Pre-School and Daycare

Getting ready for K

Hi Ladies - 

DS is starting kindergarten in the fall. What do I need to get him? I know about the backpack and lunchbox, but is there anything else that he'll need?
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Re: Getting ready for K

  • Hi! Lurker from School Aged Children board.

    Check the school's website and see if they have a supplies list posted.  Supplies usually vary by grade level.  If it's not out yet, keep your eyes on the website or call the school secretary and ask when it will be sent.

    Typical for a kid entering kindergarten might be stuff like:

    marble composition books
    24 pk crayons
    colored pencils
    glue sticks
    child scissors
    pencils
    A one-inch three-ring binder

    Teachers in primary grades often also ask parents to donate quart or gallon ziploc bags, hand sanitizer, and/or baby wipes. 

    In my DD's K classroom, kids did not have their own desks or cubbies, and all the supplies were basically classroom donations that were distributed between caddies at the center of each table.  When DS was in K (different elementary school) kids had individual desks and they kept their own supplies in their desks.

    Word of advice -- do not get a "junior" size backpack even for kindergarten.  They need a full sized backpack, even though they don't carry much in it.  Primary grade teachers usually use a 9 x 12 inch "take home folder" to communicate with parents.  You will want him to be able to stuff his jacket in there along with a lunchbox and a take-home folder or binder on days when it's cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon.   Most "junior" backpacks are too small.  You don't want him to have trouble packing up in the afternoon.
    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • Ditto PP.  I would check your school website and see if they have the list posted.  If not, contact the district office who should be able to point you in the right direction.  In kindy, the kids didn't have their own supplies, but it was more of a communal/sharing type of environment.  She needed and art smock (just used one of DH's old shirts), velcro gym shoes, backpack (PP made good suggestion about size), lunchbox, water bottle (that she could open and refill on her own as needed) along with the following:

    3 Boxes Large Crayons-8 Count
    4 Boxes Regular Size Crayons-24 Count
    2 Boxes Washable Markers-8 Count
    1 Dozen #2 Pencils
    1 Large Pink Eraser
    1 Yellow Highlighter
    8 Low Odor, Dry Erase Markers-Black Only
    1 Pencil Box with Snap-Shut Lid
    10 glue sticks
    1 Bottle of Glue
    1 Box Watercolor Paints
    1 Pair of Scissors-5” Rounded
    4 Three-Prong,Two-Pocket Poly Folders-1Each: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green
    1 Spiral Notebook-One Subject,Wide Ruled
    1 Box Sandwich Re-sealable Bags—Girls Only
    1 Box Gallon Re-sealable Bags—Boys Only
    1 Box Facial Tissues
    1 Container of Wipes
    1 Pair of Gummy Ear Bud Headphones

    DD~6 years old~born June 6, 2008 (1st grade)
    DS~4 years old~born November 6, 2010 (1st year of preschool)
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  • most kindergarten lists are insanely long and go into a pool for the entire classroom. the lists are definitely not friendly to those who have financial troubles and make families feel like they have to have those materials. if finances are tricky, let them know, or if you only get one box of crayons, but let them know if he needs more you'll get them (instead of having them all go to school at the beginning of the year). you'll probably get a list online or through snail mail by august.
     
     
     

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  • also, if you are able to afford it, stock up on the sales, especially in september to prepare for next year.
     
     
     

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  • Ladies - thank you all so much for the comprehensive advice!! I'll get in touch with the school to confirm, but I'll certainly start looking out for sales on related items :)
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  • Word of advice -- do not get a "junior" size backpack even for kindergarten.  They need a full sized backpack, even though they don't carry much in it.  Primary grade teachers usually use a 9 x 12 inch "take home folder" to communicate with parents.  You will want him to be able to stuff his jacket in there along with a lunchbox and a take-home folder or binder on days when it's cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon.   Most "junior" backpacks are too small.  You don't want him to have trouble packing up in the afternoon.
    Thank you SO much for this piece of advice - I'm literally browsing junior backpack online right now. You saved me a bunch of $ :)
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  • Spin313Spin313 member
    edited July 2014
    This was our K list...
    Kindergarten
     A box of tissue
     1 bottle of hand sanitizer
     Markers (thick style and thin style)
     Clorox Wipes (used to keep the room clean)
     1 bag of candy (peanut free) or small prize trinkets
     1 set of Crayola watercolor paints
     1 activity book for free time (workbook, coloring book, dot-to-dot)
     Paper towel
     Boys: 1 box of band aids
     Girls: 1 container of Play-doh
     1 stamp pad
     2 notebooks 70 pages
     1 white, 1⁄2 inch, three ring binder with clear plastic cover (to slide page into)
     1 pair of headphones labeled with your child’s name
    image
    image

  • azaretsky said:
    Word of advice -- do not get a "junior" size backpack even for kindergarten.  They need a full sized backpack, even though they don't carry much in it.  Primary grade teachers usually use a 9 x 12 inch "take home folder" to communicate with parents.  You will want him to be able to stuff his jacket in there along with a lunchbox and a take-home folder or binder on days when it's cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon.   Most "junior" backpacks are too small.  You don't want him to have trouble packing up in the afternoon.
    Thank you SO much for this piece of advice - I'm literally browsing junior backpack online right now. You saved me a bunch of $ :)
    Yup.  If you look at the Land's End site, they have a charming little video showing "What It Fits" with an adult taking items out of a packed backpack.  Their "Class Mates Small" backpack shows a woman removing snow pants, shoes, a 1 inch binder, 3 folders, a textbook, and a pencil case from the backpack.  First of all, other than the binder, you can't tell how big stuff really is.  Are they size 4 snow pants or size 8?

    Sure.  That backpack WILL fit those things... if they're put in there by an adult.  No 6 year old is getting all that crap in there while everyone else in the class is scrambling to do the same before the commotion of buses being called on the loudspeaker.

    FWIW, I would highly recommend the Land's End normal sized backpack.  My son had the same one from K through 3rd, and it's still in good shape except for the zipper.  We've had mixed luck with Jansport brand from Target.  We had one that lasted for several years, and one that was shredded within a year.  I got my DD one from LLBean at the start of middle school.  It's an awesome backpack for sure, but substantially more pricey than the Land's End version.  For primary grade kid, Land's End is a great option.
    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • Hi there!
    I agree with all the PP about the backpack size and checking the school's website for a supply list. Wanted to also add jacket labels (or writing his name in permenant marker on the jacket tag) as kids loose clothing every day and a good reusable water bottle that doesn't leak as lunchboxes get abused! We like Camelbak canteen's best.

    Good luck!!!

    eclaire 9.10.06  diggy 6.2.11

  • sunnydays99sunnydays99 member
    edited July 2014
    Wow, our kindergarten supply list is really small compared to the others! This was our list:

    - pair of running shoes to be left at school
    - backpack
    - headphones
    - box of 24 crayons
    - 7 large ziplock bags

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  • My son's kindergarten list is:

    -child size fiskars scissors

    -1 black and white composition notebook

    -large backpack to hold a 9 by 12 folder and lunchbox

    -12 #2 pencils sharpened

    -crayons(2 boxes of thin 16 basic colors)

    -2 large boxes of tissues

    -1 package of 3/5 index cards (no lines)

    -2 spiral blank artist sketchbooks

    -12 expo (thin)dry erase black markers

    -10 large size glue sticks

    -2 rolls of paper towels(girls)

    1 package of Clorox wipes(boys)

    -2 pink pearl erasers

    -1 box of 8 basic colored wide markers

    -4 loose leaf metal rings (2 inch size)

    -2 each plastic 3 prong pocket folders

    -Velcro sneakers(recommended).

     

    It is such a long list, can't believe he needs all that stuff. I would also recommend labels to put on backpack, lunch bag, etc. 

     

    -

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