Children Should Avoid Bringing Certain Items to School

The first day of school is approaching and you want to make sure your little one has everything she needs to get through the day. So you pack up her backpack with lots of supplies — crayons, notebooks, and other goodies. But there are some items you should avoid including. It's always a good idea to check with the teacher first, but here are some basic guidelines.

Snacks for the Class

Little girl playing with toys at home
BJI / Blue Jean Images/Getty Images

You might think it is a nice gesture to bring a treat to share on that first day, but it's probably not the best idea. Many schools are moving towards snack-free classrooms, and those that still allow them are banning anything that isn't store-bought. Also a big no-no, anything with nuts.

Save the treat for when your child comes home and you can celebrate his first day together.

Toys

A lovey stashed in a backpack for a touch of home is probably OK, but you don't want to let your child bring in his favorite car or action figure. Unless specifically requested by the teacher for show and tell or other classroom activity, toys can be disruptive to the learning environment and cause jealousy among the other children. It's easy to lose a personal toy in a classroom full of kids. Plus, you don't want your child to accidentally forget it at school.

Any Type of Shoes Except for Sneakers

Sandals are cute, tiny high heels are adorable and Crocs are comfortable, but they aren't the best for running on the playground or in a gym. Many schools even go so far to ban any shoes but sneakers.

Unless it's a special dress-up or picture day, make sure your kids are in comfortable, rubber-soled shoes that fit them well.

This goes too for roller shoes — unless you remove the wheels so kids can't accidentally activate them, save them for at home use only.

Hand Sanitizer

This is one of those items that sounds perfect to put in your child's backpack — she'll be exposed to many new germs in a preschool classroom, so why not encourage her to keep her hands clean. Teachers can't always monitor the use of these types of products and some children are sensitive to some of the ingredients. Plus, it can be poisonous and more than one young child has tried to drink it, leading to it being banned from many schools.

Rolling Backpacks

Your preschooler shouldn't have too much to carry, so in most cases, this won't be an issue, but when it comes time to choose a backpack, select one that doesn't roll. Rolling backpacks can be difficult to maneuver and tend to be larger in size. So, they won't necessarily fit in kid-sized cubbies. It's also possible that another child could trip on it. Save these types of bags for travel — they are great for airports.

By Amanda Rock
Amanda Rock, mom of three, has spent more than a decade of her professional career writing and editing for parents and children.