Uniforms, lunchboxes, orientation days, the first day of school jitters. There’s a lot to think about when your child starts school. We asked Newy with Kids readers to share their best advice on Kindy orientation, uniforms, shoes, school lunches, the first day and making friends with other parents and carers. Here’s what they had to say.
Good to know
- Kindy orientation for Hunter region schools typically runs during Term 4, in October
- Most NSW schools hold two to three short orientation sessions before the end of the year
- Children generally need to turn five by 31 July in their starting year to enrol in Kindergarten
Jump to: Orientation | Uniforms | Lunches | First Day | First Few Months | School Community | Other Tips | FAQs
Kindy Orientation: What to Expect in Term 4
Before uniforms and lunchboxes even come into it, most Hunter region families will go through Kindy orientation in October. This is your child’s first taste of the classroom, and it’s worth going in prepared.
Orientation usually involves a handful of short visits in the lead-up to the end of the school year. Your child spends time in the classroom with their new teacher while you wait outside or attend a separate parent information session. It’s a gentle introduction, not a full day of school, so don’t expect too much too soon.
A few things worth asking during orientation sessions:
- Where and when uniforms can be purchased, and whether there’s a secondhand uniform pool
- What canteen days operate and how ordering works
- Before and after school care availability and how to enrol
- What the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up procedure looks like
If your child seems unsure about orientation, keep the conversation light in the lead-up. Talk about the friends they’ll meet and the fun things they’ll get to do, rather than making a big deal of it being “school.”
Still weighing up which school is right for your family? Our guide to Find a School: Public & Private Schools in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter covers local public schools, selective and specialist options like performing arts and sport, and private and Catholic schools across the region.
Buying School Uniforms
You can start purchasing uniforms once orientation is done, but buy slightly larger to accommodate growth spurts over summer. Label everything, and remember the more uniforms you buy, the less washing you’ll be doing throughout the week.
Reader tips about school uniforms
Velcro is your friend! They will learn to tie their shoes eventually but it’s not worth the stress in the morning. (Bernadette J)
I’d wait until a few weeks before school starts before buying the uniforms and shoes in case your little one has a growth spurt over December and January. (Gemma T)
Get two hats as one will go missing and it will take a while to get back to the rightful owner (even if it is labelled!) (Tracey C)
Prepare yourself for the lost property nightmare!! I found two uniforms plus the sports uniform was perfect. Agree on the two hats. Or else they can’t play without one. (Anita P)
Purchase two dresses and one sports. Buy secondhand if you only have one child. Jumpers always second hand. Shoes, go cheapo for first term, they will grow and you will see how quickly they trash them. (Simone O)
I would recommend four everyday shirts and one sports shirt as otherwise you are constantly washing shirts. (Emma B)
Uniforms suggestion: three shirts for boys, two shorts, five socks. (Anna K)
To avoid blisters, get kids to break in school shoes while walking around the house in January. (Julie S)
Uniforms – if money isn’t a problem wait until the last term of school. If you have money struggles pick up some things throughout the year. Look in op shops. Some schools have a second-hand uniform shop. Wait until January and the back to school sales for the rest. (Sarah P)
Organising school lunches
This is an area where a lot of parents need extra help. After a few years of childcare with lunch and morning tea supplied, it can feel daunting to organise five days’ worth of snacks and school lunches. Pay attention to the containers, and pack less than you think, as kids only get 10 to 15 minutes to eat.
Reader tips about school lunches
Keep school lunch simple and don’t pack anything they can’t unwrap themselves. And write their name on all their lunch containers with permanent marker, including the lids. (Gemma T)
I try and buy containers that don’t separate lids. It does my head in if only half the container comes home. (Tracey C)
I open the lid of the squeeze yogurt and replace loosely before packing. (Janice O)
The first year generally most of the food comes back !! Keep it very simple. Label everything and expect to lose all your plastic containers within the first year. (Teval G)
Don’t stress if it seems like they aren’t eating much first few weeks/months – the excitement of play overrules eating. Mid-year my daughter got sick of sandwiches so we had to come up with alternatives to mix it up – salads and quiches made a good lunch. (Kristel B)
Use containers they can open to pack sandwiches etc., labelled of course. Lunch bag that has separate sections, so recess in one, lunch in other. Too often kids eat their sandwich at recess as they didn’t know! (Sinead O)
Don’t expect them to eat like they normally do. They are too excited and want to play. Keep fruit/lunch/recess really simple and easy to access and undo – took me a while to not overdo the lunch box. They will then be starving after school. Practice using the lunchbox and understanding there will be three breaks and which food is for when. E.g. from Day 1, if I have a treat in the lunchbox like a homemade muffin or slice I make it really clear that’s for recess and the other food (usually protein based) is for lunch so eat first. (Anita P)
Lots of food ideas, sandwiches, wraps, popcorn, fruit, muffins etc. Nothing with nuts. Some schools it’s no eggs. Nothing that takes too long to eat, they’ll want to go play with friends. (Sarah P)
Pack easy foods, more nibbly stuff than huge meals and remember some kids eat heaps and other don’t. (Nadine K)
Don’t wrap sandwiches in cling wrap. Most kindy kids can’t open them and the teacher spends the whole time opening lunches. (Christie A)
Preparing for and Surviving the First Day
In the lead-up:
- Talk about starting school in a positive, upbeat way
- Read books about starting school together. Try our list of 24 Books to Help Your Child Feel Ready for Starting School
- Focus on the friends they’ll meet and the new things they’ll learn
- Attend any Kindergarten orientation sessions on offer
- Encourage independence. Classes are bigger and teachers have less one-on-one time, so make sure they can manage the toilet themselves
- Set a consistent sleep and wake routine so they’re well rested
- Practice fine motor skills like drawing, cutting, writing their name and sorting items
On the day:
- Pack bags, uniforms and lunches the night before
- Get up early so there’s no rush or added pressure
- If a friend is starting the same day, arrange to meet at school for extra support
- Take plenty of photos
- Say a proper goodbye. If they get upset, hand them to a teacher and leave rather than lingering
- Save the tears for after they’ve gone in. Staying cheerful helps them stay settled
- Be there early for pick-up
- Ask about their day and stay positive about them going back tomorrow
The First Few Months
Starting school is a transition for the whole family, not just your child. Expect tiredness and the occasional meltdown as they adjust.
Reader Tips for the first couple of months of school
Try to keep an open mind and go with the flow in those first few days of chaos. With so many new kindergartners starting school, things will be hectic… It’s not a reflection, necessarily, on the school or the teacher. I was ready to pull mine out and homeschool after the first week. I was stressed about her starting and felt there wasn’t a nice learning environment in a chaotic classroom. My fears were put to rest when I started volunteering. Routine emerged quickly and all was quite lovely. Just give it a bit of time. (Janice O)
Expect that they will be really tired for the first month or so. You need a bucketful of patience for the meltdowns. Bring your routine forward, feed and bathe them early. (Mel A)
Don’t worry too much about how clever your child is, just concentrate on them settling in and having a good time. Don’t organise or do much after school for the first few months as your child will be exhausted and in bed early. We did dinner for afternoon tea and a snack before bed for a while until our boys settled into the new routine. (Nadine K)
I agree to try and keep after-school stuff to a minimum for a while as they are very tired. Be prepared for them to be cranky as I think they hold it all in and then vent afterwards. (Renae M)
Building Your School Community
It’s not just kids who get a new circle of friends, parents do too, and many of those friendships last well beyond primary school. Get involved with the P&C or volunteer for school canteen. Set up a group chat with the other parents in your child’s class. It’s an easy way to organise catch-ups and share information.
Reader Tips about school community, volunteering & meeting other parents
At drop off and pick up you will get to know the mums and dads who are there doing the same. Your child will make friends and you will quickly get to know those mums. Be prepared for the never-ending stream of birthday parties. I was surprised how many invited the whole class, but it makes sense, I guess, since it’s a good way to meet parents. I also did in-class reading groups and this was great for getting to know the class and for them to know who you are. It’s lovely when the kids know you and come up to talk to you. Also, there will be plenty
Volunteer for canteen once a term if you can. There are also numerous and ongoing opportunities to volunteer to help in class (reading, maths group, etc) so try to help out if work allows, as this is a great way to see your child in the school environment and meet the other kids. Arrange kinder play dates at the local park after school and get everyone to bring a plate – a great way to get to know the other parents. (Emma B)
Ask the teacher how you can help and do some classroom reading. I realised this was the best way to get to know all the kids and keep an eye on how my child was doing. (Anita P)
As far as meeting new parents, my general attitude is to smile and say hello to people, when you go past them into the school and if you are waiting for school to come out. I ask what class their child is in and, before you know it, you’ll meet parents with similar interests. I also do my utmost to not involve myself in gossip and move away if I hear it. Going to the first P&C meeting can be helpful, I find, as I know ahead of time what they are planning etc. I help out occasionally at canteen and on fete days etc. (Renae M)
If your eldest is starting school make friends with a family that already have at least one child at the school. It’s so helpful to have them as a resource for confirming details and asking questions. The school try hard to communicate, but to be
Other Practical Tips
Reader Tips
Check the bag every day before you leave school for drink bottle/ lunchbox/ hat etc. I’ve lost 2 little Thermos containers this year by getting slack with checking and someone obviously knows they’re worth $30 each as they were gone when we got there the next day. Whereas there are always lunchboxes around. (Anita P)
If there is a problem with kid’s friends, I try and stay out of it and try and get them to work it out, but if it gets out of hand, speak to the teacher and they usually sort it out. (Renae M)
Teach your child proper hand washing and hope for the best. There often isn’t soap in the bathrooms (Yuck) but they have it in the classroom. (Janice O)
Head lice can be an issue once school starts. Check out our article about Kids & Head Lice: Preventing & Treating the Nit Nightmare.
Use a lice preventive spray. They work. (Alicia)
Frequently Asked Questions
Most Hunter region schools run orientation sessions during Term 4, in October, with two to three short visits before the end of the year.
Children generally need to turn five by 31 July in the year they start school. Schools can advise on exact enrolment cut-offs.
Most parents recommend three to four everyday tops, two bottoms, one sports uniform, and two hats, since one will inevitably go missing.
Keep it simple and easy to open independently. Think sandwiches, fruit, popcorn and muffins, checking your school’s policy on nuts and eggs first.
Many do. Check with your school directly during orientation, or ask in local parent Facebook groups.
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