‘Ten Ways to Get Your Child Ready for Schoo

The first day of school is always a nerve wracking time for a child, no matter how old they are. For parents there is a mad dash for supplies, clothing and bags, and for kids there is a desperate hunt for matching socks and their courage for that first day.

Whether they’re heading into kindergarten or they’re returning as a seasoned elementary expert, the back to school season can feel like a whirlwind. It doesn’t have to feel like a tornado of stress, however. There are some practical and not too stressful ways that you can ease everybody back into school mode, with our 10 suggestions below.

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1. Ease into the sleep schedule. Actually quite an easy one, but summer sleep habits and winter sleep habits often mean that getting ready for school in the morning can be difficult. If your kids are going to bed sometime between sunset and sunrise, you’ll want to start shifting that bedtime very slowly and very gently. Moving it back 15 minutes a night about a week before school starts can help to get them into that routine of being in bed early again. You compare it with a calming bedtime routine like reading a book together or sharing the highs and lows from the day list, but you’ll have bonus points for avoiding screens at least an hour before lights out.
2. Plan a back to school shopping adventure. Turn the dreaded supply list hunt into a fun mission. Give your child a budget and let them help to choose a few favorite items, from glitter pencils to a backpack covered in dinosaurs. If they get to pick things that they like, they’ll feel more excited to use them. Plus, it gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility.Just prepare yourself for the fact that you might leave the store with a Flamingo shaped eraser and no glue sticks. While you’re shopping, you could also look for personalised exercise books so that they know that those books are there and there’s alone. There’s again another sense of ownership by being able to see their name on something that you’ve printed.
3. Create a serene morning routine. Mornings do not have to be a frenzied scramble. Start practising your school day routine a few days early by getting dressed, brushing teeth, and eating breakfast on a schedule. You can make it fun with a routine chart that they can take off along the way or stickers as rewards. You should also consider putting together a musical playlist so that you can keep things moving. With a little preparation, you’ll be able to go a long way, especially if it saves you from fishing socks out of the laundry basket at 7AM.
4. Practice the route to school. Whether they’ll be walking, biking, taking the bus, or doing a drop off loop that rivals airport security, it really does help to do a dry run. Practising the route a few times so it feels familiar and less intimidating will help your child to settle in fast. You could point out landmarks along the way to help them to remember things. This familiarity brings comfort, especially if it’s their first time. If they’re walking to school and you’re walking with them every day, it’s going to be an easy routine to sink into.
5. Talk about expectations. Children thrive on knowing what’s coming, so talk to them about what a school day looks like and who they might meet and what they’ll do when you see them afterwards. Keep it simple and keep it fun, because if they’re nervous, they’re going to pick up on your nerves too. All of this is completely normal, so share your own school memories, the good and the goofy. Knowing that even adults once forgot their lunch or spilled paint all over their art project can be helpful and strangely reassuring.

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6. Work together on a homework station. Even the youngest children benefit from a designated space to learn. It doesn’t need to be Pinterest worthy, just a quiet spot with a flat surface, some basic supplies and good lighting. You could let your child personalise it a little too. Maybe they want to hang a drawing, put up a calendar, or use their personalised exercise books right here. Having a space that’s solely theirs helps to create a routine and builds their sense of independence.
7. Get them connected with school mates. School friends that they haven’t seen all summer try to set up a playdate or two before school returns. Reuniting with familiar faces and discussing the time that’s gone by before the first day can do wonders for those first day jitters. They’ll know to find each other before the school doors open, and they won’t feel so alone.If your child is new to the school or doesn’t know anybody yet, try reaching out on social media or attending back to school events with them. Sometimes schools host orientation sessions where they can meet a few classmates ahead of time.
8. Get back into reading together. Have taken a back seat to beach days and video games. It’s now that’s a great time to bring them front and centre once again. Go to the library with them, let them choose some stories that catch their eye and start a mini reading routine. It could be a bedtime story, a morning read aloud, or quiet time with a book and a comfortable blanket. The goal isn’t to quiz them, but to rekindle a love of stories and language.
9. Make a countdown calendar. Build an exciting structure for their day with a countdown calendar. You can make a colourful paper chain, mark off a wall calendar or use stickers on a whiteboard. Each day do one small get ready activity like pick out a first date outfit or pack a lunch box together. It helps to make the return to school feel like an adventure instead of an ambush.
10. Don’t forget to take pictures. Starting school or even just starting a new grade is a big deal, so mark the occasion with a balloon in a picture. Maybe it’s a back to school breakfast with pancake shaped like letters or a you did it ice cream trip. After the first week, take the classic first day photo near the front door and celebrate their progress, not perfection.