As a first-time mom, the thought of my toddler starting school has been daunting. I want to make sure she has the best of everything. So, I did tons of research and want to share the information I gathered with you.
Not only am I interested in her first day of school items for school, but also the memories I want to cherish forever. Now is the time to set those things up so I don’t have to worry about them in the future. But, I will provide more information on that later.
Lunch
Lunch was the most stressful for me to research and decide on. With so many options and price points, I found it difficult to choose an option. After purchasing a few options and inevitably returning some, I realized I would rather spend the money on the stuff that will last a few years than go cheap. Don’t get me wrong, in some cases, the cheaper option is just as good as the “original”. But I didn’t want to take a chance as a first-time school mom. I am sure I will get better at this with the next one. ;]
With all the research, I found Bentgo Boxes to be a great fit for toddlers. You will want to have them practice opening them before school starts. What sold me are the sealed compartments. I can dump yogurt or applesauce in one and not worry about it getting everywhere. I found a three pack at Costco for only $40! I would recommend purchasing at least two so you can “meal prep” and always have one ready.
If you purchase a Bentgo box, you will want to find a lunch box that fits it. Some lunchboxes are too small, so be sure to read the dimensions. I found this lunch box on Amazon that I love because it has a pocket in the front and a side compartment for very small water bottles. (I just put my daughter’s extra masks). It comes in a variety of colors and designs.
I know some parents like to use a thermos, but my school will microwave meals for the kids. With that in mind, sometimes I opt to have leftovers as an easy filler. Not everything needs to go in the microwave, so I found these small containers for the hot stuff. The lids are easy to remove and put sticky notes for heating instructions.
I have found a few water bottles that I like, but if I want my daughter to have water that will stay cold all day, I decided to invest in the Hydroflask. As a two-year-old, she can easily open it on her own. The bottom has a rubber sleeve which helps it from scratch marks and falling over. There are other stainless steel water bottles that are half the price, like this Camelbak water bottle.
My mother-in-law found a cute sewn name keychain at the local gas station. We put it on my daughter’s lunchbox handle just so it was extra easy to find her lunch box. Eventually, we will put it on her backpack when she needs one. I like a keychain like this or even a luggage tag with your child’s name on it. Especially for backpacks and lunch bags that have busy designs on them, which would make it extra difficult to find their name if it was printed or sewn directly onto it.
Uniforms
For your child’s first day of school, I found a few websites that offer great prices on uniforms. I have also created an idea board with all the uniforms that I purchased from Amazon. Surprisingly, it was hard to find sizes that fit my daughter (18-24 months) in the Khaki and Navy blue colors. Nonetheless, I kept my eyes open and found a great variety of options you can choose from for your child’s first day of school.
I have curated all the websites I researched purchased from and saved them for future use. Once site I found tons of cute uniforms is The Children’s Place. The website my school recommended for logo uniforms is Lands End. Old Navy had some great options, as well as Target on the right day. There are usually lots of sales, so don’t purchase too many clothes unless you see something at least 40% off. I have included the items on this post as well as all the uniforms I could find on Amazon if you are interested in looking at my School supply idea list.
Hanger clips are meant to hold bottoms and tops on one hanger. This avoids wrinkles and picking out clothes in the morning while you have a million other things on your mind. As soon as I clean the uniforms, I iron them and match them accordingly. I then use these clips to pair the shirt and bottoms together and hang them up. The clips are great because they fit perfectly onto my toddler hangers and are a cheaper option than buying the specialty hangers.
At our school, they require all the children’s names on everything they own, including clothing. With that in mind, I love the look of these iron-on name tags rather than a sharpie on the tag. They were only $10 for 100 personalized labels. They were delivered within 2 weeks of ordering. I believe some can even come with little icons with it. They are a great size, not big at all. Just be sure to read the instructions carefully.
I made a few labels for my daughter’s school items. I created labels for her water bottle and Bentgo boxes using this label maker. I had both white and clear label tape which, in my opinion, makes them look fancy.
First Day of School DIYs to Download
These are the things I just had to do for my daughter’s first day of school!
I have always loved this look and wanted to make one for my daughter. I love how mine turned out. I purchased a 14×14 chalkboard from Amazon for $10.00 and made the design on my Cricut. I used the white Cricut Vinyl to stick on. You can find really cute customizable signs on Etsy.
I first wanted to just start a printable book on Shutterfly, but then I realized why the binder was so important. You can add your child’s awards, certificates, etc. that can’t otherwise be added as a photo. You will need a binder, sheet protectors, and a safe space to store it. That’s it!
The most awful feeling is the thought you forgot something for school. I created this quick checklist for me and my toddler to run through in the mornings and after school. These are basics, and you can certainly add or change your list depending on your household and children’s ages. You can download my school checklist.
