I can’t believe I’m actually writing these words, but Zelda has officially started preschool. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but hopefully other moms out there get it. I can’t be the only person who gets emotional about this stuff, right? I have so many thoughts and feelings on this topic mainly because she’s my only child and I really don’t know if we’ll have another one. That’s a whole different subject entirely, though. Anyway, the point is, whether I’m ready or not, Zelda is off to preschool.

I will admit, it’s been slightly (read very) hectic since we’re just getting back from a month in Greece and moving into a new house (in a new state, no less). Thank God we’ve had just enough time to get Zelda’s schedule aligned with the time zone. And we even got to tour her new school before sending her off for her first day with all of her preschool essentials.

After the tour, there’s no doubt in my mind that Zelda is so freaking ready for this it’s insane. On school tour, which is an actual elementary school, she seamlessly embedded herself into the daily happenings and actually threw a tantrum when we had to leave. It was crazy. We got her enrolled, submitted medical form, and holy shit, there’s nothing more adult-like then getting your kid ready for school. But all this leads me to the true point of this post, which is school supplies! (AKA her preschool essentials.) If there’s one thing Zelda and I both love to do, it’s shopping—even if it is for backpacks, lunchboxes and sleep mats.

She doesn’t need a ton of things, but her little list is still pretty long. I wanted to make sure this was something we did together and that she understood she’d be using all these new goodies for her time spent at school. We didn’t go to an actual store because the Aspen choices are fairly limited and the closest Target is an hour away. This means the computer and online shopping is our new best friend. But it was still totally fun!

So, without further ado, here are Zelda’s preschool essentials.

General Essentials

These are just your basic supplies that maybe even Spiro would know to get. OK, maybe like two out of the four. Ha! They’re fun, cute, and Zelda helped pick them all!

Backpack: We’ve got a lot of backpacks around here. Like, we really didn’t need to order a new one, but in the spirit of getting school supplies, we wanted to let her pick one she loved and was excited to use at her new school. She went with this option, which is totally Zelda.

Sleep Mat: I put Zelda into the classroom that doesn’t really do naps, but more like a quiet time. Zelda isn’t really the napping type (at least for the last two years). However, quiet time still requires a sleep mat, so we hunted hard to find the cutest option. Leave it to Crate & Barrel to have the most adorable striped mat with a big pink bow on it.

Lunch Boxes: Here’s a good parent hack for you guys—get two lunch boxes. I learned after this summer when Zelda was doing day camp that I didn’t always get around to cleaning out her lunch box and was then in a tizzy the next morning. Or, if the lunch box gets left at school, you’re ready and waiting with the backup box. Zelda picked out both of hers, which are the Bentgo style because they’re all the rage. One is pink and purple while the backup is decked out in unicorns.

Silverware: We wanted to get her reusable silverware so she could be a little civilized and utilize all those manners we’ve taught her.

Stepping Up My Lunch Game

After Zelda attended day camp this summer, I learned she absolutely loved lunch time. She’d use it to have a little competition with herself where she’d try to eat all of her food before lunch was over. How adorable is that? And because I respect her enthusiasm for lunch, I wanted to step up my game to help make it even more fun for her.

Set of Lunch Box Cookie Cutters: I found this Bento set of cutters, picks and other fun goodies to spice up her lunches and keep her excited about her food. How fun, right?!

Sandwich Cutter: With this little contraption you can make your own uncrustables at home and with any filling you’d like!

Outdoor Playtime Essentials

One of the reasons we wanted to move to Aspen is because of the access to the outdoors. At Zelda’s school they spend an hour outside every single day regardless of weather and she even gets to take ski lessons. I absolutely love this, so I knew I had to make sure she’d have everything she’d need in any weather situation.

Sneakers: I wanted her to have a basic set of sneakers that we could leave at school and not have to worry about packing every day. They’re marked with her name and she’s good to go.

Snow Pants: I think these are mandatory for Colorado kids. She picked a black on black leopard pair because why wouldn’t she?

Gloves: Kept these simple and went with an easy black pair from Target.

Hat: I love this hat! It’s a trapper style, so it’s easy for her to pull on and I know her ears will always be covered.

In an Attempt Not to Lose Everything

Because we don’t want to lose all of this amazing new stuff we just bought, we also invested in labels that work for both clothing and supplies. You can stick them on tags, inside shoes, on pencils—everything!

Preschool Essentials
Love this!

And these are all my essentials for Zelda to start preschool! I’m sure this list will grow and change, but I wanted to share what we’re buying and why. We’re all so excited about this journey. I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated on how it continues to evolve because I have a feeling this is only the beginning!