Back to school checklist
Get ready for the school year without the last-day scramble: uniform, supplies, desk setup, sleep schedule and paperwork. Extra items for first-graders.

[ ] Wait for the teacher's list before buying supplies
    Every teacher has specific requirements for notebooks and supplies. Guess-shopping usually means returns.
[ ] Backpack with a firm back panel — fitted in person
    Wide straps, supportive back, light when empty. Fit it in person: no wider than the shoulders, no lower than the waist.
[ ] Pencil case: 5 pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler
    Extra pens — they vanish in bulk. A sharpener with a shavings container, or the backpack pays the price.
[ ] Notebooks and covers
    Quantity and ruling per the teacher's list. Get covers for everything at once, textbooks included.
[ ] Indoor shoes and a shoe bag
    Light, non-slip, ideally no laces. Label the bag — indoor shoes are the #1 lost item.
[ ] PE kit — for the gym and outdoors
    Two sets: t-shirt and shorts for the gym, tracksuit and trainers for outdoor sessions.
[ ] Check the school's uniform or dress code
    Some schools mandate a specific uniform supplier, others just a dress code. Check before shopping.
[ ] Shirts or blouses — at least 3
    One on, one in the wash, one clean spare. Fewer than three means midnight ironing.
[ ] Desk and chair that fit their height
    Feet flat on the floor, desktop at elbow height. Adjustable ones survive several growth spurts.
[ ] Desk lamp
    Light from the left for right-handers, from the right for lefties. Warm or neutral light is easier on the eyes.
[ ] Shift bedtime 2 weeks before school starts
    15–20 minutes earlier each day — and the first 7am wake-up won't be a tragedy.
[ ] Walk the school route together
    A few times, talking through the crossings. Time the real walk while you're at it.
[ ] Health check and forms the school requires
    Ask the school what's due by September. Late-August clinic queues are the longest — go earlier.
[ ] Sort out school meals and the student card
    Cafeteria payment, entry pass, transit card — every school runs its own system, set it up ahead.
[ ] Water bottle
    Unbreakable and leak-proof — test the lid at home before it tests the backpack.
[ ] Label everything
    Shoes, PE kit, bags, bottle. Labeled things come back; unlabeled ones retire to lost-and-found.
[ ] Fit clubs and activities around the timetable
    Sign up early but realistically: leave time to eat and breathe between school and practice.
[ ] Help your child memorize a parent's phone number
    By heart, not 'in the phone': phones die and get lost.
[ ] Put a contact card in the backpack
    Child's name, parents' numbers, class. In an inner pocket the child knows about.
[ ] Register for after-school care — if you need it
    Spots often fill before September. Also confirm who is allowed to pick the child up and how.
[ ] Plan the first day: outfit, flowers, photos
    Order flowers ahead if that's your school's tradition, try the outfit on the day before, charge the phone for photos — this day happens once.
[ ] Keep the first weeks light on extra activities
    Settling into school is a big job on its own. Adding clubs in October beats managing meltdowns in September.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/back-to-school