The Schultüte, the big paper cone of treats and small gifts German kids get on their first day of school, is filled, the backpack is packed, and then comes the question that parents, godparents, and grandparents face every year: what do you actually get for the first day of school? Something that won't vanish into the candy pile after three days, but that will still bring back memories of that one big day.
Here are nine ideas that do exactly that, honestly sorted by price and by what they're especially good at.
Key Takeaways
- The best first-day-of-school gifts celebrate the child, not the seriousness of school life. Pride beats gear.
- Number 1: The child draws themselves as a school hero, and the drawing becomes a real figure to paint themselves (€39).
- Classics that work: a first wristwatch, an alarm clock, an early-reader book, a personalized lunch box.
- Timing: figures and personalized gifts need about a week of lead time, so order early.
1. Their Own Drawing as a School-Hero Figure
The most personal first-day-of-school gift is already inside the child: they draw themselves as a superhero with a backpack, as an astronaut on the way to school, or simply as their favorite monster, and that drawing becomes a real figure (about 5 to 6 inches), which arrives white and gets painted by the child.
Why this fits the first day of school so well: the first day of school is the day kids feel "grown up." A figure the child invented, drew, and painted themselves stands on their new desk for years afterward, visible proof that "I can already do all this myself." And the painting afternoon is the perfect activity for the excited days before school starts.
Price: €39 complete (figure, 6 paints, 2 brushes, free preview) · Lead time: about 1 week · See exactly how it works in our guide to turning a kid's drawing into a 3D figure.
2. Their First Real Wristwatch
School comes with schedules: when does the bell ring? How long is recess? An analog kids' watch makes the child proud AND quietly teaches them to tell time, the perfect combination of gift and skill.
Price: €20 to €50 · Strength: used every day, a real "I'm grown up now" feeling.
3. A Personalized Lunch Box and Water Bottle
The classic with their name on it: practical, along every day, and at recess the child spots their own things right away. Tip: let the child help pick the design, and they'll love it that much more.
Price: €15 to €35 as a set · Strength: used on roughly 200 school days a year.
4. Their First "I Can Read!" Book
An early-reader book with big print, waiting on the shelf for the moment those first words click. A nice tradition: write a personal dedication on the first page, one the child will read again in ten years.
Price: €8 to €15 · Strength: grows right along with their biggest new skill.
5. Their Own Alarm Clock
Waking up on their own, like the big kids! A friendly kids' alarm clock hands the new school kid a piece of responsibility, and takes some pressure off the morning routine for parents too.
Price: €15 to €30 · Strength: independence you can hold in your hand.
6. An Audio Story Player for the Afternoon
After an exciting first morning at school, first graders need downtime. An audio story player delivers a break without a screen, perfect for the new after-lunch routine. (More ideas like this: 8 creative screen-free gifts for kids.)
Price: €30 to €100 · Strength: independent, quiet downtime.
7. A Name Stamp or Desk Starter Set
A stamp with their own name for notebooks and books, first graders stamp EVERYTHING. Or go with nice pens, a pencil sharpener, and a ruler as a small "office kit" for the new desk.
Price: €10 to €25 · Strength: turns getting organized into a game.
8. A First-Day-of-School Voucher
A homemade voucher for a little ritual after the big day: ice cream on the way home, a favorite dinner that evening, packing the backpack together. Costs almost nothing, and turns into a family tradition.
Price: almost nothing · Strength: turns nerves into anticipation.
9. A Letter for Their 18th Birthday
The quiet tear-jerker on this list: every guest at the first-day celebration writes the child a short letter, and the box only gets opened on their 18th birthday. Add a photo from the first day of school, and maybe their favorite current drawing.
Price: paper and time · Strength: the gift with the longest staying power.
What Do Grandparents and Godparents Give for the First Day of School?
Grandparents and godparents do best with personal gifts: a school-hero figure made from the grandchild's own drawing (delivered with a card on request), a first watch, or an early-reader book with a dedication. More ideas from the grandchild's perspective: Personalized Gifts for Grandparents, which, by the way, also works wonderfully the other way around.
FAQ
What do you get for the first day of school?
Best is something that captures the big day and then lives on in everyday life: a custom figure, a first wristwatch, an early-reader book, or a personalized everyday item like a lunch box. Candy belongs in the Schultüte; the gift is allowed to stick around.
How much money do you give for the first day of school?
As a rule of thumb: parents and grandparents usually give €30 to €70, godparents and relatives €15 to €40. More important than the amount is the connection to the child: a 39-euro gift built around their own drawing beats any anonymous 100-euro voucher.
What goes in the Schultüte, and what doesn't?
In the Schultüte: small treats, candy, cute erasers, little surprises. Hand over the real gift separately, or it'll get lost among the gummy bears.
Is there still time if the first day of school is coming up soon?
For personalized gifts, it's tight but doable. A figure made from a kid's drawing takes about a week at DoodlHero (3 to 5 business days to make plus 2 to 3 days shipping), though the free 3D preview arrives within just a few minutes. And honestly, even two weeks AFTER the first day of school, a school-hero figure still lands perfectly.
What do you get a child who already has everything?
Something they create themselves: there's guaranteed no second drawing exactly like your child's, and so no second figure made from it either.
The Big Day Deserves a Gift That Lasts
The Schultüte is empty within a week. A good first-day-of-school gift still tells the story of that day years later, best of all when the child helped make it themselves.
Your school kid has probably already drawn themselves as a hero: upload the drawing at doodlhero.com, the 3D preview is free, and in a week the school hero will be standing on the new desk.
