Your Child’s Personal Supply List
(2020-2021 school year)
It is important to have all items ready for your child as he or she begins the year. As we are fully outdoors now, it is even more imperative that parents are sure their child’s items are kept consistently in one place at home (or daily in the car) so that there’s a sense of calm for your child and you knowing they are truly ready for the day with everything they need.
The play yard is being modified with an outdoor covered area for cubby hooks, each child’s symbol right near their hook, so that they may hang their small backpack each day (if they are a Robin or Owl) or their cloth bag (if they are a Starling).
REQUIRED items are listed for each age group here:
Owls & Robins
- child size backpack
- reusable water bottle/s
- brimmed sun hat (Aug-Oct)
- wooly hat for chilly/cold weather
- Oakiwear one-pc rain suit
- lined rain boots and/or snow boots
Starlings
- small, child size cloth or canvas bag
- reusable water bottle/s
- brimmed sun hat (Aug-Oct)
- wooly hat for chilly/cold weather
- Oakiwear one-pc rain suit
- lined rain boots and/or snow boots
- diapers, pull-ups, large package of wipes
OPTIONAL items: child mask/s, rain jacket (we recommend to have on hand for super light rain especially in warm weather)
Please SEE BELOW – next page: for specific details about Oakiwear rain suits, rain boots, properly-sized child backpacks, cloth bags and masks.
NOTE ON ORDERING OAKIWEAR RAIN GEAR this year:
We are registered in Oaki’s Partnership Program for outdoor schools this year. They have created the *promo code* childrensgarden for us, which is now active on oaki.com This gives you 25% off & free shipping on all orders from $29.99 & up.
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EACH DAY:
Owls & Robins shall carry their backpacks with ONE or TWO (2 for warmer weather) water bottles, a compact change of seasonal clothing (shorts, t-shirt/dress, underwear, socks for the warm months) and rain gear (rainsuits will be a must some days, other times a good quality, hooded rain jacket will be more suitable). We recommend rain boots be worn to school if rain is in the forecast.
Starlings shall carry a small cloth bag (with handles) that contains at least ONE full water bottle, a compact change of seasonal clothing (shorts, t-shirt/dress, socks for the warm months) and rain gear (rainsuits and boot will be a must some days, other times a good quality, hooded rain jacket is preferred due to muggy or warm weather – we recommend your child have a jacket for those days).
Required Rain Gear for Our Outdoor Nature-Based Program
Children in our school make daily connections to the environment around them with their senses. They find their way to an intimate link to the natural world through plenty of time spent outdoors on our play yard and garden, as well as in the fields of our beloved Grant Park. Day by day, these opportunities bring them to an appreciation for the seasons, and for the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, guided by their own experiences.
To immerse ourselves in the wondrous outdoors, everyone comes dressed and ready for the day, based on the season and the weather.
A rain suit and rain boots are for rainy days, just as they’re also essential after the rain has ended and it’s still wet and muddy (a wonderful time for play). Teachers request each child keeps their set of rain gear in their backpack (Owls & Robins) or cloth bag (Starlings). To avoid confusion or unnecessary worry, keeping the required gear in the same place, ready to use,eases concerns about your child having what’s needed day to day.
Your child’s rain suit will come from Oakiwear. They are the makers of the best quality rain suits – durable, easy-to-manage, roomy enough to add layers, with hoods that stay up, cuffed sleeves and legs. Take a few moments to look at Oakiwear’s page. Use this link to view & order – oaki.com/collections/rainwear Remember to use our *promo code* childrensgarden for your 25% discount and free shipping ($29.99 +)
Rain gear needed for each child:
– A hooded rain suit from Oakiwear (please buy 2 sizes up from your child’s current size, to fit cozy LAYERS & for growing into; the arms, legs and waist of the rainsuits all cinch, so it will not hang too big on your child’s body )
– A pair of slip on rain boots from Bogs Footwear OR Oakiwear (Media-Free; or similar durable boots to Bogs)
– We recommend a simple lined short rain jacket for days where the chance of a light shower or sprinkle is possible while we’re outside. Oaki also has the button or zipper rain coats, if you are interested. In August or September, the one-piece suits are not as likely to be used – it’s just too warm.
BogsFootWear.com, LandsEnd.com, REI.com and Amazon.com are all good sources for rain boots, with Bogs being the ones we recommend as most durable, keeping feet warm and dry. Children are able to pull these off and on with more success and comfort. Like Oakiwear, Bogs hold up a long time and have great resale value. Bogs Footwear offers both lined AND insulated rain boots for kids. The ones below are highly recommended by teachers. (Note that Bogs Footwear has a sale section, too):
Hats & Clothing
Daily Wear
– Children dressed in easy-to-manage and seasonally appropriate clothing and shoes each day feel at ease, ready for play and activity. It’s important that children come to preschool in clothing that allows them to be completely comfortable to engage in and explore their environment. Fancy dress outfits and dress costumes need to remain at home.
– Each child should wear a seasonal hat as are outdoors, even with a very shaded canopy on the play yard and being in mostly shaded areas in the park (Robins and Owls):
- a simple, brimmed hat August to October and April to May when the sun is hot and bright
- a warm woolly hat in the chilly or cold months
– When the really chilly or cold months arrive, each child should wear warm, easy to manage layers under their clothing to give warmth and comfort
To be kept at school, all year, in a bag that teachers keep inside the school as back-up
These items should be labeled with your child’s name and be MEDIA/character-free:
– ALL CHILDREN need two seasonal complete changes of clothing kept at school, including socks, underwear if your child is at that stage
– STARLINGS need additional diapers or pull ups that stay at school, as back up supply.
Backpacks and Cloth Bags for Carry-All Each Day
As we remain fully outdoors and will need to keep things simple, manageable AND still foster autonomy in our children, each child shall carry an easy to use/developmentally appropriate carry-all for their water bottle, simple change of seasonal clothing (and diapers or pull ups if a Starling). This is also a required item. Child-size backpacks have been a staple of the Friday park day for years, allowing each child to carry, care for and manage their belongings, while having hands free to keep safe as we walk. Now that we are outside everyday and having two “mini-park days” each week (M & F) the backpacks will be a consistent, daily carry-all that has the few items needed each day, whether we are in the park or staying on site, in the play yard.
Owls and Robins
A child-size Backpack that is MEDIA/character-free. Packs more comfortably AND reliably STAY up on shoulders, without slipping — IF they have — a fastening strap that goes across the chest. Please invest in one of these like you see in the examples below.
- We welcome the colorful and/or animal themed packs. Backpacks should be sized so the fit is right for your child’s preschool-age body. They do need to be big enough for a water bottle or two, a change of clothes and rolled up rain gear. Please note: Large “book bag” styles are too big for preschoolers and only suited for elementary age children.
- The backpack is needed for practicality and safety as well as a sense of ease – knowing belongings are in the same place – without question. This allows children to feel the certainty and calm of consistency and familiarity.
Starlings
A child-size cloth bag or canvas bag that is MEDIA free (animals or child friendly designs are completely fine). Cloth or canvas bags with shorter straps will allow your child to carry his/her little bag and feel the sense of success and joy that comes with our wee ones being able to hang their bag on their cubby hook and leave the yard each day with it when going home. Straps will need to be shorter and be able fit over a regular cubby hook.
Water Bottles for School Everyday
Everyday, a full water bottle (MEDIA/character-free), with pull-up top, straw or simple lid that turns (see example below) needs to be in your child’s backpack (Owl or Robin), cloth bag (Starling). In the warm months of the year, we strongly recommend TWO bottles of water, unless your child is able to manage one large bottle. Most important note about water bottle choice: your child feels able to open it and drink easily. STAINLESS Steel, insulated bottles, w/ BPA-free plastic are highly recommended.