I love back to school time! As a child, I liked getting new clothes and new school supplies. As a teacher, I loved the smell of the laminator and the way for just one hour or so before the kids came in, my classroom looked fabulous. And now, as a homeschool mom, I enjoy the resumption of a more routine life. Most classroom teachers have some kind of welcome back celebrations for their students, so why shouldn’t homeschool moms have some, too?
- Pictures: Every year we start our first day with a picture. My son sits by the fireplace and holds up a sign telling what grade he’s starting and the date. We also take one on the last day of school in the same spot, so it’s fun to compare them!
- Foods: If you’ve read this blog much at all, you know we love to add fun foods in whenever we can, and the first day of school is no exception! Sometimes we have a special breakfast or dessert, or depending on what else is going on that day, we might go out to eat.
- Field Trips: If your first day of school is after public school is back in session, you might want to take advantage of the smaller crowds out and about and take a field trip. Last year we started back before our local schools and on the day they began we had a Not Back to School Day out with friends.
- Special Activities: Take some time to do a few fun things on your first day back. Make a time capsule together, or make a special sensory bin for your little one. Let the kids look through their new books and supplies and give them a preview of what you’ll be doing through the year. You could even brainstorm a list of what they want to learn about or do during the year.
Whatever you do, have fun! You don’t have to be up at a certain time or adjust your schedule to someone else’s calendar. Isn’t that a great reason to celebrate?
