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Back to school ready at Teesside Park

Get prepped for the new term with Teesside’s go-to stores for the essentials, uniform swap shops, arts and crafts, books, lunch boxes plus grooming and beauty finds for tweens and teens. 

With kids-eat-free offers and special menus, family movies plus really easy parking and public transport, we’re making back-to-school shopping simple. Plan a day out or come back over the holidays to keep them entertained and get organised…  

1. The essentials…

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From uniform to regulation black shoes and sports kits, we’ve created the ultimate downloadable back-to-school guide so you can tick off the key pieces as you go. Plus, we’ve got Asda Living, JD Sports, Charles Clinkard, Clarks, Marks & Spencer, Next, schuh, Skechers, SportsDirect.com and TK Maxx for everything you need. 

Finally don’t forget: pick up kids’ vitamins, antihistamine and more from Boots, Poundland, Holland & Barrett and Superdrug.  

Download the back to school checklist

2. Bags, water bottles and lunch boxes

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River Island’s huge totes and shoppers are the go-to bags for teens at the moment (plus their handy Take Back Scheme means you can donate any three items from any brand for a £5 voucher the next time you shop). 

TK Maxx, Asda Living and Next have rucksacks and backpacks for younger children, lunch boxes and water bottles (head to ProCook for stainless steel bottles and JD Sports for sporty designs). 

3. Grooming and beauty bits for teens

Get stocked up on with natural deodorants, shower gels, vegan and afro hair products and great teen skincare from Boots and Superdrug (CeraVe’s cleansers, moisturisers and toners, Boots’ own range witch hazel and Byoma are inexpensive and good for all skin types). Poundland means you can get all the basics: toothpaste, cotton wool and hair accessories in one quick sweep. 

4. Kids-eat-for-free and children’s menus to know

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Top tip: join Friday’s Stripes Rewards and kids can eat for free when you order an adult meal. Order from the Little League or Major League sections of the kids’ menu and choose from chicken burger or tenders, hot dog, two sides and a fizzy fruit cooler. 

Enjoy lunch with kids’ menus from Pizza Express (doughballs, pizza or pasta with salad, dessert, a Bambicino and activity pack for £7.75); Marks & Spencer (£4 for main with snack and drink) and Nando’s (£5.95 for main, two sides and dessert or drink – bottomless frozen yoghurt anyone?). Plus, we’re always home to the crowd pleasers with Hotel Chocolat, Burger King, Five Guys, Greggs, KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Tim Hortons. Keep checking our offers page for special summer kids’ menus too. 

5. Stationery, books, arts and crafts

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One handy tip for helping them to do their homework is to create a home study space they’ll love. If they’ve got an organised pencil case, post-its and highlighters, things are that much more simple – check out the gorgeous stationery at The Works, WH Smith, TK Maxx and Asda Living. 

For helpful study books and inspired reads, head to The Works and WH Smith too or for crafting ideas and art supplies such as sketchpads and paints, Hobbycraft is brilliant. Currys is great for tablets, laptops, headphones, calculators and Bluetooth speakers. 

6. Shopping treats and fun finds

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Asda Living and TK Maxx have everything from Barbies to Play-Doh and mini surprises for £10 and under. There are also two children’s play areas outside Marks & Spencer and Next to let off some shopping steam. 

7. Family entertainment

Once you’re all done with the shops, head to the Showcase Cinema De Lux. Summer movies are still going strong with Barbie (out 21 July), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (out 4 August) and Strays (out 18 August). Or start the weekend with a bowling day out (early birds get 25% off with games before 11am) at Hollywood Bowl. 

Watch this space for new openings coming in 2023. 

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Last updated Friday 25 August, 2023