Field Day Shirts: An Ordering Checklist for Schools
For field day shirts, settle the team-color plan before collecting sizes. Count students and participating adults separately, choose the garment, approve the artwork, and set an arrival date that leaves time to check and distribute the order.
A school-wide shirt project becomes easier when one person owns the final order and everyone knows when changes close.
Start with how the shirts will be used
Decide whether the shirt identifies a team, celebrates the event or both. Will colors differ by grade, classroom or activity group? Do staff and volunteers need a distinct option?
Avoid committing to a specific shade before checking availability in the selected garment and size range. If a color is essential, tell the supplier at the start so alternatives can be considered early.
Browse apparel for your school event before confirming the style, colors and size range.
Write the group-to-color mapping in one place. “Blue team” is not precise enough if several blues are under discussion.
Count all the people receiving shirts
Start with the participant roster, then add the adults who will actually receive shirts. Decide how to handle volunteers, substitutes and new students.
Keep confirmed participants separate from any spare stock. An extra allowance is a budget choice, not a substitute for collecting missing sizes.
For each color, produce a size breakdown and a subtotal. Then check that the color subtotals add up to the complete order. This is especially important when different staff members collect responses for different grades.
Collect sizes for the selected garment
Share the actual size chart and distinguish youth from adult sizes. Give families a deadline and a way to correct an answer.
If the order changes after approval, ask whether the supplier can accommodate the change. Do not assume a late addition can enter the same production run.
Our school merchandise page describes the broader options if your event includes staff apparel or other items.
Keep the artwork easy to approve
Confirm the school name, event wording and year. Check that the decoration will be legible on every selected shirt color.
If different groups need different wording, identify that in the quote request. Ask how the variations affect cost and production rather than approving one design and introducing more versions later.
Choose one proof approver. Collect comments internally before sending them so the supplier receives a single clear set of changes.
Plan for handout day
Give the supplier a needed-in-hand date that allows the school to receive, count and sort the shirts. The event date alone leaves those tasks unaccounted for.
Confirm the receiving address, school office hours and who should be contacted about the delivery. If you want boxes or bundles organized by classroom, ask whether that can be arranged before the order is finalized.
On arrival, compare quantities and decoration with the approved order. Raise any issue promptly so there is time to discuss it.
Final field day checklist
Event and handout dates recorded.
Garment and available colors confirmed.
Every group assigned a specific color.
Youth and adult sizes clearly labeled.
Participant and spare quantities separated.
Color totals reconciled with the order total.
Artwork wording and year approved.
Receiving and distribution responsibilities assigned.
Send us your field day brief with the school logo, estimated participants and needed-by date. If families will buy optional merchandise separately, ask about an online school store alongside the event order.