Sustainable Back to School Packing List

It’s actually happening. The first day of school is here. Whether your little one is already at school and moving up a year after their summer holidays, or if it’s your little one’s very first day at school (wipe those tears, we promise they’ll be fine), the school prep list can get pretty overwhelming. Every parent wants to send their precious little one off with everything they could possibly need to succeed and survive the classroom that the list could be getting just as long as the school register.

Fear not, the Natural Baby Shower Mum’s have compared school prep notes and compiled a list of school essentials leaving the unnecessary “just in case” extra’s we’ve all been guilty of chucking in their school bag off the list. Yes, that means put that second set of gel pens down, they will survive just fine with 1 pack.

We also think it’s important to start the year off the right way by making an effort to purchase eco and sustainable school supplies to help reduce waste and save this planet we call home.

In most cases sustainable products last longer as they are reusable items, meaning you will be saving the planet as well as your pennies. Making these swaps or slight changes will also teach your child the importance of making green and eco decisions that they can also share with their fellow school friends.

Eco essentials

Lunch box

A packed lunch is a school essential to make sure your little one has enough food for the whole school day. Try to help save the planet by using reusable storage items instead of sandwich bags or clingfilm. Instead use the GoSili Silicone snack bag for your little one’s snacks or sandwiches. Or you could get reusable pots that can be used everyday in their lunchbox to hold their food for the day, such as the Done by Deer snack box set.

We also can’t get enough of the new b.box insulated food jar which keeps food warm or cool for longer, perfect for those fussy eaters. This is made from stainless steel and built to last which encourages sustainability. Think we’ll get one for ourselves too!

We love to make sure our are eco friendly and kind to the planet. We send our little ones off to school with the Liewood Bradley lunch box set, these are made using sustainable bamboo fire. Feeding your little one and saving the planet has never been so easy.

Drink up

Keeping them hydrating is just as important as food, so make sure you send them off with a hard wearing big water bottle that they can fill up at school. If your school doesn’t provide drinks or the option to fill up a water bottle on the premises make sure you send them off with a full bottle of water.

Swap those plastic bottles for a reusable stainless-steel bottle that can be used time and time again, causing no damage to the planet. Steel is super durable, contains no chemicals and reduces waste. We always go for the Liewood Anker bottles, there are so many colours and designs your little one can help you pick their favourite one. It also adapts as they grow  thanks to the 2 handy changeable lids – a screw cap and sports lid.

Backpack

Your little one now needs something to carry all these essentials in for the day. A good backpack needs to be big enough to carry everything without being too big that they look like they are about to topple over with every step. Most backpacks are designed to be used time and time again so you won’t have a problem making reusable choices when it comes to this product. But we believe you can do 1 better and choose a bag made from recycled items to really smash the eco tick list.

The brand new Frugi adventure backpack's are a complete sustainable school essential winner in our opinion. They use recycled plastic bottles to make these back packs, to be precise it takes 7 plastic bottles to make one Frugi adventure backpack. This one is a no brainer!

Pencil Case

No new school year is complete without a fresh set of pens, pencils and a new pencil case to hold them in. It doesn’t get any cuter than the Liewood Panda pencil case, if you don’t fall in love with it straight away you will once you know its eco-friendly too. The pencil case is made from 100% BPA free silicone, plus it’s wipe clean so will stay fresh and dirt free for longer. Your little one can colour away whilst also helping the planet.

The basic essentials

Uniform

This one really goes without saying. If the school you’re sending your little one to has uniform rules make sure you tick off every item on the uniform list that the school provides. Don't forget to get the camera ready! It’s a tradition in every family to have a photo shoot before the first day to get that shot when they are looking adorable in their first school uniform.

Extra clothing items

Accidents happen as every parent knows and this is no different during school time. In fact with play time, arts and crafts and lunch time all rolled into one day the chances of them coming out of the school gates looking the same way they went in are slim. Popping in a spare top or pair of tights is always a good idea.

We also suggest adding a spare pare of underwear in their bag. Even if your little one is potty trained accidents still happen.

We live in the UK, we don’t need to tell you how changeable and up and down the weather can be in this country. Check ahead on your weather app’s to see what the weather is looking like for that day so your little one has everything they need for the day ahead. Looking like rain? Pack a waterproof. Is the sun going to come out? Pack a hat. Making sure they have the correct seasonal outerwear will make their day run smoother and break time more enjoyable.

Comfy shoes

Your little one will be exploring their new classroom, running around with friends at play time and be in their school shoes for the whole day, so it’s important to make sure they are not only comfy, but also support their natural foot development. Pick sensible shoes and also shoes that are suited to their stage so that their foot development isn’t affected. Head over to our foot health blog to learn more about picking the right shoe for each stage.

We also recommend wearing them around the house as much as possible before the first day so you know 100% they are comfortable and no painful blisters will be making an appearance.

Comfort item

Adding their favourite snuggle toy or comfort blanket to their school bag can offer them that little bit of added comfort to help ease any pre-school jitters. They may not even get it out of their school bag, but knowing that it is with them and nearby can soothe them. 

Even if you're not ready to wave your child off on their first day of school, you can ensure that they’ll be ready with all the supplies they’ll need to play, learn, and have fun in class, whilst also helping make a different to the environment.

Start the new school year in sustainable style with our back to school essentials of planet friendly rucksacks, drinks bottles and lunch storage solutions.