I get it. Pandemic Back to School Shopping feels a bit overwhelming. I mean, do we really even know what we’re going to need?
(Side note: if you’re curious why we decided to send our kids back to school, check out the post we wrote HERE.)
But, back to whether we know what we’re going to need to send our kids back to school… The short answer is No.
But, the long answer is that after speaking to teachers, school administrators, and other parents, we’ve put together what we think is a solid list of supplies that will make it a bit safer and easier for your elementary school student to head back to school during a pandemic.
A Pandemic Back to School Shopping Guide:
Labels
- These are important during a normal school year (lost mittens anyone?!), but this year they’ll be even more essential. Students won’t be able to share any supplies in the classroom, so having everything labelled and organized for your child will help them keep track of everything they need.
- Examples: Mabel’s Labels
Face Masks
- In case you haven’t heard it three thousand times already your kids will need a face mask at school. And if you’re in a school zone that requires your child to wear them all day long, you’ll need 1-2 extras for them to keep in their backpack in case their mask gets wet, dirty or just gross during the day.
- Examples: Pika Layers, Lug
Mask Lanyard
- There are going to be parts of the day when your kiddo needs to remove their mask: for a sip of water, at snack or lunch time, etc. And the last thing they should be doing is setting their mask on their table or desk. So, attaching their mask to a lanyard (with a break-away snap for safety) is a no-brainer to keep it safe and clean during the day.
- Example: Mask Buddy
Zip Pouch
- That brings me to my next point – a supply pouch. Find your kids two zippered pouches to keep in their backpack. One pouch (labelled CLEAN – or colour coded green for little ones) to hold spare clean masks, and the other pouch (labelled DIRTY – or colour coded red) is for any soiled masks that need to come back home for laundering.
- Examples: Set of 3 Zip Pouches
Sanitizer Snap Bracelet
- Your kids don’t exactly carry a purse to stash their sanitizer in, and the tiny bottle you keep in their backpack won’t be within arms reach during most of their day. Which is why these snap bracelets are brilliant. They have a small compartment for sanitizer that you refill each day, and they just squish a little onto their hands when they need it!
- Example: Slap On Sanitizer bracelets
Splash Pants
- Your kids are going to be spending more time outside during the school day. Teachers are planning to hold more lessons in the schoolyard to take advantage of the fresh air, and to give kids a break from their masks. Which means kids will be sitting on the ground. A lot. So, if you don’t want your kids spending their day with a wet, muddy bum, stashing a pair of splash pants in their backpack will keep their pants dry and clean during outdoor learning sessions.
- Example: Jan and Jul splash pants
Sun Hat
- Same rationale as above – your kids will spend more time outside, so keeping a full-brim sunhat with SPF protection in their backpack is a good idea!
- Example: Jan and Jul sun hat
Sunscreen Stick
- Again, more time outside means more sun exposure. And if your kids are like mine, there’s a zero percent chance they’ll put their own sunscreen lotion on. So grabbing a sunscreen stick that they can quickly spread on their nose, cheeks and chin is key!
- Example: ThinkSport Sunscreen Stick
Zip-Open Lunch Bag
- This one seems like a no-brainer, but let me explain. Trying to eliminate the chance that your child’s food touches the table and then goes into their mouth (carrying germs with it) is the goal. So, packing their snacks and lunch in a lunch bag that sits flat on the table, and then has the entire top unzip and fold back is ideal. That way all the food containers stay in the lunch bag, and they can eat directly from the bag without having any food contact the table.
- Example: Now Designs lunch bag
Cutlery and Napkin
- And following the same logic as the lunch bag, packing cutlery eliminates the numbers of times your kiddo is going to touch their table (or their friends by accident) and then stick their fingers in their mouth with their food. And the napkin? That just keeps them tidy, without using the back of their own hand to wipe their face. I know… ideal world right? But it’s worth a shot!
- Example: Travel cutlery with case
Close-Up Photo of Your Child
- Learning social cues is a huge part of the holistic learning young children do in school. And this year is going to feel tough for them at times when they can’t see their classmates faces and expressions. So it just might be worth sending a photo of your kiddo’s smiling face along with them. They could put it on their cubby, at their desk, or anywhere else that they’d like their friends to be reminded of what they look like without their mask!
I know this all feels daunting. We’re all walking into the unknown, and doing what we can to reassure our children and set them up for success. So, I hope this list helps keep you sane during the back to school preparation, and helps keep them focused on learning.
And if there’s something else you think we’ve forgotten, please share with us! We’re all walking through this and learning together.
Because our classrooms are going to look a bit different this year. But we can help our children make the best of it. We’re all in this together.
