Kindergarten supplies should include chocolate for the parents! Kindergarten is a huge transition of children and parents alike. I know I will need crayons and notebooks, those typical school list needs. We already have a backpack by Cat and Jack that has been very durable, holding up to a year of preschool and not showing any wear and tear. I have found a few other things I have added for my own family’s comfort.

Books

We own an absurd number of children’s books. It’s been a great way for us to delve into important topics – I call it book therapy! Here are some of my favorites:

📚 We’ve discussed safety issues with my daughter, but I knew we needed to explore this topic further. But, let’s just be honest. It’s hard. Like, really hard. I don’t want to think about how awful the world can be, and I don’t want to break the very tender heart of my little girl.

Super Duper Safety School is AWESOME. The price seemed a tad steep for a paperback book (I mean what is this, Usborne?!?) but let me assure you it is well worth it.

The book talks about how you are the boss of your body. To trust yucky feelings. How to spot a “tricky” adult. What to do if you get lost in a store. What parts of you body are off limits for touching (and the occasional exceptions like when you are with a parent at the doctor’s office). And how no one should tell you to keep a secret from your parents.

It’s practical advice. Not doom and gloom or over the top that the whole world is out to get you… just safety rules presented in an understanding, fun, and non-intimidating way. It’s also all inclusive. I won’t need any other books on the subject. And my sweet little girl? She LOVES this book and says it helps her know how to be safe. It’s totally worth the money.

📚 The 12 days of Kindergarten is a super cute school day version of the 12 days of Christmas. Fun, bright pictures showing kids in a school room. My daughter is nervous about “big kid school” so these types of books help her see it as fun. Plus we sing it together and the kids love it… “and 5 bouncy balls!!” Laughter truly is the best medicine when it comes to being stressed out about life changes.

📚 Kindergarten Here I Come! is the same idea – bright colorful pictures and fun classrooms. This book goes through different aspects of a student’s day – reading, art, rest time, recess, etc. Well worth a few dollars.

📚 Set to the rhythm of Twas the Night Before Christmas, the book Twas the Night Before Summer Vacation is another fun summer read along.

Personal Hygiene 

I already LOVE the Fairy Tale Static Free Detangling Spray. My daughter’s hair is SUPER static-y and this really calms it down. A hair stylist recommended the Fairy Tale Rosemary Repel shampoo and spray for early elementary because it repels lice. I love how this shampoo makes my daughter’s hair so smooth and silky. I would probably use it even if it didn’t repel lice. It also smells wonderful!! It does such a good job of detangling that my daughter can brush her hair mostly unassisted. We also love a wet brush for combing through tangles.

Lunch Box

I absolutely love Bentgo boxes. The one I have works pretty well unless you are sending apple sauce or something more liquid in nature. Bentgo also has a leak proof option that’s perfect for kids, or if you need more room for sandwiches you can get the adult version with a divider.

Pottery Barn Kids also sells something similar here. Apparently I have poor measuring skills because I thought that my Bentgo box would fit in the classic PBK lunch box, but I was mistaken. I’m wondering if I should have splurged on the stainless steel bento box instead of plastic, but overall the plastic box seems pretty sturdy.

My bentgo boxes are also used for playground and pool outings because my kids eat better out of these than anything else. They also protect your food and I do not have smashed strawberries or crushed crackers all over my bag. We use them when traveling for picnic lunches at rest areas. We’ve used these at home when the kids want to eat on the porch. They don’t take up much room and I’ve stashed them in the bottom of my pool bag or purse without difficulty.

Looking for hot lunch options? We’ve had luck with Thermos containers for leftover pasta, soup, etc. I’ve even put cut up grilled cheese in these! I thought it would be too mushy but the kids ate it up and asked for more.

We do not do a ton of hot lunch items, but every so often it comes in handy for switching things up. I’ve also used them myself, occasionally I’ll take oatmeal in one when I want a hot breakfast on the go. They involve a bit of planning, which is not my strong suit. Looking for hot lunch box ideas? Check out this post by Mama cheaps.

Lastly, a cold pack for the lunch box to keep things chilled until lunch time when you forego the hot lunch.  I bought a six pack, I need extras for when I inevitably forget to freeze one. My daughter eats turkey sandwiches and the Lidl version of go-gurt better than anything else. So I frequently need her lunch to stay cool. These are small and streamline, perfect lunchbox size.

Academics

I am of the belief that we push academics on our children too soon and too much, but I know they also want to learn. I want to give my children opportunities to learn in a fun, relaxing way.  We have a ton of level one reader books, but I found most of them much too difficult for my daughter. She’s just starting to recognize and identify sight words. She really wants to be able to read.

Enter Bob books. A much more introductory level of reading with minimal frustration. We love our Bob books and I will be buying the more advanced series as she progresses. Bob books have 3 sets of kindergarten level reading, and we have all 3 of them.

Clothing and Shoes

If your child’s shoes get soaked in the rain, it’s good to have an extra pair of sneakers on hand. Especially when they are in school everyday. My daughter is not able to tie her shoes yet, and these elastic shoe laces have worked really well for us. We are using a learn to tie your shoes book to master shoe laces. However, we like the elastic laces so much I bet we will still be using them after she learns to tie her shoes!

We also bought more clothing than we usually do, since 5 day a week school does not lend itself to many pajama days!  I did a quick perusal of the parent handbook and found out that our school’s dress code does not allow for spaghetti straps or tank tops. We have a several shirts that do not meet dress code (which I think is ridiculous for early elementary, but that’s a whole other blog post)

I picked up these labels off Etsy for backpacks and coats, and these labels for water bottles, and I think we are good to go with kindergarten supplies! Elementary school, here we come!!

More info on WCPSS Kindergarten

Most of the above links have 4+ star reviews. What else would you add to the list? How are you preparing for “big kid school?” Need tips on navigating Wake County schools? Click here. We also have handy guides and maps for magnet schools and charter schools in our area!

*Update* Now that school has started, I’ve experienced the chaos of carpool! I have my little boy with me, so I’ve packed a small backpack of books and toys for the 30-40 minutes we are in afternoon carpool. For tips on what to pack, check on my road trip blog.