Kindergarten Start 2026: Personalized Backpacks, Lunch Boxes, Water Bottles & Checklist

Typical basic equipment includes a small kindergarten backpack, a lunch box, a drinking bottle, slippers, and a change of clothes.

Depending on the facility, mud clothing, wellington boots, sleeping gear, personal care products, or a cuddly toy may also be needed.

The backpack should fit the child's body size and offer enough space for a lunch box, drinking bottle, and small personal items.

Particularly important are a low weight, adjustable shoulder straps, and a chest strap for a secure fit.

For many kindergarten children, a compact backpack with approximately four to eight liters of volume is sufficient. However, the crucial factor is not just the liter capacity, but above all the fit.

The backpack should not be wider than the back and should be comfortable to wear even when full.

Suitable items include sandwiches, cut-up fruit, vegetables, and simple snacks that your child can eat independently.

Please note any facility guidelines as well as known allergies and intolerances.

A suitable drinking bottle should be light, robust, easy to clean, and easy for small children to open independently.

It should also fit securely in the backpack. Always observe the manufacturer's instructions regarding suitable beverages and cleaning.

In kindergarten and daycare, many backpacks, lunch boxes, and drinking bottles look similar. A clearly visible personalization makes identification easier.

For children, their own name can also help them recognize their personal item more quickly.

Labeling is particularly useful for frequently used and easily mixed-up items.

• ✓ Kindergarten backpack
• ✓ Lunch box and drinking bottle
• ✓ Jackets and spare clothes
• ✓ Slippers and wellington boots
• ✓ Cuddly toy and sleepwear

It makes sense to select the most important items a few weeks before kindergarten starts. This leaves enough time for personalization and shipping.

Your child can also get to know and try out the backpack, lunch box, and drinking bottle before the first day.

Popular and practical gifts include a personalized kindergarten backpack, a lunch box with a name, or a suitable drinking bottle.

Small keepsakes or a familiar companion for the acclimatization period are also suitable as gifts for the start of kindergarten.

Often, not all equipment is needed on the first day. During the settling-in period, a backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, slippers, and a change of clothes are often sufficient.

Check with the facility beforehand about which items should be brought immediately and which can be brought later.

Talk positively and age-appropriately about the new daily routine. It's also helpful to walk the route to the facility together beforehand.

Let your child pack their new backpack themselves and practice opening the lunchbox and water bottle. This way, the new items become familiar even before the first day of kindergarten.

At Schmatzepuffer, you'll find a selection of kindergarten backpacks, lunchboxes, and water bottles, many of which can be individually personalized with a name.

You can find the entire selection in our kindergarten start theme world .