How to label your child’s school supplies

At school, children need to keep track of a multitude of supplies including binders, pencils, notebooks, erasers, and more. All of these things need to be marked with their name, otherwise, they could get lost or stolen. Here are two tools you can use to label school supplies.

Permanent markers
In most cases, fine-point permanent markers work best for identifying school supplies. They’re great for writing directly on a wide range of surfaces and textiles. For wooden pencils, use a utility knife to scratch off the paint and expose the wood, which will take the marker’s ink much better. For clothing, write names or initials on the care label. Always make sure to let the ink dry before using an item. Retouch as needed.

Adhesive labels
Buy labels of different sizes. If you buy blank ones, you’ll need to write your child’s name on them before affixing them to an object. If you have a lot of things to label, or if your handwriting isn’t as clear as you’d like, you can use a printer or label maker. For clothing, consider using iron-on labels or ones designed to stick to the fabric.

Alternatively, you can buy special labels made for identifying school supplies. Consider shopping for labels with your child and getting them to choose a type they like.

Don’t write your child’s full name on the outside of their backpack or lunchbox. A stranger could approach them and gain their trust by using their name.