7 Fun Ways to Get Ready for Back to School

Today’s post comes from our long-time blogging pal, Julie, from Happy Home Fairy. If your poke around on Julie’s blog, you can’t help but feel uplifted, encouraged, and empowered as a mom. She’s got LOADS of free printables that I know you’ll love. With back to school season upon us, we are excited to have her share some fun, practical ideas on how to get ready for back to school. I personally love the countdown chain ideas. 🙂 

I love this time of year. The freshly sharpened pencils and the boxes of neatly nestled crayons. Teachers buzzing around labeling everything and designing bulletin boards. New backpacks and lunch boxes.

And I love sharing the excitement with my kiddos – although they keep giving me the side-eye whenever I mention school because it means summer is almost over.

To lessen the blow of that reality, here is a quick list of 7 things you can do to make the back to school season fun for your family!

1. Countdown

We are about 2 weeks away from school starting in our neck of the woods. Now is the time for a countdown to build anticipation and excitement for the first day! Countdowns are also great visuals for little learners who ask 4,000 times a day if school is starting tomorrow. 🙂

You can do a countdown using THIS ADORABLE FREE PRINTABLE, or a countdown with M&M’s like THIS ONE, or – my personal favorite – a Prayer Countdown like THIS ONE.

2. Teacher Gift

Teachers are my favorite. I love starting the year off with a thoughtful gift. You can find some amazing, inexpensive teacher gift ideas and FREE Printables HERE. Also BROWNIE POINTS.

3. School Supply Fun

We went school supply shopping this past weekend and it prompted me to remember THIS SUPER CUTE FREE Printable Scavenger Hunt that gets your kiddos racing around the house searching for school treasures using the rhyming clue cards. It’s so easy and will be such a fun memory!

4. Special Treats

Win even the most hesitant school-goer’s in your house with THIS yummy School Bus Treat. Go ahead. It’s not like you’ve been eating ice cream and popsicles all summer long. 🙂

5. Back to School Books

I love using books as a way to get my kids prepared for a new change or season in their life. I put together a list of our family’s favorite back-to-school-themed books HERE.

6. Back to School Dinner

The night before the first day of school I like to make my boys their favorite meal and stick in a few toothpicks with taped signs that say, “2nd grader!” or the title of whatever grade they are entering (see example HERE). One time I even pulled the toy school bus out of the car bin and set it on the table as our centerpiece. Nothing fancy or expensive, just a little magical touch to celebrate the new year.

7. PRAY

This last point is by far our most important preparation for back to school! I had just crawled under the covers the other night when I felt the Lord nudging me to get back out of bed and go pray over each of my boys while they slept – something I love to do and wish I did more! I prayed for their friends, for their obedience, spirits of kindness, attentiveness, their teachers, etc. The Lord is all you and your kids need for a wonderful school year. Read more of my thoughts on prayer and grab a FREE Printable featuring specific Back to School Prayers HERE.

Bonus Idea from Polly and Rachel: Stock Your Freezer with Meals Your Kids Love

Have your kids flip through our cookbook, From Freezer to Table, and pick out 3 recipes that they want to have in the next few weeks. Make a point to make those recipes and double them. Eat one fresh and put one in the freezer that you’ll have a few weeks down the road. You’ll be SO glad that you have some meals prepped.

Make sure to check out our 10 Healthy, Freezer-Friendly Back to School Breakfast Ideas.