Back to School Guide

Well, the day has finally arrived and your little baby is now going to preschool, Pre-K, or kindergarten. Where has the time gone? Time is seriously a thief! I feel like I just held Lila on my chest at the hospital and now she’s off on her own! Cue the tears. 

With the new year approaching, I figured I would share my shopping list, what I will be packing in her backpack day to day, and some skills we have been working on this summer before the year starts.

Think of it as your guide to preparing for school. You can never be 100% prepared, but hopefully, this helps with an almost seamless transition!

what you can expect in this guide

• shopping list

• what to pack in the actual bag

• skills/ things we have been working on before school

shopping list

Wondering what you need to stock up on before the school year? It’s simple - CLOTHES YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT. Take it from me, their clothes will get trashed during the school year. They will most likely get muddy, dirty, sandy, and sticky daily. So maybe not send them to school in a picture-perfect outfit. 

Below you will find a shopping list visual and click HERE for specific items I got for Lila! These items can also be found under “shopping guide.”

what I’m packing in the actual bag

Alright so now you have the goods, let’s pack the bag! 

Before I start packing. I will label absolutely EVERYTHING. Every shirt, every bag, every everything. As frustrating as it is to label every item, it makes everyone’s job easier. Your child will learn how to identify their name, teachers can keep track of items in the classroom, and you can easily spot your belongings. 

Once I label the bag, I’ll add in:

• Bento box with snacks packed in a lunchbox

• Make sure to check your center’s allergy policies 

• Water bottle

• Extra set of clothes in a Ziploc bag (most schools will have a place you keep extra clothes so you don’t have to lug them back and forth)

• Long and short sleeve shirts 

• Pants 

• Socks 

• Undies, diapers/pullups, or wipes

• Plastic grocery bags for dirty clothes 

• An old pair of sneakers/shoes 

• Sweatshirt/sweater in case it’s cold

• Weather-dependent outer wear

• For example, if it’s rainy - rainboots and a raincoat

• Medications (LABELED) 

• These are usually handled by the parent/guardian and turned in to the nurse or medical professional and are to be kept at school

• Comfort item or lovey 

• A comfort item or lovey can help your child feel less homesick. They may be able to bring a special item in their bag and can give it a hug/kiss during the day!

• Nap/rest time items

• Many schools have a policy where you bring the rest time items in on a Monday and then they will be sent home on Friday so you can wash them over the weekend

skills/things we have been doing before school

And it may not be what you think

When we think of school readiness we usually think “Let’s start with those concepts like learning letters Andy numbers!” And yes, those academic skills are important but there are so many other skills too. In fact, these areas of focus will make your child more confident going to school, encourage their independence, and build their self-esteem. So let’s break down the skills I have been working on all summer with our almost 3-year-old before she starts preschool for the first time! 

1. flip, flop, over the top!

Putting on a coat takes practice and repetition! There is also nothing sweeter than seeing your child beam with confidence as they learn this new skill. Imagine being a teacher with 20 students and they all have to get their coats on at the same time to go outside. Seems daunting, right? This is one step closer to making your child more independent! 

To do flip, flop, over the top:

• Have your child put their coat on the floor but upside down  

• Have them put their hands in the arm holes and lift the coat up and over their head

• Now the coat is on their body and can be zipped! 

Bonus points if they can practice their zippers too!

2. coughing or sneezing into your elbow

This is another one that is second nature but unless someone taught you, how would you know what is appropriate sneezing and coughing behavior? 

We have been practicing sneezing and coughing into the elbow to prevent the spread of germs. A great way to explain how germs spread is to take a spray bottle with water and pretend to sneeze or cough while you spray the water. This illustrates just how easily germs can spread and is an easy way to keep us healthy! 

3. completing independent tasks

Maybe your child has been home with you every day since day one, they have been with Grammy or a babysitter, or maybe they have gone to daycare. Either way, class sizes are probably going to be a bit larger when they go to preschool, Pre-K, or kindergarten. They are going to have lots of other classmates and anywhere from 1-3 teachers, making help less accessible at the drop of a hat. You can practice independent tasks all around your house. Examples include: folding laundry, setting the table, putting toys away, and feeding the animals.

4. talk up the expectations

School is unchartered territory and is filled with many lingering questions. Before the start of the year, start talking about what they can expect at school. Some topics include:

• What will happen at drop off/ pickup

• Their teacher and his/her name

• Where they can go to use the bathroom

• What can they do if they need help

• Who can they ask for help and what if someone isn’t available right away

• Where items are in their backpack 

You can also “play school” as a rehearsal for the big day! 

5. age appropriate sharing

Turn-taking and sharing can be complicated for our little ones! It’s hard to share and will require some adult mediation in the beginning. I want to preface by saying this is NOT forced sharing. I would never expect Lila to hand over a toy willingly the minute Brodie comes over. This is simply respecting both children and giving them an opportunity to play together. We follow this script at home:

Let’s say Brodie is playing with a toy and Lila comes over and wants to use it.

Lila can say “Can I use that toy?”

Brodie would say “I’m using that right now, but you can have a turn when I’m done.” 

We are respecting Brodie’s time and space with the toy and acknowledging Lila’s feelings that she would like a turn too. When he’s all done, it’s Lila’s turn. As they get older they will be able to mediate the problem themselves but I find that when they are younger they really need the specific language.

I hope this guide was helpful and I wish you nothing but good luck this upcoming school year!