How to make back-to-school preparation less stressful — and more fun

(BPT) – Back-to-school is a busy time of year filled with errands and appointments to make sure parents and kids are ready for the upcoming transition. It can also be somewhat stressful — but it doesn’t need to be. By planning ahead and maximizing your time, you can even make it fun. With a little creativity from Crayola, you can turn back-to-school prep into a great opportunity for family time and happy memories.Plan before shoppingIt’s easier than ever to plan shopping ahead by scoping out products online first, whether that’s new shoes and clothes or those all-important school supplies. Limit shopping trips to just a few locations, and don’t try to do everything in one day. Let online searching help you create your to-do list — then enjoy checking off each item as you get it completed!Involve the whole familyAccording to a recent survey conducted by Crayola, parents view back-to-school shopping as spending quality time with their child and 74% consider it a special bonding experience, so it’s a perfect time to get kids excited about school by letting them help with shopping and prep. Assigning one or two items for young kids to find when you search for supplies makes them feel part of the process. Older kids can do more to help you stock the cart with assigned items from your list. Make sure to offer limited options (such as between two or three different lunch boxes or backpacks) so kids aren’t overwhelmed by too many choices.Trust the classics for home and school projectsCrayola is the leader for back-to-school season, and for good reason. In fact, Crayola 24 Count Crayons were the top selling non-grocery item in all U.S. retail during back-to-school, outpacing everyday items like paper towels and toilet paper last year, according to Numerator TrueView.Their staples include 24 Count Classic Crayons, perfect for coloring and creativity at home or at school — with each Crayola crayon double-wrapped for extra strength and durability, and 10 Count Broad Line Markers which are great for any child looking to create with ease. Featuring 10 vibrant colors, these markers are the classic art tool for arts and crafts, school supplies and more. Long-lasting and durable, their conical tips make it easy to color in detailed areas or lay down full coverage lines.Crayola 12 Count Colored Pencils help kids bring ideas to life with a wide range of vivid colors that inspire their imagination. Each pre-sharpened drawing pencil has a thick, soft point that won’t break easily, making them great for school projects and detailed artwork.All these items will be must-haves on your school list this year and for many years to come.Explore new products to amp up the excitementFurther encourage color and creativity with all-new Crayola products to thrill your budding artists.For younger kids, there’s nothing more enjoyable than scented markers that make art time even better. Crayola Silly Scents Smash Ups add all new scents with their vibrant Broadline Washable Markers, Fine Line Washable Markers, Dual-Ended Markers, Colored Pencils and Twistable Crayons. Delicious new smells include Mint Chocolate Chip, Orange Dreamsicle, Strawberry Shortcake, Key Lime Pie, Red Velvet Cake and more! Each pack also features a new crew of Silly Scents characters to add fun and dimension to kids’ art projects.For tweens, the new Crayola Doodle and Draw Line offers detail-oriented tools to take their art to the next level:Fine Point Doodle Markers to create colorfully bold statements.Ultra-Fine Doodle Markers for the most intricate details.Dual-Ended Doodle Markers to create thick and thin lines with a dual-sided brush and chisel tip.Color Change Doodle Markers to transform 8 marker colors to 24 vibrant colors by creating magical layers.Sketch and Shade Doodle Pencils including two Graphite Pencils, ideal for standing out against light and dark paper.Stay organized — creativelyMake back-to-school time run smoothly while letting kids enjoy their new supplies by creating tools to manage scheduling and school papers. Have kids help make and decorate a large family wall calendar to keep track of birthdays, appointments and school events. Then let each child decorate a cubby, folder or box where they’ll keep important school notes and homework so everything stays organized this fall — and year-round. Their new markers, crayons and colored pencils will help kids personalize their spot and express their creativity.Ready to get started? Check out all the items you’ll need for back-to-school prep at Crayola.com.