Your kiddo is about to enter kindergarten! Even though their school will send out a complete list of school supplies to purchase before their first day, there's a likely chance an item or two might slip your mind. Or, there may be a few other things that didn't make the *official* list but might greatly benefit your little one. From adorable and durable lunch boxes and silicone snack bags to cute backpacks and notebooks for young writers, this list has all the essentials that may or may not be on your child's school-provided list. We even found some great reading, writing, and math workbooks so they can practice what they learned in school — or get ahead! Keep reading to see our top picks, and don't forget to check out our elementary, middle, and high school guides, as well.
— Additional reporting by Marisa Petrarca
This themed Learn to Read: A Magical Sight Words and Phonics Activity Workbook For Beginning Readers ($7) will get them excited to learn to read and write. It features word recognition drills along with fun puzzles and games using magical creatures like unicorns, mermaids, and dinosaurs.
Your kindergartener will love practicing writing with the Dry Erase Ruled Lap Boards ($7). Not only can they perfect their names and letters of the alphabet, but this will also teach them to write within the lines.
The Crayola Dry Erase Markers ($9) come in bright colors with fine tips. They're great for practicing school lessons at home on whiteboards, whether it's writing, spelling, basic math, or just keeping the household organized.
Pack your kindergartener a hearty lunch inside the Bentgo Bento-Style Kids' Lunch Box ($30, originally $40). It has two kid-friendly latches that are easy to open. Plus, it's eco-friendly, food-grade safe, and comes in a few different pattern styles.
The Fit & Fresh Soft Cool Coolers Ice Packs ($9, originally $10) are flexible, making them perfect for just about any type of lunch box or bag. Plus, the fun designs are a playful touch that'll make them smile.
Make their in-class snack time eco-friendly thanks to the reusable Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bags ($9, originally $10). It's dishwasher safe and has an air-tight pinch-loc seal to keep food fresh.
You can't start a new school year without updating your Crayola collection, and the Crayola Back-to-School Supplies ($14, originally $18) set has everything your child could ever need for all their school work and projects. It includes two 24-count crayon packs, ten washable markers, 12 colored pencils, and ten washable fine line markers.
The Vaschy Backpack with Chest Strap ($26) comes in multiple prints, including ones with unicorns, flamingos, and dinosaurs. It features a chest strap to keep the bag secure on little shoulders.
The Paw Patrol 5 Piece Ready for Action Backpack Set ($43) comes with everything your kindergarten will need for storage: a backpack, lunch kit, cinch sack, gadget case and a squishy ball, just for fun.
Start off with single-digit math problems in the Channie's One Page a Day Single Digit Math Problem Workbook For Prek-1st ($13). Each page has 25 single-digit addition and subtraction problems to solve so they can get daily practice.
Math just got a whole lot cuter thanks to the Kindergarten Math Workbook ($7). It teaches them number recognition, addition and subtraction, decomposing numbers, telling time, money and more. It's a great way to give your child a head start or let them practice what they have learned in school. All of the activities involve a variety of magical creatures and animals to keep your child engaged.
The Ticonderoga My First Pencils, 12 Pack ($8) are the perfect pencils for writing beginners. The large barrel provides more writing control for beginner writers.
The Crayola Construction Paper, 240 Count ($11, originally $17) comes with 48 pages of each color for a total of 480 pages. That should keep them stocked for a long while.
The CamelBak Kids' Eddy Water Bottle ($15) will keep your kindergartener hydrated in style! It comes in so many fun prints and patterns that your kiddo will want a few of them.
Teachers will appreciate the Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Value Pack, 75 Count ($10) as a classroom donation. They'll use them to wipe off surfaces and thus, ward off germs.
If you want to take school comparison photos of your kids through the years, the First and Last Day of School Photo Chalkboard Signs ($10) will help you make memories. It includes a double-sided chalkboard with white paint and a black marker.
This ZipIt Wildlings Pencil Box ($11) gives your child a place to store all of their writing utensils and has a slim design that won't weigh their bag down. It comes in a few fun monster-themed designs.
The Elmer's 2pk Washable School Glue Sticks - Disappearing Purple ($1) are likely a non-negotiable on your child's kindergarten shopping list. They'll make a frequent appearance in their classroom when they get involved in hands-on art projects.
The Wildkin Lunch Boxes ($25) come in so many cute patterns and colorful prints, so your kiddo won't get confused about which bag is theirs! It has a front pocket and an interior mesh pocket. It even has a perfect five-star rating.
This dry erase Write-On Wipe-Off Let's Write Words Book ($12) helps your child to read and write sight words over and over . . . and over. Kids can write and draw all over these books without the fear of making mistakes and wasting pages.
Stimulate their creativity with the Play-Doh Case of Imagination ($17). This set comes with a whopping 30 cans in a fun assortment of colors.
A pair of Westcott Classic Kids Scissors ($4) — or a similar pair — is a kindergarten must-have, as most schools recommend purchasing blunt-tip scissors ahead of the first day.
The Puffs Plus Lotion Facial Tissues, 10 Cubes, 52 Tissues Per Box (520 Tissues Total) ($15) are a must for your teacher's classroom. Both they and your kindergartener will appreciate the generous donation.
You may want to stock up on Elmer's 4oz Washable School Glue - White ($1), which is almost always a priority purchase on kindergarten-provided shopping lists.
Target has so many fun notebooks to choose from, one of which is the Callie Danielle Wide Ruled 1 Subject Spiral Notebook Kind is Cool ($3). They'll have fun picking one that suits their personality.