Back to school checklist

The list adapts to you

When you add it, the checklist asks a couple of questions and keeps only the items that fit your situation.

• Starting first grade? NoYes

What's inside

1. Wait for the teacher's list before buying supplies

   Every teacher has specific requirements for notebooks and supplies. Guess-shopping usually means returns.

2. Backpack with a firm back panel — fitted in person

   Wide straps, supportive back, light when empty. Fit it in person: no wider than the shoulders, no lower than the waist.

3. Pencil case: 5 pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler

   Extra pens — they vanish in bulk. A sharpener with a shavings container, or the backpack pays the price.

4. Notebooks and covers

   Quantity and ruling per the teacher's list. Get covers for everything at once, textbooks included.

5. Indoor shoes and a shoe bag

   Light, non-slip, ideally no laces. Label the bag — indoor shoes are the #1 lost item.

6. PE kit — for the gym and outdoors

   Two sets: t-shirt and shorts for the gym, tracksuit and trainers for outdoor sessions.

7. Check the school's uniform or dress code

   Some schools mandate a specific uniform supplier, others just a dress code. Check before shopping.

8. Shirts or blouses — at least 3

   One on, one in the wash, one clean spare. Fewer than three means midnight ironing.

9. Desk and chair that fit their height

   Feet flat on the floor, desktop at elbow height. Adjustable ones survive several growth spurts.

10. Desk lamp

    Light from the left for right-handers, from the right for lefties. Warm or neutral light is easier on the eyes.

11. Shift bedtime 2 weeks before school starts

    15–20 minutes earlier each day — and the first 7am wake-up won't be a tragedy.

12. Walk the school route together

    A few times, talking through the crossings. Time the real walk while you're at it.

13. Health check and forms the school requires

    Ask the school what's due by September. Late-August clinic queues are the longest — go earlier.

14. Sort out school meals and the student card

    Cafeteria payment, entry pass, transit card — every school runs its own system, set it up ahead.

15. Water bottle

    Unbreakable and leak-proof — test the lid at home before it tests the backpack.

16. Label everything

    Shoes, PE kit, bags, bottle. Labeled things come back; unlabeled ones retire to lost-and-found.

17. Fit clubs and activities around the timetable

    Sign up early but realistically: leave time to eat and breathe between school and practice.

18. Help your child memorize a parent's phone number Yes

    By heart, not 'in the phone': phones die and get lost.

19. Put a contact card in the backpack Yes

    Child's name, parents' numbers, class. In an inner pocket the child knows about.

20. Register for after-school care — if you need it Yes

    Spots often fill before September. Also confirm who is allowed to pick the child up and how.

21. Plan the first day: outfit, flowers, photos Yes

    Order flowers ahead if that's your school's tradition, try the outfit on the day before, charge the phone for photos — this day happens once.

22. Keep the first weeks light on extra activities Yes

    Settling into school is a big job on its own. Adding clubs in October beats managing meltdowns in September.