When the start of school is approaching, it’s smart to be well prepared. Here you will get an overview of things you should have ready before starting school and ideas for what should be in the school bag.

• Pencil case (Checklist – it is not certain that the child needs to bring everything on the list)
• Pencils (either regular or mechanical)
• Pencil leads or pencil sharpener
• Colored pencils or markers
• Eraser
• Ballpoint pen
• Calculator
• Ruler
• Compass
• Protractor
• Notebooks – in some places, children need to bring their own notebooks, while other schools provide them. Ask your child’s school if you are unsure if your child needs to bring notebooks.
• Lunchbox + water bottle + optional fruit bag
• Gym clothes + shoes
• Spare clothes + rain gear – it’s heavy to carry changing clothes and rain gear between home and school every day. Maybe your child has a box or hook where they can keep it?
• Slippers – In some schools, outdoor shoes are not allowed inside. Choose a pair of indoor shoes that your child likes to wear, slippers, sneakers, or slippers. It doesn’t matter as long as they are completely clean and the child enjoys wearing them.
• PC + charger or iPad
• Calendar or homework book
• Your child’s school will definitely tell you exactly what your child should have in the school bag, so you don’t buy unnecessary equipment.

Set a name on the child’s clothes and belongings

School children can also forget, swap, or lose belongings. Name labels are not a guarantee that belongings will not be lost, but with a name tag in clothes or on the child’s belongings, there is a much greater likelihood that lost items will be returned. Write a phone number so others can contact you if they find a clothing item with the child’s name tag.

Remember to have these things ready at home:

• Book covers
• Stickers with the child’s name and class to put on the books
• Name tags for clothes, etc.
• Iron-on labels if you want to label, for example, socks or other fabrics where sewn-on labels are not included in the garment.

Before starting school

Find a set of clothes that the child wants to wear on the first day of school and make sure it is washed and ready.

Familiarize yourself with the school’s communication platforms and websites. Here you can probably find information about arrival times, timetable, and special activities related to the start of school.

Remember to enroll your child in after-school care if applicable for you.

Transportation to and from school

Consider if the following are relevant to you:

• Renew bus card or train card
• Practice walking to school
• Practice cycling to school

Before starting school, it can be useful to take a look at your child’s transportation to and from school. Perhaps the child needs to renew the bus card or learn to walk to and from school alone. Or maybe there are other needs to practice the school route? Even if you are going to cycle with the child, it is wise to practice the route with the new cyclist before there are many cars and other cyclists on the route.