What to bring to a school holiday program: a Melbourne parent's prep guide

A holiday program runs a lot more smoothly when your child turns up with the right gear and a rough idea of what the day holds. None of it is complicated, but the night before is not when you want to be guessing. Here is what to pack, what to sort in advance, and how to settle a nervous first-timer so drop-off goes well for everyone.

Browse holiday programs

The basics almost every program needs

Food and water: a packed lunch and snacks, plus a labelled drink bottle. Check first whether the program provides food or not.
Clothes: weather-appropriate and easy to move and get messy in, plus a spare set for younger kids.
Sun protection: a hat and sunscreen for anything outdoors. The Victorian sun bites even on cool days.
A named backpack: one bag for everything to live in, with their name on it.

Check the program's own list first

Many camps send a what-to-bring note, so always start there, because specialist programs have specific needs: swimmers and a towel for anything water-based, closed-toe shoes for sport and adventure, an old shirt for messy art, and sometimes a device for a coding camp. If in doubt, ask the provider before the day.

Label everything

Holiday programs are where jumpers, drink bottles and hats go to disappear. Put your child's name on anything you want to see again. It is five minutes with a marker that saves a fortnight of lost property.

Prep a nervous first-timer

For a child who has not done a drop-off camp before, a little preparation goes a long way: talk through what the day looks like, who will pick them up and when, and that it is fine to not know anyone yet. Arriving a few minutes early beats walking into a room already in full swing. Our first-timer guide covers settling-in nerves in more depth.

Sort the logistics in advance

Know the drop-off and pick-up times and where they happen, whether before or after care is available if the hours do not cover your working day, any late-pick-up fee, and how the program will reach you if something comes up. A two-minute check the day before beats a scramble in the morning.

The medical and dietary details

Make sure the program knows about allergies, dietary needs, asthma, or anything else that matters, and that any medication such as an inhaler or an EpiPen is packed, labelled, and that staff know where it is. Most programs collect this at sign-up, but it is worth confirming it landed.

A quick packing checklist

Lunch, snacks, and a named drink bottle.
Weather-appropriate clothes, plus a spare for little ones.
Hat and sunscreen for outdoors.
Anything on the program's own list: swimmers, closed shoes, old shirt, device.
Everything labelled with their name.
Drop-off and pick-up times and before or after care confirmed.
Allergies, dietary needs, and medication sorted with staff.

Getting a child ready for a holiday program comes down to packing to the program's list, labelling everything, sorting the logistics the day before, and giving a first-timer a gentle heads-up about the day. Do that and drop-off is calm, the day runs well, and most of the gear even makes it home.