Quantcast

5 Back-to-School Traditions You Can Start Now!

The stores are stocked with every school supply imaginable and sometimes there’s a hint of autumn in the air. Is it that time of year again? Celebrating back-to-school with special family traditions is not only fun, it can also boost your children’s confidence and help ease the transition from summer break to the start of another school year.

Studies show that traditions offer a sense of wellbeing and help strengthen and sustain families during times of change. Meg Cox, author of The Book of New Family Traditions: How to Create Great Rituals for Holidays and Every Day (Running Press, 2012) says, “Ritual in general, all the little and big things we do together as families, works as a safety net, a security blanket, and an ongoing promise of protection.”

To soothe the jitters and get the year off to the right start, consider these fun, simple ways to celebrate back-to-school.

1. Let the countdown begin. A week or so before the big day, make a paper chain of the number of days left until school starts. Each day as you remove another ring in the chain, take out small treats, such as popcorn, lollipops, or a few school supplies. A daily countdown is the perfect opportunity to check in with your children. What about the first day of school do they most look forward to? What are their concerns? Reviewing some of your children’s favorite memories from the previous school year can help remind them of the fun ahead.

2. Get crafty. Break out some of your children’s new art supplies instead of waiting for the first day of school. Paint or draw scenes that capture summer memories or encourage your children to create scenes from an imagined fun first day. Kids can also make signs with the new grade they’ll be entering to use at home or at the bus stop when posing for first-day photos. Or grab sidewalk chalk and sketch each child’s grade on the driveway.

3. Food, food, food. No tradition is complete without your children’s favorite meals and treats. Start the day with a home-cooked breakfast of your kids’ choice, whether it’s pancakes, French toast, or even apple pie. Or minimize the stress of the first morning and splurge on muffins from the local bakery. A special dinner gives everyone something to look forward to at the end of the big day, whether you cook up spaghetti at home, order pizza for delivery, or go out for Mexican food. Making cookies or cupcakes together in advance of the first day is another tradition many families enjoy year after year.

 

4. A day out together. Get out and enjoy the last dog days of summer with the kids. Take a walk in the park, treat everyone to ice cream, or browse the stores for a few school supplies. Let the kids choose a remaining activity or two from their summer bucket list, such as a trip to the amusement park or the aquarium. Whatever’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s faces, try to make it happen if you can. For children experiencing back-to-school anxiety, getting out for some fun may be just what they need to calm their nerves.

5. Capture the memories. Be sure to snap “first-day” photos before the children head off to school. Some families take photos in the same spot each year, such as on the porch steps or in front of the same tree. Don’t forget to grab the signs your children made announcing their new grade or look online for free signs to print. Short videos make another fun option. Shoot some action scenes with your video camera or smart phone the night before, while the kids are getting their backpacks organized, or in the morning, before everyone races out the door.

With a new school year approaching, now is the perfect time to introduce fun family traditions that will soothe back-to-school jitters and boost your children’s spirits for a memorable first day.

Heather Van Deest is a freelance writer and a mother of two young boys.
 

>