Prep bags

A bag of goodies for every Prep student

Each Prep student attending a Victorian government school will receive a Prep bag to celebrate this milestone in their education journey.

The bags are filled with engaging learning items and information for parents and carers to help families have a great start to the year.

This year’s theme, ‘Explore. Learn. Enjoy.’ aims to generate excitement about all the wonderful discoveries our youngest students will make as they start primary school.

What’s in the Prep bag?

To help build literacy skills and encourage a life-long love of reading from an early age, Prep students will receive 5 specially chosen books. The books are:

• Ellie’s Dragon by Bob Graham
• The Sloth Who Came to Stay by Margaret Wild and Vivienne To
• Saving Seal by Diane Jackson Hill and Craig Smith
• When the Waterhole Dries Up by Kaye Baillie and Max Hamilton
• Our Dreaming by Kirli Saunders and Dub Leffler

To support Prep students who are blind, the Statewide Vision Resource Centre produced the books in braille with tactile illustrations.

Other goodies in the bag include:

Learning resources

• A Literacy and Numeracy Tips booklet with handy tips to help parents and carers develop their child's literacy and numeracy skills. The booklet is available in additional languages including Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Dari , Persian and Chin Hakha. You can access the booklet in your preferred language by visiting Literacy and numeracy tips in your language.
• A Mathscots ruler featuring characters from the Mathscots Animation Series to help Preps have fun while exploring maths and numeracy at school and at home.
• A jigsaw puzzle featuring a world map and children from across the globe wearing traditional clothing, introducing our youngest learners to global learning and engagement. The puzzle also includes conversation starters for parents to support discussions with their child about multicultural Victoria.
• An Inclusive Education information flyer explaining what inclusive education(opens in a new window) is and how schools support students with disability.
• A flipbook activity from the national museum of screen culture (ACMI)(opens in a new window). Prep students can cut out and assemble a flipbook.

Sport activities

• A NAB AFL Auskick activity booklet from the Australian Football League with a range of fun football-themed activities and details on how to register for the 2024 NAB AFL Auskick season.
• A Melbourne Stars or Melbourne Renegades activity poster from Cricket Victoria. The posters include activities to learn more about cricket, a free two game membership and information about getting involved in Cricket Victoria's entry-level program, Woolworths Cricket Blast.
• An activity booklet and memory game from Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixens. The booklet includes fun activities, information on how to get involved in your local Woolworths NetSetGO netball starter program, as well as the Melbourne Vixens 2024 season fixture.

Health and wellbeing information and resources

• A Respectful Behaviours within the School Community information flyer outlining the shared roles of parents, carers and school staff in creating a positive environment for learning.
• A Primary School Nursing Program postcard containing information on a free health screening service offered to students in their first year of school, as well as websites and links to children’s health and wellbeing resources.
• Diffraction glasses from Optometry Vic/SA. The diffraction glasses allow Prep students to experience a range of colours and patterns from the dispersion of light to nurture their curiosity of how the eye works. A QR code will link families to Good Vision for Life(opens in a new window), with quality information, including how to find a local optometrist.
• A Smile Squad interactive toothbrushing chart from Dental Health Services Victoria. The toothbrushing chart will remind families about the importance of brushing their teeth twice a day – after breakfast and before bed – and help build Prep students’ confidence and independence with brushing their teeth.
• A Healthy Food Fun activity booklet from VicHealth and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. The interactive booklet is full of fun activities and includes easy lunchbox recipes, a packet of seeds and information on the seasons and seasonal food. The booklet provides parents with conversation starters to support discussions with their child about healthy eating.

Find out more

For more information about starting school, visit Starting school.