Ah, the day has come when they are finally starting school! I bet they have talked of little else for months! You’ve done the list, the uniform, the pe kit, the kids school bag. Now.. you need to consider what to put in the bag.
A light rain coat or a mall foldaway umbrella if you walk to school.
A spare pair of underwear. Even if your child is completely potty trained, school days can be very anxious for them, and also very tiring. Many children who have never wet themselves at school and have spare underwear or trousers will be very helpful.
Packed lunch if they’re having it. Remember to check the school policy on lunch. Many don’t allow any sweets or fizzy drinks. We love lunch boxes with different compartments so you can mix up the lunch whilst still ensuring they get a wide spread of foods.
Book Bag or homework bag. Many children will be given a folder or bag for their school work. Check this every night to see what they have to do (for young children its usually just a 5-10 minute homework session) or for any notes the teacher may have sent you. Whilst many schools now run text services, teachers still often do personal notes in childrens bags.
A reusable water bottle, every day! Put their name or some distinguishing features on it, you will be amazed how many of the same brand or type might be in the same class. If you have bought a quality water bottle like Klean Kanteen or fosh, you don’t want it going missing!
You might want to leave the following in school:
Change of clothes. For any accidents that may occur, from ripped trousers, to toilet accidents to even spilling something all over themselves!
PE Kit.This may or may not be needed and may need to go in weekly, usually in a separate bag.
Suncream, seasonally. Schools often request suncream to be sent in sunny weather.
Pencil case with pencils. Children will like to feel grown up and might love having their very own grown up pencil case complete with pencils in.
Don’t be tempted to put the kitchen sink into the bag. Keep it light enough for them. The weight of the bag should be no more than 10-15% of the weight of the child. Also don’t put any toys or gadgets in the bag, schools will probably have a policy on these in any case so again worth checking with the school in advance.
A worry doll. If your child is anxious about school you can consider giving them a tiny worry doll to put into their bag or something else from home that they know they can hold to help them with their anxiety.
A pack of tissues or a reusable wipe may also be useful. So many bugs go around toddlers and reception classes that having something to wipe their noses with may prove very useful!
