School trip packing list
Bedding, a rain jacket, a cuddly toy and the consent form: the list for a school trip or summer camp, packed together with your child.
School trip
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Combine it with a second list
A trip is often more than one list. Add a second one: matching sections are folded together and nothing appears twice.
Packing together instead of for your child
Most parents pack the case for the first school trip themselves. It works better to pack together: your child then knows what is in the case and can find it again there. Tick off the list together and let your child put the things in. Older children pack from the list on their own, and you take a quick look at the end.
Label clothes, wash bag, bottle and lunch box with their name. In a place full of children, slippers and towels quickly all look the same. A laundry bag keeps dirty clothes apart from the rest, and your list on the phone helps when something is missing after unpacking.
Papers, medication and emergency numbers
Before the trip the school usually asks for a consent form, allergies and medication. Pack the health insurance card, a passport or ID card for trips abroad and a copy of the vaccination record. Whether ID is needed depends on the destination, so ask the school.
If your child takes medication regularly, talk to the teachers beforehand. Send it in a labelled bag with a medication plan, so it is clear what is taken when. Note down the phone numbers of the accommodation and the accompanying adults, and give your child your number on paper in case their phone is flat.
Clothes for a week and any weather
School trips often fall in spring or in summer before the holidays, and the weather changes quickly at that time of year. So pack a rain jacket, a warm jacket and sturdy shoes even if the forecast looks good. For walks, campfires or a day on a farm your child needs clothes that can get dirty.
Count on one top, one pair of pants and one pair of socks per day, plus a little spare. Trainers for sport and games, slippers for indoors and swimwear in case a pool or a lake is on the programme. A cap protects against the sun on outings.
What people forget on a school trip
Often missing are bedding when the youth hostel does not provide any, a torch for the night walk and a sick bag for the coach. Snacks for the journey there, a pack of cards for the evening and the cuddly toy that some children are embarrassed about and then miss after all belong in the case too.
If it is a tent camp or a summer camp with nights under canvas, combine the school trip with camping, and for a school ski trip with the ski holiday. For the wash bag, add the standard toiletry bag. Matching sections are folded together and nothing appears twice.
Frequently asked questions
What does my child need to take on a school trip?
Clothes for any weather, pyjamas, slippers, a wash bag, the health insurance card and, depending on where they stay, bedding or a sleeping bag. Many schools hand out their own list beforehand, saying what the programme there needs. Compare it with this one and cross off anything the school explicitly does not want, such as a phone.
How much pocket money does a child need on a school trip?
That depends on age, length and destination of the trip. Often the school or the parents’ evening suggests an amount for everyone, so that nobody has much more or much less than the others. Give the money in small notes and coins, ideally in a purse that fits in the daypack. Entry fees and outings are usually already included in the price.
Can my child take a phone on a school trip?
That is up to the school, and the rules vary a lot. Some classes hand in their phones in the evening, others leave them at home entirely. Ask at the parents’ evening what applies, and talk with your child about when they can get in touch. For emergencies the teachers have a phone, so note down their number beforehand.
How is summer camp different from a school trip?
Summer camps often last longer and more often take place in tents, huts or activity centres. Then your child needs a sleeping bag and sleeping mat rather than bedding, more clothes that can get dirty, and a torch, insect repellent and sun protection. The organiser usually sends a list to compare with this one. If it is a tent camp, combine the template with camping.
How it works
“Start with this list” opens the template – once you have signed in with your email address.
Add more templates, such as “Before leaving” for the water, the heating and the plants. Nothing appears twice.
Create the list, tick it off, archive it after the trip – and pack it again next time.
Good to know
- Can I change the list?
- Yes. Your list is yours: add, rename, move and delete items. The template stays as it is.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. No subscription, no ads. All you need is an email address, no password.