As we draw to the end of another hot but hopefully fun-filled Summer, we are at that time of year once more when parents have to rediscover the joys of school drop-off and pick-up traffic, packed lunches, name tagging every new item of uniform and homework checks.  If this makes you groan or panic, never fear, you are not alone!  Babyshop is here to help, so we have come up with the ultimate back-to-school checklist, compiled by a panel of experts – namely parents!  Noting everything you will need to prepare for the start of term, start reading and get ticking!

1. Make a list of the important term dates

Nothing is more helpful than having an at a glance overview of the term, to start to feel more organized and prepared.  Wall planners are a great idea, and some provide columns for each family member so you can plan ahead for parents’ evenings, school trips, photo days and teacher training days. These dates will usually be available on your school’s website or you may be notified via a newsletter.

2. Draw up a meal plan

Don’t stress thinking that you have to prepare a gourmet meal or cook something different for your child’s lunchbox every day. The most important thing to is to make sure you have all the bases covered for a healthy meal. The easiest way to ensure this is to include a piece of fresh fruit and/or some vegetables, a piece of lean protein and some dairy in their lunch box each day. 

3. Stock up on school uniform and supplies

Your school will issue you with a uniform list and will most likely have specific days where you can make a kit-out appointment, however below is an overview of what is needed, including approx. quantities. 

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Uniform Checklist

• 5 shirts or polo shirts
• 3 x trousers / shorts / skirt / pinafore
• School blazer, if needed
• School jumper
• School tie
• Lightweight waterproof coat (foldable)
• Shoes
• 5 pairs of socks
• Summer hat
• Name labels (stitch or iron on) – everything should be labelled clearly, or good luck claiming lost property!
• Book bag (usually sold by the school)
• School bag to carry it all in – Babyshop has the ultimate selection, bringing both practical benefits and the cool factor!

NB – we know that this exercise can be extremely costly, so do keep an eye out on parent’s social media groups where often uniform pieces that are no longer needed are offered at no or very low cost.  Other hacks include buying trousers and skirts that are slightly longer than needed, and hemming them so that they can be lengthened as needed.  You can also spread out the cost by waiting a month or so before buy the jumpers and other colder weather items.  Finally, Babyshop carries an extremely affordable range of clothing suitable for many schools, so don’t be tricked into buying everything in the uniform shop where branding isn’t mandatory.  White shirts and black socks can be picked up anywhere!

PE kit checklist

• Gym/kit bag
• Sneakers (specialty shoes for football / rugby)
• 2 shorts / skorts
• 2 sports tops
• 3 pairs of white sports socks
• Swimming kit or other sports kit (in some schools)
• Hair tie for kids with long hair

Lunch essentials

• Water bottle – see our range of new stainless steel options in different designs
• Lunch box & lunch bag
• 2 x snack boxes

Stationery

• Pencil case with:
  • 3 x pencils
  • Pencil sharpener
  • 2 x handwriting pens, if received pen license (school might specify the type, but if not, ballpoint is a good choice)
  • Eraser
  • 30cm ruler
  • Colouring pencils
  • Highlighters
  • Glue stick
  • Calculator (scientific for secondary school)
  • Maths set (including a compass and protractor)

4. Make sure you’ve booked them into after-school clubs

Enrolling your children in after-school clubs has a multitude of benefits, such as improving their social skills and developing hobbies, physical fitness and skills in their favourite team sports.  It also gives working parents extra time before needing to collect, so do ensure that you are aware of any deadlines to book them in.  You can also add these extra-curricular activities to the above-mentioned wall planner, so that the new routine starts to become embedded.

5. Early to bed, early to rise…

We will go into more detail about routines in another article, but it’s worth noting that the late nights and late starts that tend to take hold over the long summer break need to be gradually rolled back to something resembling school timings, so that your little ones get their recommended 9-11 hours of sleep and don’t crash in the middle of the school day once they return to school.  First day back nerves and the shock of being back in the classroom will only be exacerbated by lack of sleep, so this will help the whole family to cope with the new routine!

We hope this checklist will help you combat the parents back to school panic!  We will be posting some further back to school related articles over the coming weeks, such as the importance of physical activity or ideas on how to prepare brain-boosting lunchboxes, so please keep your eyes peeled for the next one!  Good luck!

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