Whether you’re counting down the days or dreading the thought of the children going back to school, we all face the same challenges getting our kids in to the school routine after the holidays. That’s why I’ve found some great tips that I wanted to share with you all, to hopefully make the process smoother on the first day of the Autumn term!
Bring back the Bedtime Routine
At least a week before the start of the new term, get the children back into their term-time bedtime routine. If they have become used to going to bed later, the easiest way to reinstate an earlier bedtime is to get them up earlier. Choose a time and stick to it each morning in the lead up to going back to school.
Reintroduce Reading and Writing
Do a little reading and writing practice each day which will get your little one back into the swing of things. It’s also a great confidence booster as they settle back into school.
Get Labelling
Get the labelling equipment out now! There’s nothing worse than doing it the night before (I’ve learnt that the hard way).
Use our ‘Ready for School Kids Checklist’
Keep the children (and you) organised with our really handy checklist to avoid a frantic rush to get to the school gates! Find it here.
Talk about School
Start talking to your child about their new teacher/class. Remind them of names, where their new classroom is and what year group they are now in. This will help them to think about the changes ahead and will give them time to talk through any worries with you before they go back to school.
Be Positive
If your child worries about school, always try to talk to them about it in a positive way. Your attitude towards learning, friends and teachers will set the tone for your child as giving positive messages will build their confidence.
Make a Memory Box
If your little one is sad that the holidays have come to an end, get them to create their very own memory box containing their favourite school holiday memories. Explain that they can look in the box at any time to remember all the fun times they had, plus this could be the start of a lovely tradition.
Plan something fun for October Half Term
Although we’re all feeling sad that the holidays have come to an end, the good news is that it’s not long until the next one. Why not plan a fun day out with your little one for the October half term which will give them something to look forward to! Check out our website for thousands of brilliant days out ideas! Find out more.
Check for ‘Forgotten’ Homework
Quiz the kids and get them to check their bags/homework diaries for any forgotten projects and/or homework which needed to be done during the school holidays. Kids have a great habit of forgetting until the very last minute and then conveniently blaming their parents. 😉
I really hope these handy hints and tips make the thought of ‘back to school’ a little bit easier to deal with. If you have any other suggestions, please do share them on our Facebook and Twitter pages. 🙂
