Is it really almost August? Whether you start in August or September, the truth is, summer is rapidly coming to an end. And with that comes the question, How do I get back into the homeschool routine after summer break? It’s time to make sure that you are completely ready to start a new school year. In today’s post, I’m giving my top tips to all of us who follow the typical American academic calendar and break for at least a month or two during the hottest time of the year.
Set a Back-to-School Date
This might sound obvious, but set a date for the first day of school. I know some people like to stagger their back to homeschool start for various reasons, like multiple students in multiple grades. And you can still do something like that, but I highly suggest having a First Day of School highlighted on the calendar. Something definite – a commitment that’s on the books and that the kids can look forward to or at least be able to mentally prepare for. Whether you do a full day of work that first day or go the Soft Start route, you still need an official start date that marks the end of summer and the beginning of the academic year.
Plan Positive Traditions for the First Day of School
If your kid enjoys school or not, having fun First Day of School traditions can go a long way to setting a positive tone for your academic year. If you don’t have any special plans for that first day back, now is the time to start planning a few special memory-making moments. You can go all out and search Pinterest for some elaborate first day traditions with gifts and goodies or you can keep it simple and budget-friendly.
First Day Ideas:
- Special Breakfast (fun, but healthy because brains need a healthy start to the day!)
- Pictures (I use Canva to make a First Day of __ Grade poster for my daughter to hold for a first day of school picture. The poster includes facts like her age and height as well as her favourite subject and what she wants to be when she grows up.)
- School Supplies (If your students need new supplies – even if it’s just a pack of erasers – you can wrap these or put them out at the breakfast table on that first day back into the homeschool routine after summer.)
- Morning Meeting (Take time to go over the calendar, the weekly schedule and talk about how the school day is structured. You don’t have to go into elaborate detail about your planning process with your first grader. But it’s nice to give your students an overview of what is expected of them. You can make this fun by making it like a short business meeting.)
- Explore the Books (If you haven’t done this already, the first day of school can be a fun time to just explore all the new books and talk about any new subjects that are being started this year. Write names in workbooks, make covers for those well-worn textbooks, organise binders, etc.)
- Decorate the Classroom (For my kids, balloons make any day a special event. What simple way can you make the day special?)
Remember that enthusiasm is contagious. If you’re excited and geeking out about books and school supplies, it’s likely your kids will too.
Check in on Summer Goals
Before summer is officially over, I highly recommend going back to your summer goals and checking in. Did you stay on track? What fun times did you and your family have together? Is there any one thing that still hasn’t happened that would make it an epic summer for your kids? Feeling like summer was a blast and used to its full potential can make the transition back into the school year a lot easier.
In our homeschool, one of my mottos is “work hard, play hard”. I expect a lot during the school year, but I also let go of the reigns during the summer. It doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. That’s the great thing about being a kid. Sleeping in a tent in the backyard can be a crazy fun summer experience. Whatever your summer looks like, squeeze as much fun as you can out of these last few days or weeks to make it that much easier to get back into the homeschool routine.
Get Organized
If you read my post about setting goals for the summer, then you are probably on top of things. You are probably organized, have your homeschool materials ready, a clean vehicle and a meal plan in place. If not, now is the time. You can check out that post if you need inspiration. There’s no easier way of getting back into a homeschool routine after summer than if your space and your time are organized. Know your calendar, including school hours and extracurricular activities as well as special events during the semester. Read up on the subjects you are teaching and collect the materials you’ll need. Put together at least a skeleton meal plan so you’re not wasting precious time during the school year thinking What are we having for dinner tonight?
Sleep & Nutrition
Last but not least, let’s talk about the two most critical aspects of getting back into a routine with kids: sleep and nutrition. If summer for your family meant late nights and a lot of less-than-healthy on-the-go meals, you’re going to want to course correct that now as the summer winds down. Know how much sleep your kids need and what their bedtime and wake-up times will be during the school year. Then you can start to slowly get onto that sleep schedule. I’ve learned that I can make adjustments by about half an hour every few days and slowly get back into our school year sleep schedule. And if you’ve chucked the meal plan out the window for summer, now is the time to get back on track. Focus on nutritious meals and snacks, especially breakfast, to help set your kids up for success.
Was this helpful? What are your first day of school traditions? Do you have any other tips for getting back into the homeschool routine after summer break?
Keep Reading About…
The Cold Turkey vs Soft Start debate about back to school: Back into a Routine after Winter Break
How to plan a productive summer with the Ultimate Summer Checklist
Getting ready for the school year with How to Plan a Homeschool Year
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