The first day of school! Whether your kids school at home or in a classroom, making the first day memorable can go a long way toward easing nervousness and adding excitement and encouragement to the occasion. Planning the best first day of school is not as difficult as you think.
Today I’m sharing some quick and easy tips for making the first day back to school a magical and memorable experience. It takes a little planning ahead, but it’s easy to fill the day with special memories.
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How to Plan the Best Back to School Morning
What does the best first day of school look like? What does it entail? From first waking up to morning photos to the beginning of the school day, here are a few things to consider when planning your first day back.
Waking Up
Change up your family’s normal wake-up routine, whether they wake up to their own alarms, or to Mom flipping on the light and saying “Up and at ‘em!” Play their favorite music and dance into their room for some early morning giggles.
If your child doesn’t mind having their picture taken, take a picture of their sleeping cuteness before waking them to commemorate the first day of school.
School Supplies
Once the kiddos are up and about, create a scavenger hunt for the younger kids to find their new school supplies. Whether you homeschool or send your kids to a brick and mortar school, there are a few school supplies that every young learner needs so you might as well make acquiring those supplies fun!
If you have the ability to donate to families in need, look into local programs that can put you in touch with students who need clothes or school supplies. Get your kids to help gather supplies and deliver them together.
Special Meals
Plan ahead to make your kids’ favorite breakfast. Many yummy things can be made ahead and are just as good reheated (think pancakes, waffles, and cinnamon rolls). Take requests ahead of time so the morning won’t be too hectic.
If making a big breakfast doesn’t work for your family try something simple like arranging fruit slices into faces on toast or a bowl of oatmeal. Our family enjoys simple frozen toaster pastries (think Toaster Streudal) for a fancy but simple breakfast. Or add something fun and unusual to your usual fare, like chocolate chip oatmeal or cinnamon sugar toast.
Celebrate the first day of school with a pizza party or a sundae bar. It’s quick and easy to set out toppings for sundaes or pizza, then let everyone dive in and make their own special treat. Or have your kids plan a special meal with you and brush up on their math skills by helping you do the shopping and measuring.
Commemorative Crafts
Another fun idea is to create a school year time capsule. Include a back-to-school picture, a short questionnaire answered by your child about their favorite summer activities and what they’re looking forward to about the school year. Open the time capsule the first week of summer vacation and see much they’ve grown.
Alternatively, make a vision board with your kids. Gather poster board, magazines or catalogs, stencils, stickers, markers, whatever craft supplies you’d like to use. Ask them their wishes and goals for the new school year and have them create a poster with clipped and drawn pictures and words representing their thoughts about the year ahead.
Hang the finished poster in a spot where they can see it often during the school day or where they do their homework.
Free Printable First Day of School Cards (For Back To School Photos)
What’s more iconic than those yearly First Day of School pictures? Use our free printable First Day of School cards, which include Pre-K through 12th grade, for an easy way to commemorate the new school year.
Grab your free first day of school picture cards here! Print them out and cut out the appropriate grade. Then have your child hold the card while they pose for a picture!
Take a new picture every year and watch your kiddos grow!
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