Celebrate Back to School 2021
Make The Countdown To School Stress-free And Fun
When do kids go back to school? We’re sure you know the date is creeping nearer, and as the summer slowly starts to come to an end, it marks the start of a brand new school term! The holidays were wonderful, but it's time to get organised for back to school. Start your planning with tips for getting ready for a new school year.
Heading back to study after such a long, leisurely break can inspire a whole range of emotions from kids. Parents too will have mixed feelings, from anxiety or sadness to excitement at treating the kids to new clothes or fun back to school supplies. While each family is different, the common thread throughout any household with kids is a stressful flurry of activity. So, here at Gifts Australia, we’ve pooled our thoughts to produce a list of positive steps we can all take. They can help make the process smoother and much more fun for the whole family.
Of course, getting the kids back to school also means shopping for back to school gifts and classroom essentials. For some parents, it can be much more than just stocking up on school essentials like notebooks and pens, and many have a time-consuming task on their hands. So, you’ll find some great ideas for back to school supplies for teenagers, gifts for starting school for younger kids, and fun accessories too!
8 Enjoyable Ways To Motivate The Family For Heading Back To School
Reclaim Your Routine
The long, lazy weeks of summer sunshine can make it a huge challenge to get back into the school routine suddenly. Make it easier by starting to slowly move towards the early school bedtime by 15 minutes every day. Treat kids to a cute Mickey Mouse watch or trendy alarm clock and set their wake up time a little earlier each morning. Gradually phasing this in makes it easier for everyone to adjust to the shock of getting out of bed early for school!
Family Calendar Station
To help the family keep track of their new schedule, create a back to school list on a calendar or wipe board. Add back to school activities, school lunch ideas, sports events and projects, and ideas for something fun to do each day before school starts. Encourage older kids to start a journal with their plans for the end of the holidays or to record their goals for the year as they work through their back to school checklist. Looking forward to something special is an essential exercise for everyone’s positivity!
Meeting Their Classmates
If your kids haven’t seen their classmates during the summer holidays, or they’re starting a new school or class, then reach out to other parents. Organise some interesting playdates to meet kids in their class. This way, their first day back to school will be an adventure filled with excitement. If you have a child starting school for the first time and you're not sure how they will manage if their school is closed for Covid, you could arrange to meet for an hour on Zoom for handwriting practice or something fun to introduce the idea of online learning with friends. Having fun and catching up with a handful of friends before the big day is one of the best back to school hacks for relieving anxiety and stress.
Back To School Sales
Kids are guaranteed to get excited about new clothes, a school diary, books and supplies, even if it’s just trendy back to school backpacks. Treat them to something special along with all the essentials needed for study and homework. Involve them completely in the buying process and help them begin the new school year. Even if you have enough school supplies, buy them something sparkly and fresh like a cool lunchbox or cute backpack as a surprise!
Designate A Workspace
When kids go back to school, homework will be a necessity, so creating a special space is a great idea. Stock up on interesting supplies like magic erasable highlighter pens or brightly coloured chunky paint sticks. Make them a fun desk organiser for their new workstation or anything else that will make them feel special, too! Creating this space together is an excellent way to look forward to that first day back at school.
Get Technology Prepared
Technology is part of everyday school life nowadays, even if you’re not currently homeschooling. Make sure any laptops are working and learn together how to open programmes and apps that teachers or kids might need. Bookmark useful pages like Google Classroom and Zoom, and save time and stress. Treat kids to something useful like a Minnie Mouse airpods case or a fun Batman power bank to keep their devices organised and charged.
Plan Some Fun Activities
Apart from the wall calendar schedule, make sure you have some exciting activities that flow through the whole year. Plan extracurricular activities for during the school term, and add some family social activities too. Search for their favourite pastimes online too, from engaging kids books and music to horse riding. Starting a new hobby to do in their spare time each term will make school much more fun. Everyone loves new activity ideas to look forward to each week!
Positive Daily Habits
Help get ready for school by creating more good habits which will make the whole transition much smoother. Simple things like laying out school clothes and sports gear or packing their school bags before they go to bed are perfect. Also, try getting them to fill their water bottles and help pack their awesome new lunch boxes for the next morning. It will jumpstart their planning and thinking skills!
Your Back To School Checklist Can Include Bribery!
It’s difficult for anyone, let alone kids, to let go of the relaxing days and pure freedom that summer holds. There’s nothing wrong with doing something wonderful together every week as an incentive. Treat them to cute back to school hairstyles and plan a special surprise or their favourite dinner for their first day back at school. Arrange something extra exciting for their first weekend or promise them small treats you know they will love. Whatever it takes to motivate your kids into this new situation and make it a fun, stress-free time is just fine!
And, if you know a teacher heading back to school after the holidays, we think a little encouraging gift for teachers is a nice way to start their school year.
