It is Sunday evening, the day before the first day of preschool. On the hallway floor lie a new backpack, a pile of clothes, a pair of indoor slippers, pyjamas and the list from the preschool, printed on a sheet of paper. Zosia’s mum puts a third set of clothes into the backpack and wonders whether that is too much. Meanwhile Zosia sits on the floor and has spent five minutes trying to tie the laces on her new slippers. In the end she puts them down and says: “I can’t do it.”
That scene captures what packing for preschool is really about. It is not about buying everything the shops recommend, but about giving your child a few well-chosen things at preschool that they can manage on their own or with a little help. In Poland this set of things is called a wyprawka — the starter kit parents pack at the beginning of the year. This article collects the items that come in handy most often and suggests how to choose them. One caveat up front: every preschool has its own list and its own rules, so always start by asking the preschool, and treat this list as a help in getting ready.
What should you pack for preschool? The shortest list
Most preschool packing lists come down to five groups of things: spare clothes, shoes to wear indoors, things for the rest period, a few hygiene items and the paperwork the preschool collects at the start of the year. On top of that there is a backpack or bag in which your child carries their things, and a short list of what is better left at home.
In practice, for the first day it is usually enough to have:
- one or two complete sets of spare clothes, in a bag with your child’s name on it,
- indoor slippers or other indoor shoes your child can put on by themselves,
- things for the rest period if the group has one: pyjamas, a pillow or a sleeping bag — only if the preschool asks for them,
- the hygiene items the preschool asks for: for example a towel, wipes, nappies if your child still uses them,
- completed forms and up-to-date phone numbers for the parents.
Everything should be labelled. You can buy the rest after the first week, once you see what is actually missing.
The preschool checklist in one table
The table collects the items that appear most often on preschool lists. Not all of them will be needed at your preschool — some preschools provide bedding or towels, for example, while others ask parents to bring their own.
| Category | Item | What it is for | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spare clothes | 1–2 sets: underwear, socks, trousers, T-shirt, sweatshirt | Spills, getting wet, toilet accidents | Simple clothes with elastic waists, no buttons or cords; labelled bag |
| Spare clothes | Extra socks | Wet socks after playing outside | Two pairs take up very little space |
| Indoor shoes | Slippers or light indoor shoes | Clean shoes in the classroom, steady footing | Non-slip sole, Velcro instead of laces, closed heel |
| Rest | Pyjamas, pillow, blanket or sleeping bag | The after-lunch rest | Only if the preschool asks; check the size |
| Rest | Comfort toy | A sense of security in a new place | It helps to have two identical ones so one can be washed |
| Hygiene | Towel with a hanging loop | Drying hands and face | The loop lets your child hang it up alone |
| Hygiene | Toothbrush and cup | Brushing teeth after meals, if the preschool does this | Ask whether the preschool requires it |
| Hygiene | Wipes, nappies, creams | For children who still use nappies | Only toiletries agreed with the preschool |
| Carrying things | Backpack or bag | Your child’s things in one place | Light, and one your child can open alone |
| Paperwork | Registration form, pick-up authorisations, health information | Formalities and your child’s safety | On the preschool’s forms, with current phone numbers |
| What not to pack | Small toys, coins, jewellery, batteries, medicines not agreed in advance | Choking risk, things getting lost, arguments in the group | Leave a favourite toy at home, or in a cubby if the preschool allows it |
The two items parents argue with themselves about most are the number of spare outfits and the slippers. Both get their own sections below.
How many spare clothes should you pack?
Day to day, one complete spare outfit is usually enough, while in the first weeks of preschool and during toilet training it is better to have two. A complete outfit means underwear, socks, trousers or leggings, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. A child who has had an accident needs to change everything at once, not just their trousers.
A few rules that make life easier for your child and the teachers:
- Elastic waists. Trousers with an elastic waistband, without buttons or a belt, are ones your child can take off and put on alone.
- One bag per outfit. Keep the whole outfit in one labelled bag rather than loose in the backpack — it is easy to check that nothing is missing.
- Clothes that suit the season. A warmer sweatshirt in winter, short sleeves in summer. It is worth checking the bag whenever the weather changes and whenever your child has a growth spurt.
- Things you don’t mind getting dirty. At preschool children paint, model clay and sit on the grass. Spare clothes and everyday clothes should not be their best ones.
- Replace after every use. Wet clothes come home in a separate bag, and the next day a fresh set is waiting in the spare-clothes bag.
If your child is in the middle of giving up nappies, you may go through more spare clothes. Ask the teachers how many sets they would like to have to hand. A step-by-step look at potty training and how to coordinate it with the preschool is in the article on potty training step by step.
Indoor slippers — which shoes should your child wear at preschool?
The shoes that work best are ones your child stands steadily in, walks freely in and can put on without an adult’s help. In Poland the indoor shoes children change into at preschool are called kapcie — slippers or light shoes worn only inside the building. In its advice for parents of young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends comfortable shoes with non-skid soles that help a child stay steady on slippery floors, and stresses that it is better to have no shoes at all than shoes that are too tight.
These recommendations translate into practical tips for indoor shoes:
- Non-slip sole. Floors in the classroom, corridor and bathroom can be slippery. Slippers with a smooth, hard sole increase the risk of slipping.
- Room for the toes. The AAP advises checking the fit of a young child’s shoes about once a month: the top of the big toe should be about a finger’s width from the inside edge of the shoe. Children’s feet grow fast, and slippers that stay at preschool are easy to overlook.
- Velcro instead of laces. This is a tip, not an official recommendation, but a very practical one: a Velcro fastening or slip-on shoes with a closed heel are something your child can put on alone, while laces are usually still beyond them.
- Closed heel. Backless slippers fall off when a child runs. Slippers with a closed heel stay on the foot better.
Some preschools ask for a specific type of shoe, such as closed trainers for physical activity sessions. Ask about this before you buy slippers. If your child has advice from an orthopaedic specialist or physiotherapist about footwear, pass it on to the teachers.
Does your child need a sleeping bag for preschool?
A sleeping bag, pillow or blanket is only needed if the children at your preschool have a rest period and the preschool asks for their own bedding. In Poland this after-lunch rest is called leżakowanie — literally “lying on a little camp bed”. In many preschools younger children rest or sleep after lunch, but how this time is organised varies a lot: some preschools provide camp beds and bedding, others ask parents for a sleeping bag, and others have no rest period for older children.
Before you buy anything, ask:
- whether your child’s group has a rest period and how long it lasts,
- whether the preschool provides bedding or you need to bring your own,
- what size the camp bed or mattress is, so the sleeping bag fits,
- how often bedding goes home to be washed.
It helps if your child can lay out and fold their rest things on their own. A sleeping bag with a zip that opens in one movement is handier than a set of bedding with covers.
A comfort toy matters too. The American Academy of Pediatrics writes that objects that give a child a sense of security — a blanket, a soft toy — help them move from depending on adults towards greater independence, and are not a sign of weakness or insecurity. The AAP suggests having two identical ones, so you can wash one while the other is in use. At preschool this is especially useful: a favourite soft toy that stays in the classroom does not have to travel back and forth every day.
If your child has trouble falling asleep, or cannot fall asleep in the evening after the rest at preschool, the article on how much sleep a 3-year-old needs may help — among other things, it describes how a nap at preschool affects night-time sleep.
Hygiene: towel, toothbrush, wipes
The list of hygiene items varies most between preschools. Some provide paper towels and do not brush teeth, others ask for a towel with a loop, a toothbrush, toothpaste and a cup. Others still ask parents at the start of the year for a supply of tissues or wet wipes for the whole group.
A few tips if the preschool asks for your own items:
- Towel with a loop. A small towel with a sewn-in loop is one your child can hang on a hook alone. A towel without a loop ends up on the floor.
- Labelled cup and toothbrush. In a group of fifteen or twenty-odd children, identical toothbrushes are easy to mix up. A name or a recognisable colour helps a lot.
- Nappies and wipes. If your child still uses nappies, ask how many to bring and how often to top up the supply.
- Creams and toiletries. Bring nappy creams or sunscreen only after agreeing it with the teachers. The preschool may have its own rules on using toiletries.
The towel, toothbrush and cup go home every so often to be washed and replaced. Ask how often — and put it in your calendar, because after a few weeks it is easy to forget.
Backpack or drawstring bag for preschool?
Either one is enough, and the choice depends mainly on what your child will carry and whether they can manage it alone. A small, light backpack works well when your child takes something to preschool and back every day. A bag with a gathered opening is good for spare clothes and slippers that stay in the cloakroom. In Poland this is the familiar worek — a cloth bag that hangs on the child’s peg.
What to look for in a backpack:
- Size. A preschooler’s backpack does not need room for a water bottle, a pencil case and books. One that holds a set of clothes and a few small things is enough.
- A zip or flap your child can manage. A large zip with a pull tab or a Velcro flap is easier than buckles.
- Two straps. A backpack worn on both shoulders is more comfortable for a child than a bag on one.
- Space for a name. A name on the outside and inside helps when several similar backpacks hang in the cloakroom.
Choose a bag for clothes or slippers with some thought: here the cord is for closing and carrying, not part of a garment, but it is better if your child does not hang the bag around their neck or play with it that way. Some parents choose bags with a handle or a zip instead of a cord. Also ask whether the preschool has its own rules — some prefer bags hung on cloakroom hooks to backpacks.
Clothes without cords at the hood
Requirements for cords in children’s clothing are set out in the European standard EN 14682, adopted in Poland as PN-EN 14682, “Safety of children’s clothing — Cords and drawstrings on children’s clothing”. The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) draws on it when assessing the safety of clothing in proceedings under the General Product Safety Act. In UOKiK decisions, clothing for young children means clothing for children from birth to 7 years of age, that is up to and including 134 cm in height.
In its published decisions, UOKiK found the following, among other things, to be non-compliant with the standard:
- cords in the head area, for example in the hood channel of a sweatshirt for a young child,
- drawstrings, functional cords and decorative cords hanging below the bottom edge of a garment,
- cords exiting at the back of a garment or meant to be tied at the back,
- knots at the ends of cords.
The inspectors pointed out that such cords can catch on protruding parts, for example of playground equipment, and lead to an accident. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) classes hood and neck drawstrings on children’s upper outerwear as a strangulation hazard and reports that the most common incident scenario involves drawstrings getting entangled on playground slides. The CPSC recommends alternative closures on children’s upper outerwear: snaps, buttons, Velcro and elastic.
What this means for packing: choose sweatshirts and jackets without cords at the hood and neck, and if a garment does have a cord, check that it does not hang down and has no knot at the end. At preschool children run, climb and slide every day, so this matters more than with clothes worn only at home.
What not to pack for preschool
The list of things better left at home is as important as the list of things you need. Some items are about safety, others about everyday life in a group.
Small objects. At preschool children of different ages play together, and for the youngest, small objects are dangerous. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists among choking hazards: balloons, coins, marbles, toys with small parts, small balls, pen and marker caps, and button batteries. The AAP notes that balloons pose a choking risk to children up to 8 years of age, and advises avoiding toys with small or detachable parts.
Jewellery and hair clips with small parts. This is a tip, not a rule: necklaces, bracelets and decorated clips are easy to lose, and small parts can come off. It is better to leave them at home.
Medicines without agreement. Do not put medicines or supplements in your child’s backpack without talking to the preschool first. The preschool has its own rules on giving medicines — ask about them, especially if your child has a chronic condition or an allergy.
Food and sweets. If the preschool provides meals, food from home can be a problem for children with allergies in the group. Ask whether anything to eat may be brought in, for example for birthdays.
Favourite expensive toys. A toy brought from home easily becomes a cause of arguments or goes missing. Preschools have different rules about toys from home, so ask about them before the first day. A comfort toy for the rest period is usually a separate matter.
Paperwork and formalities
Every preschool has its own forms and templates, so treat this part as a list of questions for the preschool rather than a ready-made set. Before the year starts, it is usually worth having ready:
- The contract or registration form — on the preschool’s template.
- Pick-up authorisations — if someone other than the parents will collect your child, for example grandparents. Ask what details are needed and whether the person collecting needs to carry an ID.
- Up-to-date phone numbers — for both parents and for someone who can be contacted when the parents cannot be reached.
- Health information — allergies, chronic conditions, doctor’s recommendations, diet. It is better to hand this over in writing than mention it in the cloakroom.
- Consents — for example for photos, outings beyond the preschool grounds or extra activities, if the preschool asks for them.
If you are still wondering at what age a child can start preschool and what the rules are in Poland, read the article on preschool age in Poland.
How to label things so they don’t get lost
The cloakroom holds the coats of twenty children, and half of them may look very similar. Labelled things find their way back to their owner; unlabelled ones end up in the lost property box. It is worth labelling everything: spare clothes, slippers, the bag, the backpack, the towel, the cup, the hat and gloves.
Methods that work in practice:
- A fabric marker on the care label — quick and cheap, though the writing fades over time.
- Iron-on or sew-on name labels — more durable, good for clothes that are washed often.
- Stickers for the cup, water bottle and backpack.
- A symbol instead of a name — for a child who cannot read yet, a simple picture (a star, a leaf, a square) next to the name helps them recognise their own things.
That last idea has an extra advantage: a child who recognises their bag by its symbol will find it themselves instead of waiting for someone to hand it to them.
A checklist your child can manage on their own
Montessori education puts a lot of weight on children being able to take care of themselves: putting on shoes, hanging up a coat, washing their hands, putting things back in their place. What you pack can help a great deal here, or get in the way. Things your child cannot manage mean they have to wait for an adult every time.
A few questions worth asking with every purchase:
- Can my child put it on alone? Elastic-waist trousers, Velcro shoes, a sweatshirt without buttons at the neck.
- Can my child open it alone? A backpack with a large zip, a bag that opens easily, a cup without a complicated lid.
- Can my child recognise it alone? A name, a symbol, a colour.
- Can my child put it away alone? A towel with a loop, a bag with a handle for a hook.
It is a good idea to practise at home before the first day. Zosia from the evening scene spent the week before preschool putting on her Velcro slippers in the hallway every day — and on the first day she did it herself, without asking for help. Small steps towards independence give a child the sense that they will cope in a new place. More on how independence develops in practice is in the article on independence in Montessori.
Packing and settling in
Packing is also a way to prepare your child for preschool. Packing the backpack together, choosing a cup or a bag, talking about what spare clothes are for — all of this helps your child imagine what lies ahead. A child who packed their own bag is usually happier to carry it.
A few ideas for the first weeks:
- Pack together with your child. You don’t have to ask about everything, but let your child choose which T-shirt to pack as a spare.
- Don’t change everything at once. A new preschool, new shoes, new pyjamas and a new backpack are a lot of new things for one day. Some things can be familiar from home.
- A comfort toy from home. If the preschool allows it, a familiar soft toy or blanket helps a lot in the first days.
- Calm evenings. Pack in the evening before bed, not in a rush in the morning.
How settling in works, how long it usually takes and how to get through it calmly is covered in the article on settling in at preschool.
FAQ — parents’ questions about what to pack for preschool
What should a preschool checklist include? Most often: spare clothes, slippers or other indoor shoes, things for the rest period if the group has one, the hygiene items the preschool asks for, a backpack or bag, and paperwork. Every preschool has its own list, so it is worth starting by asking the preschool.
What kind of slippers should a child wear at preschool? Comfortable ones with a non-slip sole and a closed heel that your child can put on alone — ideally with Velcro. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises checking the size of a young child’s shoes regularly and stresses that it is better to have no shoes at all than shoes that are too tight.
How many spare clothes should you send to preschool? One complete set is usually enough, and two in the first weeks and during toilet training. A complete set means underwear, socks, trousers, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt.
Do you need to buy a sleeping bag for preschool? Only if the preschool asks for one. Some preschools provide bedding, some ask parents to bring their own, and in some older children do not have a rest period. Also ask about the size of the camp bed.
Can my child wear a sweatshirt with a cord in the hood? In UOKiK decisions based on the PN-EN 14682 standard, cords in the head area of clothing for children up to 7 years old were found to be non-compliant with the standard. It is safer to choose sweatshirts and jackets without cords at the hood and neck.
Can my child bring a favourite toy to preschool? It depends on the preschool’s rules. Small toys are dangerous for the younger children in the group, and expensive ones are easily lost. A comfort toy for the rest period is usually a separate matter — ask the teachers.
Final thoughts
A good preschool kit does not have to be big. A few well-chosen, labelled things are enough: a set of spare clothes, comfortable slippers, things for the rest period if they are needed, and whatever your preschool asks for. Safety means clothes without cords at the hood and no small objects in the backpack. And what helps your child most is whatever they can manage on their own. Velcro slippers instead of laces, as in Zosia’s case, are a small detail that means a great deal on the first day.
If you would like to see what a day looks like in a preschool with a mixed-age group, see the page on the Montessori preschool.