Memorable Back to School Traditions
Last week, summer came to an end at our house, and my kids went back to school. It's a time filled with lots of emotions, as the sadness of summer ending mixes with the nervous excitement that grows each day as the first day of school approaches. To ease the transition and create fun family memories, we have three traditions that we look forward to at the start of each school year: a back-to-school dinner, a first day of school outfits fashion show, and a first day chalkboard sign.
Back to School Dinner
My kids look forward to this tradition every year—a Back to School Dinner with cousins hosted by Grandma and Grandpa! This year's dinner menu included chicken nuggets and fries, veggie sticks with ranch dip, and classic school drinks like milk, chocolate milk, and juices. We went all out with cafeteria-style serving, and my mom even grabbed some plastic cafeteria trays for us to eat on! It’s really the little details that make this tradition so fun and memorable.
My favorite part is the jar of questions we answer together around the table! We pass a jar around with questions that everyone answers, and it’s a fun way to get the kids excited about going back to school!
Some of the questions we did this year were:
- What was the best field trip you ever went on?
- Who was your best friend in 1st or 3rd grade?
- What is your favorite food to eat from the school cafeteria?
- What is your favorite recess activity?
- Who was your favorite teacher and why?
- What is one thing you want to get better at this year?
- What is one thing you’re good at in school?
It’s fun to have the adults answer these questions, too, as it really shows the kids how much fun they’ll have creating these lifelong memories during the school year!
First Day of School Outfits Fashion Show
We started this tradition years ago, and every year it's a hit! We pull out our first day of school outfits and put them on for a strut down the runway (aka the living room) to show our family. I love this tradition because it’s a big confidence booster for the kids and helps to ease the first day of school jitters. Shortly after, we take off the outfits and get them all ready for the next morning. As my kids put them on, I like to ask how they felt during the fashion show, so they remember and feel those feelings of confidence from the night before.
Don't have family that lives close by? Put on a fashion show with neighborhood friends or plan a video call with family to show off your outfits and help everyone feel close by.
First Day of School Chalkboard Sign
Each year, we fill out this free first day of school chalkboard sign with each child's current favorites and new school year information. It makes for cute conversations and memories as you fill it out together! Plus, it's fun to look back on previous years to see how interests have evolved and how much your child has grown. One of my biggest tips is that if you're worried you may run out of time on the morning of the first day of school, fill out the sign and take a picture the day before!
I've always loved going back to school, and it has been so fun to start these traditions to help my children love this time of year too! What are some of your back-to-school traditions?
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