5 Ideas to Help Kids Get Excited About Going "Back" to School

Back to school is upon us! Is it just me, or did the Summer go by way too fast? Get ready for the upcoming first morning goodbye with these five top tips.

	1. Get basic school supplies. Most students will be working virtually, but they will still need tangible supplies. Check your student's school to see if there is a suggested supply list for each grade. If you’re not sure what to get, you can’t go wrong with the basics: fresh notebooks, plain and lined paper, pencils, crayons and markers, glue sticks. For distance learning, don’t forget to get at least one pair of earbuds, or consider noise-canceling headphones if your child will be learning in a particularly busy at-home environment.
	2. Shop for new school clothes. Yes, of course pajamas will do in a pinch, but part of the fun of going back to school is getting a new outfit or two. Plus, I don't know about yours, but my kids GREW over the summer! Even though they will be home, they need some comfortable new things to wear for their school days. We shopped online and they picked out some cute shirts for video-chats and comfortable shorts and stretchy pants for sitting in front of the computer.
	3. Create a special learning space. Find a desk, table, or a corner of the kitchen counter that your child can use for their at-home learning. Even a lap desk on a comfortable chair will work, as long as the space has plenty of light, enough of a clear surface to write and draw, a nearby outlet for the laptop, and good wifi access. Have your child help you identify the space and set it up with some personal touches, like a favorite stuffed animal or a photo of friends. One of my daughters keeps a fidget box on her desk, with slime, squeeze balls, and a fidget spinner. There are times when she feels like she can concentrate better on her schoolwork when she's holding something in her hands. I tell her to go for it! Having some comfort items in her learning space is one of the benefits of learning at home.
	4.Take first day of school photos. I already informed my daughters that they will need to get up and ready on the first day of remote learning so that I can take their pictures like I do every year. This is an important tradition, and it will help the start of the new school year feel more "real". Keep your photos consistent: If you usually create a sign with their teacher’s name and grade, do that this year, too (even if the teacher’s name is Mom). If you traditionally share these photos with your social media circle, do that this year, too! You’ll want this school year to pop up in your memories, to remind you that yes, you really did all survive.
	5. Continue any back-to-school traditions you’ve always done (or start a new tradition). If your family has a special tradition to help prepare for going back to school or to celebrate surviving the first day, keep that tradition going! Even if your kids only have to walk down the hall to their "classroom" the first day back to school (or the first day of school ever) is worth celebrating! Here are some ideas to make going back to (or starting) school even more memorable: Read a special book the night before. Check out this list from Pima County Public Library, created just for Macaroni Kid Readers! Make your child's favorite meal. You can even include a little love note or special treat at lunch. Interview your child before or after school (or both) of what they are looking forward to or what their favorite part of the day was. Save their responses in a notebook so you can look back and reminisce. Surprise your child with a special gift - a new book or fancy pens. Mildred and Dildred has some great Homeschool Helper kits, School in Session Survival kits, and special interest kits. Enjoy a special treat after the school day ends. Our favorite is ice cream!