Best Back to School Bucket List for Preschool & Kindergarten Kids

As summer draws to a close, the anticipation of a new school year brings excitement and apprehension for our preschoolers and kindergarteners. New schools, new friends, and new routines are going to take some getting used to. It’s a great time to do some activities together to make the weeks before the new school year memorable and soothe any fears your child may have. We’ve created a special free printable back to school bucket list to help. From drawing lunch box notes to reading a favorite book together, let’s make this milestone more fun for you and your child. And as always, help make it less stressful!

Back to school bucket list for preschoolers and kindergarteners

Pick out school supplies

My assistant is starting Kindergarten this year, and he is super excited to finally have a big kid backpack. We made our Target trip early, while everything was fully stocked and there was no pressure to hurry up and buy something because school starts in a couple days. It was so relaxed and fun. He loved all of it; he also really enjoyed picking out his backpack, and holding the supply list / checking everything off as we put it in the cart.

Visit the library

Stop by your local children’s library and pick up a schedule for their upcoming after school programs. Kids can make crafts, watch a movie, or enjoy other fun (and free!) events.

Create a cozy reading / homework space at home

Set up a quiet and comfortable area for reading. Add an organizer with some arts & craft supplies.

Meet the teacher and new friends

Attend any orientation or meet and greet events to get familiar with the new class.

Pack some lunch box notes

Make a few drawings together on Post Its and add them to your child’s lunch for the first few days for a midday smile.

Read The Kissing Hand

When our older kids started Kindergarten, their teachers both read this book to them at orientation. When their nerves got the better of them, we would give them a kissing hand (after kissing Chester Raccoon’s palm, his mother tells him “Whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your chest and think, ‘Mommy loves you.'”) I swear, this totally worked for both of them. And it worked again this year for our youngest.