing too quickly. A pencil case, backpack, sports bag or pen always feels more special when it’s personalised with the pupil’s name, whether they’re a child or a teenager. Of course, older students may prefer a more discreet customisation (they probably won’t want their name emblazoned across their Eastpak backpack!), but whatever their age, personalised school gear is always appreciated.

And for parents who may have forgotten to thank their child’s teacher before the summer holidays, back-to-school shopping is also the perfect opportunity to choose a small thank-you gift for last year’s teacher. Naturally, it might be a little awkward to give a present to the new teacher on the very first day of term 🙂