Labor day has come and gone, signifying the unofficial end of Summer, and the ringing in of the new school year. Whether you’ve got kids who are excited about starting the school year, or perhaps a little hesitant, we’ve rounded up some ideas for great back to school family activities that will make that transition fun and memorable!
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First Day of School and Last Day of School Photos or Self Portraits paired with a First Day/Last Day “All About Me” Page! We love this tradition for our families, and we’re sure you will too. Posed pictures are great, but this is also a wonderful time to let their personalities shine! Take a classic First Day posed pic for the relatives, and then let the kids be themselves for some fun, personal memories. Then follow it up at the end of the school year to see how much they’ve grown and changed! We also love to let the kiddos fill out a questionnaire about what they’re looking forward to this year, a few of their favorite things, what they’d like to be when they grow up, and a few fun facts. Comparing the beginning of year and end of year questions is always a blast! If your kid doesn’t like to take photos, you can opt in for a hand-drawn self portrait, which can be a super fun way to add a little more personal flare to the tradition as well as watching their skills evolve and grow as they learn more.
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Create a Back to School “Flat Lay” Photo at the start of each school year. Clear a space on the floor or a flat surface, and lay out all of their school supplies, shoes, outfits, accessories, fave snacks, etc. Take your smartphone or camera and snap a picture from an overhead angle. It’s a super fun way to document their favorite things through each age and observe how their personality grows more unique with each day! It makes for a great keepsake when arranged in a memory book or in a photo frame over the course of their education.
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Lunchtime Surprises! The first week of school can often be a big adjustment for kids of all ages, that’s why we love to add little surprises like doodles, notes, and small goodies to their lunch bags! A Note to let them know you love them and are proud of them, a small toy they love to collect, a few stickers, it’s up to you! Just a little something to look forward to and make them smile, and signify they’re halfway through the day.
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Order your family’s favorite takeout for a first-day dinner and have a family show-and-tell! The first day of school can be incredibly hectic and overwhelming, and meal planning a sit-down dinner on that first day isn’t always feasible, but a family-friendly takeout order means less time fussing and more time connecting. A grab it and go meal or delivery option gives you more time to sit down and recap the day, share pictures you’ve snapped with new friends, talk about teachers, and check out any important first day papers.
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Family Reading Night After a Trip to the Bookstore to Celebrate! Family reading time is a great way to get together and spend some bonding time, and what could be more exciting than reading books you all chose together? There are a lot of wonderful books out there to celebrate starting school for the first time, moving up to a new grade level, making new friends at school, and other fun school related stories. It’s a great opportunity to open a dialogue about their experiences in school through relatable storytelling.
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Decorate the front door or create a special message on the sidewalk! Parents can do this one the night before kiddos head out to school for a morning send-off, or have a little fun after drop-off for a welcome home surprise. Decorate your front door with balloons, party streamers, pinwheels, and school-related imagery, and a little banner that says “Happy First Day of School” or “Congrats on your first day!” If the weather is nice enough, you can leave a fun little chalk drawing on the side walk with positive messages, smiley faces, gold stars, the school mascot, and other back-to-school imagery. It’ll be a fun surprise send off for the kids, or a cheerful welcome home message on a hectic first day.
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Get them a shirt or sweatshirt to grow into! If you’re sending your wee one off to Preschool or Kindergarten for the first time, consider purchasing a teen/adult sized tee or sweatshirt and beginning a school year tradition that documents their growth. Snap a pic of your kiddo in the shirt on the first day of each new school year, and before you know it you’ll have a clever little memento of their entire school career.
