Tips For Getting Kids Ready for Back to School

Tips For Getting Ready For Back To School can help make the back-to-school season stress-free for parents and kids!

Tips For Getting Kids Ready for Back to School

I cannot believe I just wrote that. “Back to School” is one of those frightening phrases teachers start to hear in mid-July, signaling school is just around the corner!

Many of us have been busy collecting things we want to try with our students in the fall.

That’s why I’m sharing these Tips For Getting Kids Ready for Back to School today.

I wanted to tell you about some of the things I do in preparation for a new school year that you can do too!

It can be an overwhelming time for teachers and students, but it can also be an exciting time to make a fresh start!

How To Get Kids Ready For Back To School?

Here are 4 tips from a parent and teacher to help support you as the kids get ready to head back to school this year.

Free “Stuff” For Your Kids

One way you can get free “stuff” for your students is to write the professional sports teams of your state and request incentives. I do this each year and have been overwhelmed with the response! I’ve received pencils and stickers from the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs! I’ve even received a personal handwritten note from Cubs Management along with headphones and stuffed animals. I’m hoping this year to write to the Chicago Bulls and, of course, our Stanley Cup Winners-The Chicago Blackhawks! These incentives are fun to pass out to students who have gone above and beyond in their efforts! Perhaps they could earn them by completing a certain number of tasks, reading a certain number of books, or writing in their journals….Free stuff is always great!!!!

Take Pictures

Take pictures of all the books your child has read this year and make a poster! Children love to see their accomplishments add up; this is a great way to display their hard work over the summer! Maybe you joined the Barnes and Noble Book Club over the summer or did your local library’s Summer Reading Program. You can even take a picture of your child holding their digital book on their Kindle or iPad.

Oh, yeah! Don’t forget that first day of school photo! You’ll want to look back at that photo and compare it to the end of the school year. It’s amazing how much they grow in such a short time!

Get On A Schedule A Week Before School Starts

Now is the time to get ready for the schedule! Make a picture schedule using Board maker to help your child anticipate their day. This will help with your expectations as well as their anxiety. It is also great to get the morning routine down before school starts. Incorporate chores, breaks, etc., to break up the “work.” Use the Board maker program to print out pictures of tasks. Laminate them and use Velcro to create a schedule where students “tear off” the task when completed. For my students with Autism, this is a must. They can see their day and anticipate what is coming up next, along with the satisfaction of knowing they completed a task and are done with it for the day.

Gather Important Materials

Start gathering the materials you will need. I know I’ve been in school supply shopping for both of us! Grab extras for January when your supplies have dwindled down, and new crayons are like gold! I’ve seen pretty good deals already, and it’s not even August! Break up your trips, so your wallet doesn’t take such a hard hit!

Check out our Back to School Pinterest for more fun ideas and for my homeschooling parents, check out How to Get Back Into the Homeschooling Routine!

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How do you prepare for back to school?

First published on Aug 6, 2015