Get Grandchildren Psyched for School

For back-to-school, backpacks are as essential as turkey on Thanksgiving. A dramatically colorful sack is a fresh and exciting replacement for last year's tired old knapsack. Our picks for girls are this Kids Messenger Bag, and the Patches Large Backpack.

Kids Messenger Bag in Pink Ogo by Fleurville: $50
For ages: 5 to 10
Available at: Littlejetset.com

Patches Large Backpack from Agatha Ruiz de la Prada: $54
For ages: 6 and older
Available at: Littlejetset.com

When it comes to lugging his gear and gadgets around, your grandson's level of concern for the right bag can match that of your fashionista granddaughter. The Taylor Backpack from Ogio has a suspended, padded laptop sleeve that will fit his 15-inch laptop and a fleece-lined audio pocket with a headphone port for his MP3 player, and the "Reverse Carry System," (i.e., extra straps) for his skateboard. Yes, the backpack also has plenty of room for books.

Taylor Backpack in Icon Print from Ogio: $50
For ages: 12 and older
Available at: Bagsbuy.com

We thought it was impossible to improve on those classic black-and-white, marble-pattern composition notebooks until we discovered the Little Miss Matched styles. The bright and cheery, surprisingly durable notebooks are available in multihued patterns like polka-dots and stripes, and the hard plastic covers will surely withstand more wear and tear than the traditional cardboard. Gift one to your granddaughter with a color-coordinated, vinyl pencil case and inspire a lifetime of extensive notetaking.

Notebook in Aqua Zany Dots: $12
Pencil Pouch in Zany Black: $10
For all ages
Available at: Littlemissmatched.com

There are still a few weeks of summer left to while away, but there's also a fun way to get your grandchildren fired up for the upcoming school year. Word Chase! is a game of speed that teaches beginning readers basic building-blocks to reading and popular "sight words." Players draw cards with words that correspond to icons on the game board, then race to match all their cards and reach "home." We suggest letting your grandchildren win at least a few rounds to maximize both the fun and learning factors. Additional cards are included for an educational game of Go Fish.

Price: $20
For ages: 4 and older
Available at: Fatbraintoys.com

A color-loaded workbook for the very youngest math students, the Math Readiness Sticker Workbook teaches the basics like counting from 1 to 12, comparing values, and telling time. The included stickers provide a more-tactile learning experience than your average educational DVD or video game, and help disguise the early prep-work as extra summer fun.

Price: $8
For ages: 4 to 6
Available at: Schoolzone.com

The Didj Custom Gaming System from Leapfrog is like the techie, educational equivalent of sneaking vitamins into your grandchildren's desserts. A smart, handheld gaming device, the Didj connects to a computer, where players can upload games based on a curriculum of math, spelling, and language arts. Players choose their level of difficulty and then spend hours solving math and word problems to reach advanced levels. Think of your grandchildren quickly solving a series of multiplication problems as their Indiana Jones avatar successfully jumps over a series of obstacles. For tween grandchildren, the Didj provides a long engagement in gaming and skill-building

For ages: 6 to 10
Price: $90
Available at: Leapfrog.com/didj

Creative, campus busybodies will need something better than a blank tablet to organize their brilliant thoughts and manage extracurricular projects. The Action Notebook from Behance Projects features a special template to organize the products of student council and yearbook meetings, and help your grandchildren turn those ideas into "action steps." There is also a dot-matrix pattern on each page that serves as a "subtle guide" for their meeting-time doodles. Aside from a smart design, the notebooks have a suede-like cover to make them superdeluxe.

Price: $15
For all ages, but we think grandchildren in high school or college will probably get the most out of it
Available at: Creativesoutfitter.com

College-bound grandchildren looking to out-fashion their future dorm-mates will need bold and playfully patterned campus accessories. This Boho Shower Caddy is a chic touch of comfort for your granddaughter who's sharing quarters with the rest of her floor. The Navy Stripe Sweater Organizer keeps closet-things tidy in cramped living conditions.