We are all well aware that August is Back to School Month! Whether your child is stepping into a classroom for the first time or heading into another school year, it’s the perfect opportunity to start some meaningful first-day-of-school traditions. Traditions bring some consistency to the newness of these first days. These small activities can help ease nerves, build excitement, and create memories for your kids to treasure. So let’s look at some simple first day traditions to start this school year.
First Day Traditions to Try
A Special Breakfast
Kick off the day with a breakfast that feels extra special. Maybe pancakes in special shapes, waffles topped with berries and whipped cream, or even their favorite cereal served in a special way. Let your child help choose the menu so that there is something for them to look forward to. And maybe learn the ASL sign for breakfast.
First Day Photos
We parents love our first day photos! And why not? It’s a great way to celebrate the beginning of a new school year in a simple way. At the same time, it’s a great way to collect the memories of all the first days. Some people take another photo on the last day of school to show the growth in their children. Then it’s so fun to look back over the years of first day photos!
A First Day Letter
Here’s another simple first day tradition to start this year. Write a short note of encouragement to put into your child’s lunchbox or backpack. A simple “I believe in you,” or “Can’t wait to hear about your day!” can make your kid’s day. And if this becomes a first day tradition, your child will look forward to these special notes from you on the first day of school.
Record Their Favorites Each Year
Start a “first day” journal or scrapbook. Each year on the first day of school, ask your child quick questions about their favorite color, favorite food, favorite book, favorite toy, or favorite activity. As the years go by, you’ll see how their answers change, or maybe stay the same. It’s also a great way to learn the sign for favorite.
Have an Afterschool Celebration
Sometimes it’s just not possible to do much at the beginning of the day. Instead, you could end the school day with something special. Maybe stop for ice cream on the way home, or hold a backyard picnic. A trip to the park or playground would be great after a day of school. Or it could be a really great afterschool snack and conversation. And even if you were able to do some first day traditions in the morning, an afterschool treat would still be a great first day tradition to start this year.
How to Make Traditions Stick
It’s great to try these traditions, but it’s not always easy to keep them going. So keep them simple. A tradition doesn’t need to require a lot of work to be meaningful. And let your kids be involved. They can help us know what traditions would mean a lot to them.
As the years go by, our traditions may change a bit. My older kids are not interested in holding a sign that says “First Day of 12th grade.” But they are still happy to take a simple selfie with our family on the first day of school. Fun pancakes for breakfast might turn into a coffee stop on the way to school. It might be more fun to stop at an arcade on the way home instead of the playground. The idea is celebration and connection. So as our traditions adjust through the years, we can still be glad that we got some first day traditions started this year.
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