With the holidays behind us and a fresh year ahead, it’s nearly time for the kids to tie up their laces, pop on their backpacks, and head back to school. There’s a lot to organise at the beginning of a brand new school year, and so getting the kids prepped with some simple back to school items from Stockland Marketplace will ensure they start the new year strong. It’ll also give you some peace of mind amidst the many uniform fittings, reading lists, and lunchbox planning you may have on your plate!
To help you put together your back to school checklist, we sought the help of primary school teacher Marianne, who has a wealth of clever tips to help you and the kids start the new school year off smoothly. So, get ready to take notes and tick everything off your simple back to school checklist right here on Stockland Marketplace.
Preschool checklist
Product captions: Toymate B.Box Cutlery Set $12.95, Ugg Express Tarramarra Kids Sun Protection Bucket Cap Hat $19
According to Marianne, while many little ones start their preschool year with backpacks full of essentials like sunscreen, glasses, a water bottle, hats and change of clothes, as the year goes on these things tend to grow legs and disappear.
“To help their belongings return home with your children, make sure each item is labelled clearly with their name. This includes any spare clothes in their backpacks,” Marianne says. “It’s also a great idea to attach a laminated picture list to their backpack of the items your child needs to make sure they bring home each day.”
Other items to consider adding to your back to preschool checklist are eco-friendly plastic cutlery, non-slip Tupperware (so it doesn’t fall off the table while they munch their lunch), and a labeller to make sure anything they may lose finds its way back to them.
Primary school checklist
Product captions: Ugg Express Australian Shepard Senior Black Leather School Shoes Chris $180, Baby Presents B.Box Lunchbox $32.95
The first day back to school can be a daunting – especially for children starting school for the very first time. So, to ensure your little one feels comfortable, happy, and independent, Marianne has a slew of tips to help boost their confidence.
“Before they start school, make sure your child can open and close their lunchbox and water bottle independently,” Marianne says. “And provide your child with opportunities to go to the bathroom by themselves in their school uniform. This will help them learn how to undo and do up buttons, zips, or drawstrings on their shorts.”
And when it comes to finding a backpack, Marianne suggests picking a sturdy one that will not only be able to hold all of the items they’ll need each day but can also handle a few bumps and scrapes.
“Separate sections are a good idea for spare clothes and their hat, with pockets on the side for water bottles in case they leak,” Marianne says. “And again, make sure your child can undo and do up any zippers and clips on their backpack!”
High school checklist
Product captions: Just Sport Frank Green Stainless Steel Ceramic Reusable Water Bottle $89.99, Honest Paper Composition Weekly Plan A4 Notepad $16.95
Instilling healthy habits in high school students is integral to helping them concentrate and make the most of these important secondary school years. This is why Marianne suggests letting your high school children decide on their own lunchbox ‘menu’.
“Allow them to be involved in preparing their lunch and snacks and do this the night before,” Marianne says. “So many times tweens open their lunchbox at lunchtime and say, ‘I don’t like this’ and don’t eat what’s packed.”
A weekly desk planner is another fantastic way you can encourage high school students to organise their homework for the term and studies have shown that once information is written down, there’s a higher chance that the task will be remembered and completed!
Speaking of writing things down, ensuring their pencil case is full of fun pens, pencils, and other aesthetically pleasing stationery can make studying more engaging for high school students, and making sure their backpacks are both comfortable and sturdy enough to carry all their textbooks will help every high school student start the new school year on the right foot.
Whether you’re looking to boost their confidence on their first day of school or you simply want to prepare them for a healthy and happy school year – ticking everything off your back to school checklist with Stockland Marketplace and following Marianne’s expert tips will ensure your child starts the 2024 school year off prepared and ready to learn. The best part? You can simply order all of your items on line and have them delivered to your door or Click and Collect. Happy shopping!
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