What goes into the school bag? 10 gift ideas for starting school

Gifts for first graders
What goes into the school bag? Ten creative tips for filling

All first graders receive a school cone on the day they start school

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On the day they start school, it is a tradition in this country to give first graders a colorfully filled school cone. You can find out here which gifts are particularly popular with young students.

It has been a custom in Germany since the 19th century to give a child a special gift when they start school: the school cone. Filled with treats such as nuts or dried fruits, the contents were intended to literally sweeten the day of school children. This tradition continues to this day – although it is now common practice to stuff the bag not only with sweets, but also with all sorts of practical, useful or even funny things. If you are still looking for suitable gift ideas, the following filling tips will certainly help you.

1. Lunch box and water bottle

There is one for a little hunger in between Bento box The right companion for school children: Its six sealed compartments have the advantage that fresh food no longer has to be packaged in foil and produces a lot of waste. On the other hand, different products (e.g. bread, fruit and vegetables, quark, cookies) can be placed next to each other without them mixing. Or you can give away a whole set, consisting of a personalized lunch box and drinking bottle in the same design.
The set is available here.

2. ABC poster and timetable

A little learning aid for at home: this Question Bear learning poster. It shows the alphabet in lower and upper case letters, the numbers one to ten, learning words and funny pictures to help first graders learn to write more easily. They can also practice their first attempts at writing on a timetable on which they can record their subjects over 25 pages (if the lessons change, for example). The timetable is available here.

3. Neck pouch and money box

Not all children can be brought to school in person by their parents. They learn in the first grade to drive the bus independently – and to handle money properly. So that you don’t carry your coins or notes loose in your pocket, it’s a practical one Breast pouch the right gift. Alternatively, a small money box fits in the school bag, for example from Lego. In this way, first graders can learn early on to save their belongings. On top of that, you can assemble the money box yourself.
There is the piggy bank here.

4. Ink box and painting apron

In the first grade, the children not only learn to count and write, but also to paint. Art is taught to encourage their creativity and train their eyes. The subject is particularly fun for most first graders because they can let their imagination run wild. A new one is a good gift for the school cone Ink box or a suitable painting apron to protect the children’s clothing from possible paint splashes or other craft supplies. The apron is available here.

5. Colored pencils, pencils and fountain pens

A classic gift for starting school is the ink fountain pen (for example from Lamy), with which the students will write their first words. Pencils are mostly used for arithmetic or drawing, and again for painting colored pencils. Here you have a variety of options for storing a few of the writing utensils mentioned in your school bag.
Or you can give away pencils and colored pencils Sproutwhich can be planted after use and turn into a plant.
The filler is available here.

6. Sharpener, eraser and ruler

For other subjects such as mathematics, first graders definitely need good pencils and an eraser in case they miss the mark. A sharpener is also needed if the expression becomes dull, and a ruler, for example, to draw fraction lines. So that you don’t have to buy everything individually, you can finished set Buy – or just a ruler from Lego (15 or 30 centimeters), which has to be assembled before it can be used. The ruler is available here.

7. Jump rope, rubber twist and marbles

During the breaks between lessons, first graders spend a lot of time in the schoolyard. All forms of games in which children have to be active are particularly popular here – such as with Rubber twist. But they are also particularly popular Jump ropes for girls or marble games for boys. The games are very suitable for exercising and making new friends. The marbles are here.

8. Reflectors and spoke lights

Cycling also plays an important role in primary school: this is where school children learn the most important traffic rules. This also includes taking yourself and your bike with you Reflectors and spoke lights so that they can be seen by other road users even in poor visibility – for example when it is raining or snowing. The spoke light is available here.

9. Poetry album and friends book

The first days after starting school are particularly exciting for children when they can get to know each other better and make their first friends. In order to record the memories of the first time, for example what the new classmates are called or what was in the school bag, there are special entry books for boys and girls. Alternatively, there is a Friends book a nice gift for classmates to immortalize themselves in.

The book for girls is available here.
The book for boys is available here.

10. Lanyard

Over time, many school children also have to make the journey home alone. Since their parents are often not back from work after school ends, many elementary school children receive their first house key. So that you don’t lose it right away, there’s an option Lanyard as a gift for the school cone. Best in combination with a name tag in case the key is lost and the finder needs to return it to the recipient.

Tip: Even more gift ideas about starting school You will find here.

This is how the school bag is packed

There are also a few points to consider when packing school bags so that no gift is accidentally damaged under someone else’s burden. There is a tried and tested packing system that you can use as a guide:

  1. The summit The school bag is very sensitive and can, in the worst case scenario, bend if it is not filled properly. It’s best to stuff these with pointed gifts that are sturdy enough not to be crushed by objects above them. Smaller gaps in the tip can be filled with candy like Fill candy.
  2. Many school bags these days are almost as tall as the children who carry them. This is even more important here Balance weight wellso that the bag doesn’t fall out of your arms when carrying it. It’s best to pack the heaviest gifts at the bottom and the light ones on top – this puts the center of gravity at the top.
  3. With it the gaps If the school bag is not filled exclusively with sweets, you can use other things filling material such as using newspaper or crepe paper. This also makes it possible to pad sharp objects so that they don’t accidentally skewer the other gifts.
  4. Increase that Tensionby putting the gifts for the school cone again pack each individually. On the one hand, your child will have even more fun unpacking the contents, and on the other hand, you will also save on filling material. In any case, the best gifts shouldn’t be at the top, otherwise the surprise will be even bigger.
  5. The school bag should definitely be filled so that your child can carry it alone. If you put too many heavy gifts in it, a first grader will have a hard time holding them – plus the top could also become too heavy due to the too high weight tear.
  6. Close After filling the school bag, be very careful – most models end with thin crepe paper, which can tear very quickly if you pull on it too hard. It is best to tie the bag with a thin fabric ribbon and make a bow so that your child can easily open the ribbon again.
  7. It should be on the day of school enrollment rain, there is a particularly high risk that the school bag will get wet and the material will soften. To counteract this, you can put the bag in one transparent garbage bag Wrap it so that it stays dry until it starts school and doesn’t threaten to tear.

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