School starts in a blink.
One day you are buying their first uniform, taking that photo on the front step, and wondering how they got so big so fast. And then somehow it is the end of the year, and you are trying to remember who their teacher was, what they were obsessed with, and what their handwriting looked like back then.
That is exactly why My School Days exists. And it is exactly why, since launching in October 2023, it has become our most loved product, with over 300 copies sold and every single review a five star.
But what actually makes it so special? We asked ourselves that question too. Here is what the parents who use it have told us.
It is a school memory book designed for the New Zealand schooling structure
Most school record books you find online are designed for overseas school systems. They do not account for Year 0 starts, starting midway through the year, they do not go through to Year 13, and they do not reflect the way New Zealand families experience school.
My School Days was designed specifically for New Zealand children, with options for Year 0 to 13 or Year 1 to 13 depending on when your child started school. And following feedback from parents, we have now also released stage-specific versions covering primary school, intermediate, and high school separately, for families who want to focus on one school level at a time.
As one parent told us: "I love that there is a year 0 or year 1 option depending when the kids started school."
It captures the details you will actually want to remember
There is a difference between a book that looks beautiful on a shelf and one that actually gets filled in year after year.
My School Days is designed to be used. Each year includes space for photos, teacher and classmate names, favourite subjects and activities, achievements and milestones, and a space for your child to write their own name and draw a picture. It grows with them, in their own handwriting, their own words.
One parent described it perfectly: "It's cool the child can be involved themselves by writing their name each year and drawing a picture to go with it."
Another told us she fills hers in at the end of each term so she does not forget the details by year end, and already loves flipping back to photos from the previous year.
The pockets are a game changer
Every year section includes a premium reinforced heavy-duty clear pocket, designed to hold certificates, artwork, special notes, and school mementos.
It sounds like a small detail. But talk to any parent who has a pile of swimming certificates and handwritten Mother's Day cards stuffed in a drawer with nowhere to go, and you will understand why this is one of the most mentioned features in our reviews.
"The clear sleeves to hold certificates is exactly what you need."
"I love the additional sleeve for extra photos and memorabilia."
"There's just enough space for me to include the annual school photo in the sleeve."
The quality is built to last 13 years
A school record book is not a product you buy and use once. It needs to survive being picked up, put down, added to, and eventually handed to your grown up child as one of the most meaningful gifts they will ever receive.
My School Days is printed locally in Wellington, New Zealand on premium 150gsm inner pages, with a sturdy gloss covers and spiral binding that allows the book to open flat and expand as you add mementos over the years.
"I'm so impressed with the quality and simple layout."
"Beautifully designed, high quality book with everything you need in a school record journal."
One grandparent who purchased their fourth copy told us the books "hold a multitude of memories of school days otherwise forgotten as time passes."
It is the kind of gift that gets passed down
What starts as a practical purchase becomes something much more.
Several parents have told us they wish they had found it sooner. One mum of an eight and ten year old spent time going through old photos with her kids to fill in the earlier years, turning the process itself into a memory. Another family has purchased books for all four of their children and plans to give them to their kids one day to look back on.
"I can't wait to give our kids these books one day so they can look back and remember each year."
"These will be a treasured keepsake in our house for years to come."
"Being able to support another Mama while having something I can keep forever is an added bonus."
Available personalised or standard
My School Days comes in two versions.
The standard version is available in Schoolies and Graffiti cover designs, gender neutral and ready to start filling in from day one.
The personalised version includes your child's name printed on the cover and inside pages, making it feel uniquely theirs from the very first page. Available in Alphabet, Doodles, and Schoolies designs.
Both versions are also available in stage-specific editions covering primary, intermediate, and high school separately.
300 copies. 17 reviews. Every single one five stars.
We are proud of a lot of things about this book. But what we are most proud of is this: every single person who has left a review has given it five stars.
Not because it is perfect, but because it does exactly what it promises. It helps New Zealand families capture the school years in a way that is simple, beautiful, and built to last.
If your child is starting school soon, is already a few years in, or you are looking for a meaningful gift for a family you love, this is the book we would put in your hands.