I thought I would share a list of a basic supply list for a child who is about to begin their first day of Preschool. The list is simple and basic. I will also share with you what I, as a teacher, do with most of the supplies for the classroom.
Preschool is a very basic introduction to school. Before you go wild on buying your child items for it, you should talk to the child's teacher or wait for a list from the school.
A great way to ease and excite a child about starting Preschool is to take them school supply shopping and allowing them the opportunity to help pick out their new gear and supplies.
1. The child will need a backpack to take things to and from school. At this age, they do not need anything large. I think the Skip Hop back packs are super adorable and perfectly sized. In fact, A already has one and uses it to carry her toys and craft store when we go on trips. She will put a book with some crayons, stickers, coloring book, small toys, DVDs, and snacks. AND she will carry it herself.
2. To go along with their adorably cute backpack, you may want to pack them their very own lunch and snacks. At some Preschool's, this is only an option if the child has allergies or is a picky eater and completely refuses to eat. But there are also some that completely leave it up to the parents. We also like the Skip Hop lunch bags.
3. The next few items on the list are for crafting and allowing your child to be creative in the classroom. The first one is washable glue. Most teachers will request Elmer's. Some will be even more specific in saying stick, gel, or the original. They serve basically the same purpose, but some teachers feel the stick may be less of a hassle and mess for young children. And some teachers find the children have more fun with the messier stuff and enjoy it more. It is all about preference. 
4. Next is washable markers. Crayola is known for the variety of children craft products for coloring and doodling. They have a kind that is called Kid's First Washable Markers. They come in a pack of 8.
5. Of course, children between the ages of 2-4 love crayons. Again, some teachers have preference on this item. Some prefer the jumbo crayons because they do not break as easily.
6. Another top item is child safe scissors. Fiscars is a popular brand that makes scissors that are small enough for young children and have the rounded edges so they aren't so sharp.
7. Most classrooms have an opportunity for the children to sit quietly in their areas and play. Many teachers will encourage Playdough because it builds their imagination and they can become little artists without having to drag out too many other materials.
8. This next one is extremely important for germs. Classrooms go through these super quickly, so don't be surprised if a teacher requests 2-3 boxes per student. Germs are constantly being passed around among the many children. There is always runny noses and so forth that need attention.
9. These last two are optional things for convenience. Mostly for pround parents. The first is labels. Even though the students won't need to label their items, they may need to label anything that goes to school with them, like medicines, cups, jackets, shoes, and so on.
10. The last one is a planner/recorder for all of your child's memories through the school year. From events, to growth, to their first artwork of the year! I plan to make homemade ones from binders for the girls.
Here is my basic list for starting preschool. Some classrooms may ask for additional things depending on the development and academic level of the school and classroom. However, I found these to be the most common. Also, these are the ones that I would request for sure as a teacher.
Do you have a child that attends preschool? Or has attended preschool in the past? Or will be soon attending preschool?
What is on your must-have list for that child?
