What to put in reception child's school bag?

[MadMonkeys]

DD1 starts reception in September. What do I need to put in her school bag? A change of clothes, a drink ... and? She will have her PE kit and a pair of wellies to leave at the school. Anything else?

[HouseofEliot]

Nothing in my Dd's until they got a reading book/diary. PE kit stayed in school only brought home at half term to wash. Seperate lunch box and drink. They didn't have a change of clothes.

[Toohotforfishandchips]

Just a change of clothes for us

[todayiamfat]

Hadn't thought of a change of clothes ! I don't think they are expecting us to.provide any. The book bag is tiny! Now I'm wondering what to do....

[Artandco]

I have never heard of change of clothes needed. General they just let them change into pe clothes if school clothes really can't be worn

[2Warriorsandawish]

pencil case

[MysteriousCircusZebra]

You shouldn't need a change of clothes unless theres likely to be wee accidents. In which case a spare pare of pants and change into gym kit. We always just put reading book in book bag. And notes to and from the school. You don't want it to be too heavy.

[Contraryish]

I didn't put anything in. No pencil case required ... change of clothes only if they have specific issues.

[Toohotforfishandchips]

Our school said change of clothes as they do a lot of water play, outdoor classroom work (mud etc) plus spills of drinks, paint etc ... Plus wee accidents for some initially. My DD regularly put a dry t shirt on, but she is very messy

[Gileswithachainsaw]

A drink :o

It soon gets filled with crap.

Their pe kit stays in school but take it in on first day. And lunch bag goes daily obviously :o

[noblegiraffe]

Change of clothes goes in the PE bag and left at school.

They'll probably be given a story book to put in their bag quite early on, just to have something to carry :)

[Holidayfun]

Nothing. Unless specified by the school. They usually provided pencils and books, so need for a pencil case. In fact I think most schools would prefer you not to bring a pencil case in.
We didnt take a change of clothes, any accidents and the children were changed into PE kit. Unless your child has a specific problem with having accidents I wouldn't have thought a change of clothes is necessary.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

PE kit in one bag which stays at school. I popped in a few spare pairs of pants for the first term just in case but don't think they were needed. PE kit was used as spare clothes on the day my DD fell in a puddle (!). They also do have other spare clothes in the office if really needed. Our school ask for waterproof jacket and trousers in the PE kit too for playing out in the wet.

Packed lunch if needed. Bottle of water (not in book bag in case it leaks).

Book bag - empty unless you have a form or something for the teacher at the start of term. Our school started by bringing home picture books for the adult to read to the child. No need for pencil case or notebooks or anything.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

You may also still need sun cream in Sept if your school allow it (ours doesn't).

[KernowKids]

Our school have asked that we don't send a school bag. They have a pe kit that stays in a bag on their peg, and then a school branded book bag that comes home but no other bag as they said they have no room.

[SoonToBeSix]

They don't even need a bag , they just carry a lunch case with a handle if on packed lunches.

[BadgersBum]

I didn't even think of sending a change of clothes either, my DS had 1 'splashback related' incident during his reception year, so he came home wearing clothes from their emergency cupboard (which I now donate any outgrown uniform to as some parents seem to forget to return it!). I think they will either do this or send them home in PE kit if the weather's warm enough for short and t shirt.

My DS had the same as Kernow - his PE kit and the school issue book bag (and very briefly his sandwich box) for the whole of reception year.

[BramwellBrown]

DD's bag contained lunch box, drink, reading diary and reading book, homework, a pack of tissues and anything she needed to take in for show and tell, and a hat and suncream if the weather looked nice.

She had spare knickers and socks in her PE kit to save her carrying them to and fro each day.

[Galena]

I put spare clothes in her pe bag as she hadn't been toilet trained long before starting school. in her bookbag, I put her school cap in case of sunny weather!

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

sunhat and sunblock stick if still sunny in september, glasses if needed, clear named water bottle, if not coat weather but likely to rain then I tend to leave a little pocket pacamac thing in the bottom of their bags and also a tiny packet of tissues. some schools like to get them outside whatever the weather so worth being prepared. nothing else should be necessary.

any forms that still need returning.

[MadMonkeys]

Thanks for your replies, everyone. The school asked for a spare set of clothes.