Help - Shopping for an 8 Year Old

[JuliaM]

The firm I work at does an outreach program filling a backpack with school supplies and buying a first day of school outfit for area homeless children. This year, my department have been given an 8 year old girl to shop for. I'm hoping some of you might be able to help me out and give me ideas about what kinds of clothes 8 year old girls like. Also, what kind of backpack would an she like? Something like Hello Kitty or a solid color (if so, what color). Neither I nor the rest of my colleauges have chilren...or know any little girls so any help you can offer would be very much appreciated.

[Milmomma]

My son is 8... but the girls in his class seem to keep it simple. Jeans or jean skirt and cute old school cartoon soft tee. My daughter loves flats with skirts. Backpack I'd totally keep it solid, matches more that way!
Are you given their favorite color or any info? If not I'd go with pink or purple.

[JuliaM]

Thanks. Uh...just one question...old school cartoon? I'm going to assume that I might not be thinking right since I'm thinking something like the Flintstones or Scooby Doo.

The only info we get is the child's name, gender, age, grade and size.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I would think you could make it really easy on yourself and go to Old Navy, and anything they have there would work if you kept it simple. (don't try to over-dress her)

[sczos911]

This is really awesome!!
I have an eight year old entering 3rd grade (how this happened, I don't know!!) and she is in love with anything neon & black. I would go with a plainer backpack.
She's not terribly girly, but she leans towards jeans and a t-shirt (slim fitted like this http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-147...girls-7-16.jsp) with a quirky saying on it or a cat on it. Tennis shoes that are neon and...black...
My six year old loves these skirts from Kohls (http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-129...Clearance=true) and a t-shirt. LOVES them as in would wear one everyday if she could.

[JuliaM]

Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin

I would think you could make it really easy on yourself and go to Old Navy, and anything they have there would work if you kept it simple. (don't try to over-dress her)

I didn't even think of Old Navy. Honestly, I have no clue how "dressed up" kids get for the first day of school now. If I remember right when I started 4th grade I think i had a peasant style dress and black pateant leather Mary Janes. But...that was 1978 and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work today. *LOL*

[BrattyMeg]

yeah I'd do some basics like jeans, a khaki skirt, skort, or pants...my kids wear uniforms but on weekends and after school we do a lot of ON and Crazy 8. Justice is another ok store for that age..maybe a tad older on some of the styles but it caters to the tween crowd.

[JuliaM]

Originally Posted by sczos911

This is really awesome!!
I have an eight year old entering 3rd grade (how this happened, I don't know!!) and she is in love with anything neon & black. I would go with a plainer backpack.
She's not terribly girly, but she leans towards jeans and a t-shirt (slim fitted like this http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-147...girls-7-16.jsp) with a quirky saying on it or a cat on it. Tennis shoes that are neon and...black...
My six year old loves these skirts from Kohls (http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-129...Clearance=true) and a t-shirt. LOVES them as in would wear one everyday if she could.

We were wondering if neon was popular. Thanks for the help.

[abm234]

I have 9 year old girls and they LOVE anything with animals on it. If the notebook or folder has a puppy dog or kitty cat they are THRILLED.

[breakingbrie]

My girls are really into skirts and dresses right now, and they're also over the moon about kitties and puppies on stuff, like Amy said ^^ Those skirts that Steph linked to are kind of what mine are into right now, and yes, the neon as well

My girls are getting ready to be 8, and they're waaaaay into my little ponies, but some of their friends are into hello kitty, and they barely know what that is, so characters can be hit or miss.

[julifish]

My daughter is 10 and we just finished doing our first back to school shopping. JC Penny has some great jean capri's on sale for $9.99, they also had some cute jean leggings for the Fall that would be versatile. I would keep it to dark to medium colored denim or black. I agree with everyone else. T-shirts with cute sayings are a big hit. They also had some fun striped shirts at JC Penny you could wear with jeans and would be comfy for school. Is it cold where you live in the Fall? A zip up hooded jacket out of sweatshirt material would be nice to layer on top. My kids wear them to the bus stop and we live in Florida.

Target usually has underwear and socks on sale this time of year for their big multi-packs. That would be a good addition because who doesn't need socks and underwear? Old Navy graphic t's are always a big hit here. You can get the zip up hoodies there as well.

For school supplies do you know what school? Our schools have a certain set of supplies the kids have to bring. If you don't have a list then things that are always good to have at home are extra pencils, spiral notebooks, glue sticks for projects, thin and thick markets, erasers. Target always has a few things on sale super cheap each week.

As for backpacks, I'd go simple with no characters because at this age personalities are so different. Turquoise, black, pink are all big right now and mix of those would cover all bases in my opinion.

It's so kind of you and your co-workers to do this! I'm sure this little girl will be thrilled.

[Milmomma]

Originally Posted by JuliaM

I didn't even think of Old Navy. Honestly, I have no clue how "dressed up" kids get for the first day of school now. If I remember right when I started 4th grade I think i had a peasant style dress and black pateant leather Mary Janes. But...that was 1978 and I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work today. *LOL*

ON has these old school Tom & Jerry soft T's. And other characters like Hello Kitty and such. My kids love them. They seem really popular here as well with others at their school. That's what I was thinking. Sorry for not clarifying earlier.

[Jenn Barrette]

Jeans can be hard to fit, so maybe a coordinating outfit with leggings, skirt and t-shirt? Neon and black is popular this year for sure.

[Milmomma]

Originally Posted by Jenn Barrette

Jeans can be hard to fit, so maybe a coordinating outfit with leggings, skirt and t-shirt? Neon and black is popular this year for sure.

I'd vote for elastic waist or the jeans with the adjustable waist like Old Navy's those are great for like Jenn said, hard to fit kids. (like my own)

[MommaTrish]

I dunno about leggings. Unless they're paired with a skirt (and from what I've seen in the boys' classes most of the girls there only rarely wear skirts) leggings aren't allowed at our school. Just something to thinks about. Neither are strappy/sleeveless shirts or shorts that go above the knee.

[JuliaM]

Thanks for all the suggestions/advice. It's really helpful...moreso than my cousin who suggested skipping the clothes, school supplies and backpack and just getting and iPad.

I've checked and can't seem to find what the dress code is for Boston Public Schools. Apparently, there's no set dress code citywide and varies from some schools that have uniforms and some that, I guess, only care that you actually have on clothes. Since the info we were given doesn't mention anything about uniforms, I'm going to assume she's not in one of those schools. Otherwise, I'll just stick to the safeside which shouldn't be too hard for me. I can't tell you how many times I look a children and my thought is "you parents let you go to school in that?"

[pewtertm]

My daughter will be 8 in the fall. Leggings with a skirt and T are popular. Neon colors with black. Justice, Target, and Walmart all have a decent selection. As far as cartoon stuff, Monster High (which I hate but a lot of kids love) and Hello Kitty are good bets for that age.

[misserin]

I'll give Old Navy another shout out. My daughter is about to turn 10, but a funky t-shirt of some sort and skinny jeans are usually what she gravitates towards. And true, all ON pants have the adjustable waist in them so that's nice. For the backpack, I'd just go with a funky pattern of some sort...girly, but not too girly in case she's not into that. Maybe something in teal or purple rather than pink. Though, my little lady would go gaga for a hello kitty backpack! Too bad they don't let you know a little more about her!