When my daughter Ava was starting kindy, I honestly didn't have a clue what she actually needed. We'd just come out of daycare, and the information from the school about what to actually pack her wasn't all that clear. So I was overwhelmed twice over, first just working out what Ava needed for the day, and then trying to find all of it in a way that would actually work together.
I didn't want a mismatch of different brands that didn't fit together, didn't go together, and didn't even look like they belonged to the same kid. Ava's obsessed with pink, so I already knew I wanted it all matching, in her favourite colour.
I couldn't find that as a set anywhere. So I did what we do when we can't find the thing we're looking for. We built it ourselves.
How the Junior Range Actually Came About
I reached out to my friends and the other mums I knew who also had kids starting school that year, and asked what their kids' favourite colours and characters were. Between all of us we worked out the top six colour and graphic combos kids actually wanted, and exactly what they needed for their first day.
That's where the Junior range came from. Not just designs kids love, but everything actually built to work together the way a kid packs for the day. The bento fits inside the lunch bag. The drink bottle fits the side pocket on the backpack. The pencil case is sized just right, big enough for the essentials, pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, without taking over the whole desk, so there's still room for worksheets and books, and the pencil case stays within arm's reach.
The bundle was exactly what I needed back then, so we kept it in the range permanently. It takes the hassle, the confusion and the overwhelm out of first-day-of-school prep for every parent going through the same thing we did.
What's Actually in the Junior Bundle
The Junior Bundle is the backpack, a matching lunch bag, a matching pencil case, the Duo bento with its built-in food jar, and a 750ml water bottle, all in one colourway, for $163.96.
The backpack is 47 x 31 x 14cm with a 25 litre capacity, three compartments, side pockets sized for the drink bottle, and a water-resistant lining you can wipe clean or machine wash on gentle, because kindy bags do not stay clean. It comes in six characters, Monster Truck, Unicorn, Butterfly, Astro Cat, Dinosaur and Let's Play.
Why the Duo Bento Suits This Age
The Duo is an extra-large 4-compartment bento with a small 200ml insulated food jar built in, so lunch and a hot food option travel together instead of being two things to remember. It opens with a single clip and a gasket lift lid instead of a screw top, which matters a lot at this age, most three and four year olds can open it themselves. Every compartment seals individually too, so if the bag ends up upside down on the walk in, nothing gets mixed together.
What to Pack for Kindy: The Checklist
- A backpack sized for a small body, not a scaled-down adult bag
- A lunch bag that fits inside it
- A bento little hands can actually open, a clip or gasket lid, not a screw top
- Something for hot food, not just cold, kindy days are long
- A small water bottle sized for a small hand
- A pencil case for the basics
- A hat clip, so the hat doesn't end up in lost property by week three
What to Actually Pack in It
Kindy portions are smaller than you'd think, and whether they can actually get into the food matters more than what it is:
- Small sandwich squares or a wrap cut into pinwheels
- Soft fruit, sliced rather than whole
- Cheese cubes or a few crackers in one of the smaller compartments
- Warm leftovers or soup in the food jar, pasta and rice both travel well
- One small treat, kindy is exhausting and a biscuit at lunchtime is a fair trade
The D-Ring and the Hat Clip
Every Junior backpack has a D-ring on the front built for our Magnetic Hat Clip. It's not included in the bundle but it's worth adding, a hat clipped to the outside of the bag is a hat that's still there at pickup.
A Good One for Gifting Too
We hear from a lot of grandparents who buy the bundle as a Christmas gift for a grandchild starting school. It's practical, but it's also genuinely exciting for the kid, they get to walk in on day one and show their new classmates exactly who they are, what they love, and what their favourite colour is.
Shop the Junior Bundle
Shop all Junior Bundle colourways
FAQs
What does my child actually need for kindy?
A backpack sized for their age, a lunch bag that fits it, a bento with an easy-open lid, something for hot food, a small water bottle, and a pencil case.
Is the Junior Bundle suitable for daycare as well as kindy?
Yes, it's sized for the same age range and works for school, preschool or daycare.
Can a 3 or 4 year old open the bento themselves?
That's what the Duo bento is built for, a single clip and gasket lift lid instead of a screw top, so most kids this age can open it without help.
How much does the Junior Bundle cost?
$163.96 for the backpack, matching lunch bag, pencil case, Duo bento with insulated food jar, and a 750ml water bottle, all in one colourway.
Is the Junior Bundle a good gift?
Yes, it's one of the most popular gifts grandparents buy for a grandchild starting school, practical and something the kid is genuinely excited to open.
Want the fuller checklist for the whole school year, not just day one? See our Back to School Lunchbox Checklist.