20 Best First Day of School Gifts for Boys & Girls

The first morning of a new school year comes with plenty to remember: packed lunches, sharpened pencils, classroom numbers, and perhaps a few first-day nerves. The right first day of school gifts can make that transition easier by giving students something useful for their routine, something encouraging to keep nearby, or simply something fun to start the year with. Below, Personal Chic has gathered practical, encouraging, funny, and DIY gift ideas for different ages and school-day needs. 

Practical First Day of School Gifts

A good starting school gift can solve a small everyday need, whether that means keeping drinks handy, organizing belongings, or making a backpack easier to spot. Here are several practical personalized gifts designed for regular school use. 

• Personalized Water Bottle 

A personalized water bottle is a useful starting school gift, giving kids something they can carry from lessons to lunch and after-school activities. Personal Chic’s insulated stainless steel bottle helps keep drinks at the right temperature for hours, while the full exterior can be customized with a child’s name, photo, message, or playful design. Several bottle colors are also available, making it easier to create something that suits their personality and stands out among similar school bottles. 

• Custom Acrylic School Sign

Turn the traditional first-day photo into something students can look back on year after year with a custom acrylic school sign. The reusable board comes with colorful dry-erase markers, so children can fill in details such as their grade, age, teacher, favorite things, or future dream before each photo. With UV printing, the sign can feature their name, photo, colors, or chosen artwork, turning this first day of school gift into a keepsake they can bring out for each new school year. 

• Personalized Acrylic Bookmark

For children who always have a book tucked into their school bag, the Personal Chic acrylic bookmark is a small gift with an obvious everyday purpose. The durable acrylic design is UV printed and laser cut, with space for a name, photo, message, or artwork based on interests such as sports, animals, or school themes. Finished with a colored tassel, it adds personality to reading without adding another bulky item to their supplies.

• Custom Backpack

Books, stationery, snacks, and small daily essentials all need somewhere reliable to go once school starts again. Our backpack offers roomy storage in a lightweight design, with different sizes and colors available for children of various ages. Parents can customize the front with a child’s name, decorative yarn details, and charms. This first day of school gift for students can remain part of their daily routine throughout the term, extending its usefulness well beyond the excitement of the first day.  

• Custom Acrylic Keychain

School bags can look surprisingly similar once they are lined up outside a classroom or piled together after an activity. Adding a personalized acrylic keychain gives children a quick visual cue, whether you personalize it with their name, photo, school details, contact information, or a playful design. UV printing keeps the artwork clear, while the stainless steel ring attaches securely to backpacks, lunch bags, or pencil cases.

>>> Want to explore beyond backpacks and classroom accessories? See more personalized gifts for kids for different ages and occasions. 

Encouraging 1st Day at School Gifts for Students

A new school year can feel exciting and unfamiliar at the same time, especially for students moving into a new class or grade. These encouraging first day of school gifts for students are designed to give them a little confidence, comfort, or motivation as they settle into the routine. 

• Custom T-Shirt

Personalized t-shirts for kids can make the first day of school feel a little more special while still being easy to wear again throughout the term. Personal Chic’s designs can feature a child's name, grade, character, photo, or school-themed message. The pre-shrunk cotton fabric, regular fit, and machine-washable construction also keep everyday care straightforward. For parents looking for first day at school gifts, this option combines encouragement with something genuinely useful for their wardrobe. 

• Personalized Night Light

After classes are over, a familiar light at home can add a small sense of comfort to a new school routine. This night light features a sturdy acrylic panel set into a pinewood base, with names, photos, characters, or encouraging wording added through UV printing. Kids can adjust the brightness, colors, and lighting modes with the included remote, making it suitable for a bedside table, reading corner, or study space. 

• Personalized Tote Bag

Extra school supplies do not always fit neatly inside a backpack, which is where a personalized tote can come in handy. Our tote bags can be customized with a child’s name alongside school graphics, animals, fantasy characters, or other designs that match their interests, helping the bag feel more distinctive and easier to recognize. This flexible first day of school gift can carry library books, art materials, activity gear, or smaller essentials and still serve children well for everyday outings. 

• Custom Mug

What better way to add a little encouragement to the morning routine than with a mug designed just for them? A child’s name can take center stage in the design, paired with a favorite character, photo, digital artwork, or short motivational message to create a look that feels distinctly theirs. We offer both classic white and dual-tone ceramic options, all suitable for hot or cold drinks and safe for microwave and dishwasher use.

• Personalized Journal

Among 1st day at school gifts, a personalized journal gives them one place to keep homework reminders, lesson notes, goals, and personal ideas. With 200 pages and a laminated paper cover, it can be used for writing, planning, sketching, or organizing thoughts throughout the term. The front and back can be UV printed with a name, photo, text, or custom artwork, giving the journal a unique look that stands apart from a standard school notebook. 

>>> You can also pair the gift with a first day of school quote to add a few encouraging words before they head into class. 

Funny Starting School Gifts 

Not every first day of school gifts needs to be encouraging or sentimental. For kids who respond better to jokes, quirky designs, and playful details, these picks bring some fun into the first weeks back. 

• Custom Pencil Holder

A little humor on the study desk can make everyday schoolwork feel less routine. This funny personalized gift keeps pens, pencils, markers, and other supplies together, while the durable ABS construction holds up well to regular desk use. Designs with playful quotes or quirky characters can make it one of the more entertaining starting school gifts, especially for kids who prefer something useful with a bit of personality.

• Personalized Sticky Note

For students who are always jotting down homework, reminders, or quick to-do lists, personalized sticky notes turn a basic school supply into something more fun to use. Each compact pad includes 50 sheets and can feature a name, photo, short message, or custom design. The smooth paper works well with common pens and pencils, and the adhesive backing lets students move notes between notebooks, planners, calendars, and study spaces. 

• Funny Eraser Set 

If you’re looking for a school-supply upgrade with more personality, try Raymond Geddes’ novelty erasers. Its designs range from oversized smartphone-shaped erasers to colorful 3D word styles, giving students something playful that still serves a real classroom purpose. They are an inexpensive addition to funny first day of school gifts, especially for kids who enjoy collecting quirky stationery.

• School-Themed Stickers

Pipsticks is a good pick for students who like decorating notebooks, folders, planners, or pencil cases. Its kids’ sticker packs mix school-inspired designs with puffy, scratch-and-sniff, and interactive stickers, so the set feels more varied than a standard sheet of classroom icons. 

School-Themed Stickers

• Mini Fidget Toy 

A compact fidget can give restless hands something quiet to do during study breaks or downtime. The Tangle Jr. Classic from Tangle Creations uses connected curved sections that students can twist into different shapes, with a small size that fits easily into a backpack or pencil case. Its reusable, hands-on design makes it a fun starting school gifts for students who enjoy tactile toys. 

DIY First Day of School Gifts for Students

If you want something more hands-on than a ready-made present, DIY first day at school gifts are easy to tailor around their age, routine, and favorite things. From small survival kits to school-supply boxes, these ideas let you choose exactly what goes inside. 

• DIY First Day Survival Kit

Fill a pouch or small box with tissues, pencils, erasers, bandages, mints, hair ties, or other age-appropriate items, then add playful labels such as “for little mistakes” or “for a quick confidence boost.” As a starting school gift, the kit can be adjusted easily to match what the student is most likely to need. 

• Handmade Encouragement Cards

A few words from home can give students something reassuring to return to during the first weeks of school. Write several short cards with jokes, reminders, or encouraging messages, then label them for moments such as “before class,” “after a hard day,” or “when you need a smile.” Cardstock, stickers, photos, or small drawings can make each note feel different without requiring much time or budget. 

• DIY Pencil Bouquet

Instead of arranging flowers, bundle pencils, pens, highlighters, and markers into a colorful school-supply bouquet. A small jar, cup, or pencil pot can serve as the base, with ribbon or tissue paper adding the finishing touch. This is a playful first day of school gift because nearly everything in the arrangement can later be used in class or during homework.

DIY Pencil Bouquet

• First Day Treat Bag

A favorite snack waiting at the end of the day can be a simple way to celebrate making it through that first school morning. Fill a small bag with cookies, fruit snacks, candy, or other treats the student enjoys, keeping allergies and school rules in mind. You can also finish it with a handwritten tag or first-day of school quote to add a few encouraging words.

• DIY School Supplies Gift Box

This DIY approach works well for first day of school gifts for students because you can control both the contents and the budget instead of buying a pre-made set. Pens, notebooks, sticky notes, highlighters, erasers, clips, and small desk accessories can be grouped by color, subject, or theme, with a snack or handwritten note added for variety. 

Conclusion

From practical supplies to playful surprises, there are plenty of first day of school gifts for students that can make the return to class feel a little more exciting. Considering their age, daily routine, and personality can help you choose something thoughtful without overcomplicating the decision. For an extra personal touch, Personal Chic offers customizable school gifts featuring names, photos, favorite characters, or uplifting messages. Explore our collection and create a back to school gift that adds something special to their new school year.