Educational Outfitters - Phoenix: Latest News

Back to School Season - Why are we talking about that now????

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 11:24:49 +0000

School uniforms are a customized business and require lots of planning in order to have the proper apparel in the store by the time the shoppers arrive for back to school season . At Educational Outfitters, we have to start planning for the next school year in the fall prior. We place our orders and start producing embroidered goods so that we are ready for the summer's back to school season. The manufacturers need time to make the plaids and special items that are non-stock apparel.

Educational Outfitters starts our sales in May so that we can stagger our customers out throughout the summer. For the biggest savings, we recommend you shop between May 20th - May 31st (20% off!). Keep your tags on your apparel and we are happy to exchange it if your kids grow over the summer. Also, watch our sales in the Spring for some fantastic deals! It's never too early to shop, just leave those tags on!

We recommend you join our email list, which can be done on our website! You won't miss out on any special sales!

What is your New Year's Resolution?

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 19:26:14 +0000

It’s that time of year where many of us try to decide on our New Year’s resolution. What exactly is a New Year’s resolution? It’s a tradition most common in the Western Hemisphere where a person makes a commitment of self-improvement or, perhaps even offer consistent acts of kindness to others on a routine basis. Resolutions can be as simple as a young man deciding to support chivalry by executing qualities such as bravery, courtesy, honor and respect. Or, someone might decide it is time to change their bad eating habits. A school can even decide they are ready to resolve dress code issues by committing to a uniform. As one can see, resolutions vary and are quite vast.

Whatever resolution you choose for 2019, we offer our support and best wishes to you.

Building a Love for Reading in your Children

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 13:25:42 +0000

I joined a book club a few months ago and am so glad I did. I had really gotten away from reading over the last few years....I was always too busy. But now that I am in book club, I have a deadline and make sure I get my book read each month. I am really enjoying the books that have been picked and I actaully read 3 extra books so far and find it so relaxing.

That got me to thinking about how to build a love for reading in our kids. Here is a list of ideas that I found online, some old, some new, that can be a good ways to foster that love for reading in your own children:

1. Take your kids to the library often

2. Start a book club for your kids and their friends

3. Buy them a few audiobooks to listen to

4. Read a book with them and then take them to see the movie after you both finish the book

5. Make a nook or corner with a theme they like for them to relax in and read

6. Monkey see, monkey do.....if they see you reading, they will likely mimic the behavior

7. Discuss what they are reading with them

8. Read aloud together

9. Keep up with the authors they love and make sure they know when a new book is being released

10. Make what they are reading about into an adventure. If they are reading about a group of hikers, take them on a hike. If they are reading about farm animals, take them to the farm.

Happy Reading!!!!

Educational Outfitters of Phoenix

1628 E Southern Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

480-429-5136

Gearing up for Back to School

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 16:30:24 +0000

Can you believe it is already July? And those early school mornings are just around the corner. As parents, there are so many things we need to do to get ready for back to school and there are also things that we can do to prepare for the hectic mornings to come.

Start by rolling back bedtimes by a few minutes each night leading up to the first day of school.
Gather any school supply lists and start knocking off the items on the list early before the stores are ransacked!
Make sure all paperwork, including medical forms and enrollment packets are filled out and either ready to turn in or submitted early if possible.
Have each child try on all of their school uniforms and make notes of which items need replacing because they are too small or too stained or worn out. Do your back to school shopping early while the sale is still on at Educational Outfitters!
Think about lunches and begin to stock up on items that last longer, such as juice boxes, fruit snacks, etc.

Now that you are gearing up, start to get the kids excited about back to school.

Talk about the fun activities that are going to go on this year at school.
Let your kids pick out a new lunch box and backpack at Educational Outfitters!
Help them re-arrange their closets and get organized with their new uniforms all hung nicely

When the big day is here, make sure you have done all of the following:

Find a place to store all of the papers the kids will be bringing home
Start a family calendar that everyone can view so that both parents and the kids all know what is going on day to day
Plan out lunches a week in advance and prepare them the night before to help with time management in the mornings.
Enjoy the school year with your kiddos as time flies by so fast and you will blink and it will be another school year! We hope you have a great 2017-2018 school year and hope you come to visit us at Educational Outfittesr of Phoenix! We are located at 1628 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 858282, or cal us at 480-429-5136

Time Management for Parents

Tue, 02 May 2017 04:32:01 +0000

I am sure you are like me and never have enough time to get it all done! As a parent, we are busy people and we have lists of things needing to be done. I love these tips I found on www.parents.com, written by Gina Costa. She lends some very helpful ideas to getting things done and not over-stressing ourselves.

1. Assess your time. Look closely at how you spend your time. Experts say that most people spend up to an hour a day on tasks that could be put on hold or completely eliminated from their schedule.

2. Prioritize. The key to organization is knowing what's a priority and what can wait. Experts suggest that you divide your to-do list into three sections: those things that need to be taken care of immediately, those that can get done anytime during the week, and those that are long-term or ongoing projects.

3. Think ahead. Look for ways to delete steps from a task or cut the amount of time you spend getting ready. For instance, prepare as much as you can for morning the night before. Or set the table for the next meal with the dishes you unload from the dishwasher.

4. Organize, organize, organize. Get a file cabinet and keep a copy of everything. Keep a folder for each child so you know exactly where to find all of their information (school, doctors, etc.). Make copies of things such as phone numbers and class lists, and keep one at home and one at work.

5. Pick your battles. Decide what you can live with and what really gets under your skin. Maybe you can't stand a dirty floor, but you can live without the bed made just right.

6. Multitask. Learn to consolidate jobs and get things done during downtime. Pay bills or go over your child's homework while you're sitting in a waiting room. Get a phone headset so you can do other chores while making phone calls.

7. Ask for help. You don't have to be Supermom and do everything yourself. Recruit other resources when you're running short on time (and sanity). Consider bartering with another mom; she can run some errands for you one day and you can watch her son for two hours another day.

8. Give everyone a job. Whether it's sorting laundry, licking stamps, or picking things up, there are chores that even the littlest of helpers can do.

9. Post it. Hang a family wall calendar to keep track of everything from PTA meetings to doctor visits to movie dates with your husband. Post an ongoing grocery list on the fridge. Buy an erasable white board and hang it in the kitchen to post lists and reminders.

10. Be ready to go. Have a bag packed with essentials and keep it by the door. Fill it with baby gear, snacks, napkins, coloring books, stationery, stamps, etc.

11. Use the Internet. Pay bills online and have them automatically deducted from your bank account. Buy gifts from Web sites and save yourself from store crowds. Save time by researching items online before you head out to the stores. This way you'll know exactly where to go and what you're getting.

12. Put everything in its place. One of the biggest time-wasters is looking for lost items. Make sure things are put away after use so they don't get shoved someplace when you're in a hurry.

13. Consolidate. Keep everything of the same "subject" together in one place. Keep all of your children's sports uniforms in one drawer, or store the entire family's rain gear in one place.

14. Baskets are a Mom's best friend. Place a good-size basket in every room to store toys, books, videos, etc. Put one for each family member by the door to store backpacks, shoes, and whatever else goes out with that person in the morning.

15. Make extras. Whenever you cook a meal, always double (or triple) the recipe and freeze the extras. In addition, use paper plates and plastic utensils when you're running late or eating something simple. Save the good dishes for fancy meals.

As suggested in #11, use the internet! Purchase your school unifroms at www.phoenix.educationaloutfitters.com. We are having our 20% off sale from May 15 - 31, 2017, so why not get your back to school shopping done early and with ease by shopping online? You will be prepared for the next school year before this one is even over! Shop with Educational Outfitters of Phoenix at 1628 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282 or online for all of your uniform needs!

Play Ball!

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 22:08:51 +0000

Spring is here and we all know what that means.......BASEBALL season is here! America's favorite pasttime is something that brings people together whether it be at an MLB game or at your son's Little League game. It starts with The National Anthem, the jerseys are the best looking and haven't changed much in all the years, the coaches wear the uniforms as well, and then think about the food.....hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, nachos, pretzels, sunflower seeds, and cracker jacks. There are walk up songs, The Seventh Inning Stretch, an opening pitch by a famous person or someone being honored, the umpires and manager's arguments, the sound of cleats on concrete, and high socks and stirrups. There is nothing better than witnessing a no hitter, a perfect game, or a grand slam. Baseball has a magical quality and lots of great movies have been made about the sport: "The Natural", "A League of Their Own", "The Sandlot", and my favorite, "Field of Dreams". In one way or another, most people have some connection to this sport.

Semi-pro baseball clubs were formed in the United States in the 1860's, so this sport has been a big part of our country for a long time. Did you know women played baseball in WWII while the men were away fighting? There was fear the sport would die out with no one playing it, so there was a women's league started to keep the sport alive. It must have worked! More people play baseball than any other sport when you factor softball into the equation.

At Educational Outfitters, we can help you outfit your team, provide spirit wear for the fans, or help you with end of season gifts for the players. This baseball season, contact Educational Outfiters at (480) 429-5136 or visit us at 1628 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282. We'd love to help you with all of your baseball apparel needs and get you ready to "Play Ball!"

Celebrate Mardi Gras!

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:15:48 +0000

Oh how I love the food of New Orleans and Mardi Gras makes me think of all the great food I have eaten in NOLA. In addition to the food, which is AMAZING, New Orleans feels like a giant party year round, and Mardis Gras escalate that to a whole new level. Here are some interesting facts about Mardis Gras, courtesy of International Business Times article posted on 2/8/16:

"Mardi Gras" is French for Fat Tuesday.
Fat Tuesday is also known as Shrove Tuesday, a term that has its roots in the word "shrive," meaning "to absolve someone of their sins."
New Orleans is the most popular place to celebrate in the United States, but revelers also gather in Mobile, Alabama.
Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, which is always 46 days before Easter. Mardi Gras is always the day before.
Germany, Trinidad and Italy also host big festivals for the holiday.
In England, it's often called Pancake Tuesday, so named because it was a chance for people to use up their flour, sugar and eggs before Lent.
Partiers started wearing Mardi Gras masks to protect their identities while they celebrate. Today, people who ride on floats have to wear masks under law.
Various krewes put on parades for Mardi Gras. The oldest in New Orleans is the Krewe of Rex, which has been active since 1872.
Singer Harry Connick, Jr. helped found the Krewe of Orpheus in 1993. Guests in the parade since have included Whoopi Goldberg and Sandra Bullock.
More than 500,000 king cakes are sold every year in New Orleans. The circular cakes are often colored yellow, purple and green and usually include a plastic baby figurine baked inside. It's lucky to find the baby.

You can make your own Mardi Gras celebration at home this year. Cook up some jambalaya and buy a King Cake at the grocery store and you are all set! Decorate with some purple, yellow, and green and you will really feel festive.

Educational Outfitters at 1628 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282 wishes you a Happy Mardi Gras!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sun, 12 Feb 2017 11:56:31 +0000

Valentine's Day is a day to show the ones you love your affection. While some people say it's a "Hallmark Holiday", most women and men do enjoy receiving a small gift or such from their significant other. Children also love this holiday as it means a fun party at school and usually some yummy chocoate from mom and dad.

At Educational Outfitters, in honor of Valentine's Day, we are running a promotion through the end of February called "Share the Love'. If you spend $100 in our store, you receive 2 coupons valued at $10/each, one for yourself and one to give a friend. It's a great time of year to refresh some of the uniform items that may be getting small or maybe the white shirt isn't quite that white anymore.

And don't just think of us for school uniforms, we can help you monogram a last minute Valentine's Day gift, or make shirts for your new business. We also do sports apparel, promotional products, fun t-shirts, spirit wear, bling and much more.

Happy Valentine's Day from Educational Outfitters, located at 1628 E Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282 or call us at 480-429-5136.

It's a New Year!

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 14:11:52 +0000

Lots of people make New Year's Resolutions and by this time in January, most people have already given up on thier resolutions. So why do we make them if we aren't going to keep them? A resolution makes people feel positive about changes for the future. According to Pyschology Today, there are some tips for achieving your resolution:

Focus on one resolution, rather several and set realistic, specific goals. Losing weight is not a specific goal. Losing 10 pounds in 90 days would be;
Don't wait till New Year's eve to make resolutions. Make it a year long process, every day;
Take small steps. Many people quit because the goal is too big requiring too much effort and action all at once;
Have an accountability buddy, someone close to you to whom you have to report;
Celebrate your success between milestones. Don't wait the goal to be finally completed;
Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns. You have to create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits;
Focus on the present. What's the one thing you can do today, right now, towards your goal?
Be mindful. Become physically, emotionally and mentally aware of your inner state as each external event happens, moment-by-moment, rather than living in the past or future.

As we enter the end of January, you might be on track in your resolution, maybe you didn't make a resolution, or maybe you have already given up. It's never too late to chage the things that will better you in the future, so think about what is really important and focus on that and don't beat yourself up if you have stumbles along the way. The journey to our best self isn't easy and it requires work.

We at Educational Outfitters resolve to be your partner with uniforms, we resolve to have the best customer service in the industry, and we resolve to offer the best products we can find. Visit us soon!

Educational Outfitters

1628 E Southern Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

480-429-5136

The Equalizer

Sun, 08 Jan 2017 22:32:38 +0000

What are some of the first things that come to mind when you think of ‘school uniforms’? Crisp khakis and oxford button-downs or maybe it’s a plaid, pleated skirt. Does your mental image of school uniforms contain ivy-league, academic style buildings with luxury cars in the parking lot?

Not to bust the bubble…..but, reality is school uniforms are not just for exclusive prep schools. School uniforms and dress codes go far beyond the look and their benefits are seen in all types of schools – public, private, parochial, and charter.

Without a doubt, uniforms instill a sense of professionalism in all grade levels. Statistically speaking, uniforms have shown to have a positive impact on academic success. In 2010, the University of Houston performed a study and established that elementary school girls’ language test scores increased by approximately three percentile points after uniforms were introduced into their school (ProCon.org).

No matter the setting, uniforms and dress codes level out and act as a socioeconomic buffer and put all students on an even playing field when it comes to their daily attire. Once uniforms are implemented in schools, the focus can be placed on academics.

We, at Educational Outfitters, a premier provider of school uniform, dress code apparel, spirit wear, corporate apparel, and team wear, want to help you with your school uniform or dress code needs.

Educational Outfitters

1628 E Southern Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 429-5136