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 and useful or even funny things. If you are still looking for suitable gift ideas, the following filling tips will certainly help you.
A bento box for school children is the right companion for a little hunger in between: 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.
A little learning aid for at home: the 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.
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 banknotes loose in your pocket, a practical neck pouch is 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, they can assemble the money box themselves. Here is the piggy bank.
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 gift for the school bag is a new ink box or a matching painting apron to protect the children’s clothing from possible paint splashes or other craft supplies. The apron is available here.
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 colored pencils are used for painting. So here you have a variety of options for storing a few of the above-mentioned writing utensils in your school bag. Or you can give away pencils and colored pencils from Sprout, which can be planted after use and turn into a plant. The filler is available here.
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 buy a ready-made set – 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.
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 the rubber twist. Skipping ropes are also particularly popular with girls and marble games with boys. The games are very suitable for exercising and making new friends. The marbles are here.
Cycling also plays an important role in primary school: this is where school children learn the most important traffic rules. This also means that you and your bike must equip yourself and your bike with reflectors and spoke lights so that you can be seen by other road users even when visibility is poor – for example when it is raining or snowing. The spoke light is available here.
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, a friends book is a nice gift so that your classmates can immortalize themselves in it.
The book for girls is here.The book for boys is here.
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 straight away, a lanyard is a good gift for your school bag. Best in combination with a name tag in case the key is lost and the finder needs to return it to the recipient.
Tip: You can find even more gift ideas about starting school here.
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:
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