Reading time – 7 min
Essentials for starting preschool
The first day of preschool is a big moment for children and parents alike! Between the supply list, labels to stick on everything and purchases to plan, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. So we’ve gathered all the essentials to help you approach this big milestone with confidence and equip your little one as well as possible.
The most important thing: a school bag or backpack
The Paco bag
Paco is a little backpack designed for the littlest ones. Its mini size makes it ideal for the first year of preschool and those first school adventures. It’s lightweight and easy to handle, with room for a lovey, a small water bottle or a change of clothes. The Paco bag can also be personalized with your child’s name or nickname to avoid mix-ups at the coat hooks.
The Roméo bag
Roméo is the backpack your little ones will love wearing—and #Juliette would agree! Its clean, urban-chic look gives it a style you’ll never tire of seeing head off to school each morning. Compact and lightweight, it still easily holds a water bottle, snack box and lovey . It stands up to rain, the sandbox and everyday adventures, and it’s machine washable when the mess gets out of hand. Its coated cotton lining even stands up to little spills! Customizable with your little one’s name, it’s the perfect bag for starting preschool on the right foot.
The Raphaël school backpack
Raphaël is the quintessential preschool backpack. With its structured shape, wide opening and waterproof fabric, it’s perfect for little ones who need a bag that’s easy to use and stands up to minor mishaps. It’s just right for carrying a folder, a notebook and even a water bottle without weighing down your little student’s shoulders (too much). Practical, thoughtfully designed and customizable with a name, it’s often the first bag kids are truly proud of. A classic that always makes an impression on the first day of school.
Snack-time essentials
The snack box
Sturdy, leakproof and customizable with a name, the snack box protects little treats without squashing them. It slips easily into a bag and stands up to busy days. An essential you’ll never regret buying for the start of school!
The water bottle
Staying hydrated all day is essential, especially when you’re running around at recess. The insulated water bottle keeps drinks cool for several hours, and with their name on it, there’s no mistaking it for a classmate’s!
The napkin and its personalized pouch
Easy to put on and generously sized, the napkin is an essential companion for meals in the cafeteria and snack time. It protects clothes and helps children eat independently. Customizable with a name, it’s also easy to pick out from all the others in class. You’ll also need a small pouch to store the napkin, and the Cosette pouch is ideal for that. You can even coordinate the colors for a matching set.
The cup
A cup isn’t always an essential… but some schools ask for one, especially for lunch or snack time. Made of stainless steel, lightweight and without a spout, it’s just right for little hands. And with their name on it, your child can easily pick it out from the other cups in class.
Nap-time essentials
The pillow
Bartholomé the pillow is a five-star nap! Made by a French specialist in high-end bedding, its recycled polyester fiber filling is guaranteed non-allergenic, perfect for little ones with sensitive skin. Its pillowcase is made from ultra-soft, machine-washable GOTS-certified organic cotton swaddle fabric. And of course, it can be personalized with a name so your child can recognize it at school.
The blanket
Alfred the blanket is an invitation to get cozy! Light yet warm, it’s made from GOTS-certified organic cotton swaddle fabric, wonderfully soft and perfectly suited to little ones’ sensitive skin. Machine washable at 30°, it stands up to trips between school and home without a fuss. Matchy-matchy with the pillow or mixed and matched, it’s the perfect nap-time combo.
The lovey
A lovey is an essential nap-time companion—and often an all-day one, too! To avoid tears if it gets lost, consider keeping a second one at home as a backup. Above all, label it with your child’s name, using a scarf , for example: preschool loveys have an unfortunate tendency to look alike! Maybe you already have the lovey but not the personalization. No need to worry: at Petit Picotin, you can buy the personalized scarf on its own, in a solid color or plaid , whichever you prefer.
The change-of-clothes bag
In preschool, little accidents are part of everyday life: a spilled drink, an overenthusiastic painting session or a hurried trip to the bathroom… Having a change of clothes handy quickly becomes essential for avoiding end-of-day scrambles. The Simon bag is lightweight and closes easily with its drawstring, and it’s just the right size for a few spare clothes for the day.
Essentials for their first sports activities
The gym bag
Jeanine is the ideal gym bag for carrying gym clothes, dance shoes or judo gear. Roomy, sturdy and customizable with a name, it quickly becomes little athletes’ favorite bag. Easy to carry and easy to spot in the locker room, it goes wherever your child goes, from the gym to school field trips.
The drawstring bag
Lightweight, practical and clever, the drawstring bag is perfect for quickly packing sneakers, a small water bottle or dance shoes. It fits easily into a school backpack. It’s a versatile little bag you barely notice… until the day you forget it and really wish you hadn’t!
The scrunchie
For children with long hair, a scrunchie in their bag is simply essential! Between sports, painting and playground games, tying hair back is much more practical, both for them and for the teacher. Slip one or two into their bag on the first day—you’ll be glad you did. A hairclip can also do the trick and keep stray hairs out of their eyes.
The sweatshirt
A comfortable, personalized sweatshirt is perfect for chilly days, outdoor outings, sports or simply feeling comfortable at school. In preschool, temperatures can change quickly between an overheated classroom and a windy playground. Having a sweatshirt handy is always a good idea. Machine washable, timeless and personalized with a name, it’ll go with your child everywhere!
Arts-and-crafts essentials
The smock or apron
For some, a smock or apron is the ultimate stain shield, and in preschool, it’s worth its weight in gold. Easy for children to put on and take off by themselves, a smock protects clothes during painting, modeling, gluing and all the other creative activities that make preschool magical. Customizable with their name, it won’t get mixed up with a classmate’s. Because Friday afternoon painting can get messy!
The pencil case
A pencil case of their own is always useful for keeping little pencils, markers and safety scissors together. Customizable and machine washable, the Petit Picotin pencil case goes with your child from preschool through the upper grades. Its large zipper makes it easy for little hands to open on their own.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not checking the supply list from the school: every school has its own requirements
- A school bag that’s too heavy: there’s no need to prepare for first grade yet; in preschool, a small backpack is enough. Don’t worry, #Paul will take care of that future first day of elementary school…
- Too many preschool supplies: the school often provides plenty of materials
- Clothes that are too “nice”: paint, dirt and puddles aren’t kind to them. Choose comfortable clothes that are easy to put on
- An unlabeled lovey : a classic mistake! When there are four identical bunnies in the classroom, it’s a disaster. Choose a personalized lovey so you can always find it.
- Shoes with laces: at age 3, kids aren’t learning to tie knots yet. Hook-and-loop fasteners will be your best friends (and the teacher’s, too)
How to easily label all their school belongings
In preschool, belongings sometimes seem to disappear as quickly as they arrive. To avoid accidental mix-ups, labeling everything soon becomes essential. Good news: at Petit Picotin, all our products are personalized with the name, nickname or word of your choice. School backpack, water bottle, snack box, napkin… every essential is designed to be easy to identify while staying stylish and durable. For everything else—notebooks, pencils, clothes or a lovey—labels are your best friends. They make it easy to identify everything at a glance.
Things your little ones say
“Rest so you can get your shape back.”
– Carl, age 4
“No, I didn’t blow my nose, Mommy. I don’t have any
tissues.”
– Thaïs, age 4
“Mommy, I can see the garbage movers outside.”
– Victor, age 3
AUTHOR
Hello, moi c’est Capucine ! J’espère que cet article vous a plu. Passionnée par la rédaction et spécialisée dans les contenus autour de la petite enfance, je fais partie de l’équipe éditoriale de Petit Picotin. Au fil du blog, j’explore les questions du quotidien des familles pour vous partager conseils, idées et inspirations, en m’appuyant sur des recherches, des sources spécialisées et l’expertise de notre équipe.
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