Tutor helps keiki make the grade

If your child is struggling with schoolwork or needs help preparing for exams, Brain Builders’ tutoring services can build self-confidence and make homework a fun activity instead of a dreaded task. Karen Gibson, a former special-education teacher and marketing director, has offered private tutoring to students of all ages but primarily works with children in kindergarten to seventh grade in the Mililani area. For the past 15 years, she has employed Brain Gym exercises in her tutoring sessions, which use simple body movements that synchronize the two hemispheres of the brain. Cost is $50 per hour; $60 for a 90-minute session. Call 306-5374 or visit her blog at karenthebrainbuilder.blogspot. com.

— Nancy Arcayna

Fisher Hawaii is school-supply mecca

My daughter will soon be a high school junior, and through the years there’s been no place like Fisher Hawaii for getting her ready for school. Upon its endless shelves you’ll find everything from standard folder paper to fountain-pen ink, all at great prices. We’ve relied on Fisher for tough-to-find items such as nonstandard mechanical pencil lead, specialty calculators and measuring tools for mathematics. There’s also quite an array of fine-art supplies. Fisher has been our go-to for sketching and watercolor paper as well as colored pencils, paints and brushes. Pictured are Bruynzeel watercolor pencils ($21.59-$79.64). Fisher Hawaii’s main store is in Kakaako at 450 Cooke St.; there’s also a Fort Street Mall location. Visit fisherhawaii.biz.

— Joleen Oshiro

Pack kids’ lunches in a ‘Star Wars’ bag

Attention “Star Wars” fans: It’ll be hard to know whether you got this R2-D2 lunch bag for yourself or for your kid. (It sure drew a crowd when I brought it to the office for a photo.) Made by Thermos, the soft, insulated, 11.25-inch-tall bag has a button that will get the ’droid talking and lighting up. A zipper runs all the way around R2-D2’s head for easy access to the contents. I found it at Target for $16.99, but it’s also available for $14.99 at thermos.com.

— Nina Wu

Free apps educate all year long

My good friend Maile, a Hanahau‘oli School teacher and tutu, turned me on to Free App Friday, which is exactly what it sounds like: a weekly roundup of well-reviewed kids’ apps, both educational and fun, that can be downloaded for free. I found myself giggling at one recent offering — The Human Body by Tinybop, which entertains with animated and interactive body parts and functions. You can hear the heart beat, stomach gurgle and lungs breathe. Select a snack and watch as the food is chewed, swallowed, digested and excreted (lots of laughs there!). Sadly, The Human Body now costs $2.99 at the app store, providing the harsh lesson that you have to act fast while the offerings are free via freeappfriday.com. You can even sign up for email alerts.

— Christie Wilson

Umbrella will comfort new student

First there’s the school supply list and then there are the extras you pick up to ease first-day-of-school nerves. This critter umbrella falls into the second category. The 28-inch-diameter umbrella is just the right size to keep my kindergartner dry through any mauka showers, while the monster will help frighten away his jitters. Toysmith umbrellas come in a variety of animals, all with pop-up eyes, ears, fins or other parts, for $9.33 to $15.62 on amazon.com.

— Donica Kaneshiro