Schoolspullen kopen voor de middelbare school

What are Dutch “schoolspullen”?

Schoolspullen is the Dutch term for back-to-school supplies, and the late-August schoolspullen-shopping trip is a Dutch family ritual, especially before the first year of middelbare school. The standard list: agenda (paper planner, mandatory), etui (pencil case), pennen, vulpotloden, gummen, liniaal, schaartje, rekenmachine (Casio FX-CG50 graphing calculator for havo-and-up tracks), schoolboeken (rented through Iddink or Van Dijk), gymspullen, and a new schooltas. Dutch supermarkets like Bruna and Albert Heijn run mid-August schoolspullen-aisles, and Bol.com has become the dominant online channel. The whole tradition costs Dutch families €100-300 per kid.

In this clip, a Dutch family preps: “De school gaat weer beginnen. We gaan morgen naar de stad om spullen voor een middelbare school uit te zoeken. Of gewoon via Bol bestellen.”