Back-to-school season is here! For some kids, it means returning to familiar classrooms and friends after summer break. For others, it means a major milestone: starting preschool or kindergarten, entering elementary school, or heading to a new school for the first time. A new classroom, a new teacher, new friends, and a backpack packed and ready to go can make those first days especially exciting.
Of course, there’s plenty to organize before the big day arrives. To help your family focus more on the excitement and less on the prep, we’ve put together a practical list of back-to-school essentials, plus a few simple ways to keep your child’s supplies, clothes, and gear from ending up in the school lost-and-found. Personalized name labels can make everything from lunch boxes to water bottles to jackets to school supplies easier to identify and return.
Back-to-School Essentials for Kids: What Does Your Child Really Need?
Once you have your child’s school supply list and first-day information, it’s time to start checking off the back-to-school basics. From choosing the right backpack to gathering everyday classroom essentials, there’s quite a bit to think about—especially when your child is starting school for the first time. Here’s what to consider as you work through your back-to-school shopping list and which details can make everyday school life a little easier.
Choosing the Right Backpack
A backpack will be part of your child’s school routine every day, so choosing one that’s comfortable, practical, and durable is worth a little extra time. Look for a backpack that’s appropriately sized for your child, with two wide, padded shoulder straps and enough compartments to keep school supplies organized. Encourage your child to use both shoulder straps, and check the backpack regularly so unnecessary books, papers, and supplies aren’t adding extra weight.
If your child walks or bikes to school, reflective details can also help make the backpack more visible in low-light conditions. And while the design may not affect how well a backpack works, it certainly matters to the child carrying it! Letting your child help choose a color or design they love can make getting ready for school a little bit more exciting.
Don’t forget to label the backpack, too. A personalized name label placed inside the bag or in another discreet spot can make it easier to identify without changing the look of your child’s favorite backpack.
School Supplies
Pencils, crayons, glue sticks, scissors—starting school comes with plenty of little supplies. Common elementary school supplies may include #2 pencils, erasers, crayons or colored pencils, glue sticks, child-safe scissors, folders, notebooks or composition books, dry-erase markers, a pencil box or pouch, and headphones or earbuds. Always follow your child’s school or teacher supply list before buying or labeling everything, since some classrooms use shared supplies.
Exactly what’s needed varies from school to school, so check your child’s supply list before stocking up. Some schools provide certain classroom materials, while others ask families to bring them.
When your child’s teacher asks families to label individual supplies, slim pencil labels and mini name labels make it easier to mark pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, and other small items without covering them in permanent marker.
Lunch Boxes and Water Bottles
Lunch boxes, reusable water bottles, and snack containers are everyday back-to-school essentials, but they’re also easy to leave behind or mix up. Check your school’s recommendations for reusable bottles and other food or drink containers before you shop. If you’re packing foods that need to stay cold, an insulated lunch bag and reusable ice pack can help keep lunch fresh until it’s time to eat.
With so many similar colors and designs in the cafeteria, adding name labels to lunch boxes, bottles, and containers makes it easier for misplaced items to find their way back to your child.
PE Clothes, Shoes, and Gear
Depending on the school and grade level, your child may also need athletic shoes, PE clothes, or other gym gear. Depending on the school, your child may need a pair of athletic shoes kept at school, a change of clothes, or a separate PE bag. Check the school’s requirements before buying anything specifically for gym class.
If your child does bring separate PE gear, label the bag, shoes, and clothing so they’re easier to identify. Large name labels are useful for clearly marking the bag, and they can also help identify shoes and other belongings.
Name Labels: One Less Thing to Worry About on the First Day
With so many new routines to learn, keeping track of belongings shouldn’t have to be another big challenge. Name labels make it easier for children to recognize what’s theirs and for teachers and school staff to return items that end up in the wrong place.
Stick-on name labels are an easy way to mark school supplies and everyday belongings without reaching for a permanent marker. They’re especially handy for clothes and gear you may eventually pass down to a younger sibling, donate, or resell.
A few minutes spent labeling backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, jackets, and other school gear now can save a lot of digging through the lost-and-found later. More importantly, it gives your child one less thing to keep track of while they’re getting used to a new classroom, teacher, and routine.
Shop personalized name labels for school supplies, clothing, lunch boxes, water bottles, and more to help your child’s back-to-school essentials find their way home.
