Back-to-School Transition Tips for Parents and Kids

Summer’s long and sunny days are coming to a close, and school is just around the corner! While some children look forward to the first day of school with excitement, others may be sad to see summer end.

Try these ideas from PBS Kids to support you in making the transition back to school after summer easier!

During the summer, it’s natural to be on a more relaxed schedule. Bedtimes might be a bit late, and kids sleep in more than usual. That’s great!

But when it’s time for the first day of school, you may not want to rush your child into a new schedule. Instead, get them on a healthy sleep schedule by shifting their waking and sleeping hours by 5-10 minutes daily, starting a week or two before school begins.

Before the first week of school, sit down with your child and talk about the foods they enjoy. Use this opportunity to list healthy, delicious lunch and snack foods they’ll love to take to school.

Recipes like these yummy Oatmeal Muffins can be made ahead in larger batches to grab on the go as you’re packing lunches and snacks.

Children thrive when they can explore their decision-making skills. They also have great ideas! Have a conversation with your child about what they think their daily routine should look like on a school day.

What will be the first thing they do when they wake up? What will they be in charge of? Now that they’re moving onto the next grade, are there any new responsibilities they’d like to tackle?

Creating routines can guide positive behavior and aid with transitions like the beginning of the school year. They also are a great idea for parents, as they help reduce power struggles and can bring you and your child closer together.

Now that you’ve talked through a routine, make it into a checklist!

A checklist for the school day can help keep children on track as they move through their mornings and afternoons. Add responsibilities like making the bed, brushing teeth, and more.

Kids will love seeing what they’ve accomplished, and parents will love their help in preparing for back to school because it will keep everyone on track.

The back-to-school transition can be challenging. To help create a welcoming environment after school, plan a few activities you can do together, like making a fun snack or creating a craft together.

Spending time together after school helps kids wind down after a long, busy school day. Create cute pencil toppers, or even a little cardboard friend while asking your child questions about their day.

These moments after school can be something that you (and your child!) look forward to all day long.

Knowing they’ll have friends nearby is a great way to ease the back-to-school transition, especially for young children.

Coordinate with other parents to find out if your child will have class, recess, or special clubs with their friends.

If your child is new to school, reach out to the school to learn how to connect with other new parents to plan a few get-to-know-you playdates before the school year begins. Having a familiar face in the school yard can be comforting at back-to-school time.

Once all the checklists are made and the supplies are taken care of, have a few heart-to-heart chats with your child! Ask them how they’re feeling about the start of a new year. For example, you can say, “Last year, you were working on making new friends at recess. How are you feeling about making friends this year?”

Perhaps your child is excited, a bit nervous, or even anxious. All of those feelings are normal and to be expected. As adults, we have tools to help children cope with back-to-school anxiety that can be comforting.

You can also remind them about the exciting things a new school year holds! These open and honest conversations will help ease parents and kids into the new school year.

With some extra planning and care, your child will be off to a fantastic start in transitioning back to school after summer break!