Our Night-Before-Kindergarten Box: A Back-to-School Tradition

The night before the first day of school is a feeling — equal parts excitement and nerves, for them and for us. A few years ago we started a little tradition to make it softer: a "night-before-kindergarten box," opened together the evening before school starts. It's part gift, part pep talk, and it's become one of my favorite rituals of the year. Here's exactly what goes inside ours.

Something Cozy to Sleep In

New pajamas for the big night — because everything feels more special in fresh jammies. We rotate the prints each year:

Teddy-bear print pajama set with little school supplies mixed in
Pink pajamas printed with school buses, rainbows & books
Alphabet-print long-sleeve top — the "fireflies and blanket" one is our favorite

The First-Day Outfit

A navy blue plaid dress with eyelet trim. Laid out and ready, zero morning decisions. If there's one gift you give your future self, it's choosing the first-day outfit the night before.

Books About Starting School

We read one (okay, all four) together before bed. Stories about other kids feeling nervous and being brave anyway do more than any pep talk I could give:

Franklin Goes to School
Clifford Goes to Kindergarten
Wemberly Worried — the book for anxious little hearts
Disney Princesses Love School

Ready Confetti

The grand finale: a small glass jar of pastel heart-shaped confetti with a card that says to sprinkle it on your pillow — so you dream of brave hearts and happy wishes. Signed Love, Mama & Dada. I'm not crying, you're crying.

Watch this moment on Instagram ↗

Start Your Own Version

It doesn't have to look like ours — a box, a bag, even a pillowcase works. The magic isn't in the stuff, it's in the ritual: one calm evening, everything ready, and a little one who falls asleep knowing tomorrow is going to be great.

Want links to anything in our box? Find the reel on @santucci.family and ask — happy to share. ✏️

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