Summer’s not quite over, but most schools in the Atlanta area were back in session this week.  I admit, I had an amazing summer, but I find getting into the back-to-school routine to be a really tough task. Things like waiting til the last minute to buy school supplies and such make it all even more of a hassle. The kids, after thoroughly taking advantage of not having an early bed time at grandma’s house find it particularly hard to shake off the summer fun and start being on a stricter routine.

Whether you’re already working through the back-to-school transition, or you’ve still got a few weeks to prepare, here are some tips for getting into the back-to-school routine that can help make the process so much easier on you and your kids.

5 Tips for Getting Into The Back-To-School Routine

Prepare their minds for learning

It’s no secret that children lose quite a bit of learning over the summer. After a summer of fun, it is easy for your kids’ brains to just hit a blank spot.  This is why it is so important to engage in activities that get their minds ready to learn.  Mind exercises like flash cards, reading, STEM learning activities, etc. will start to get your kids’ minds back into the learning process.  You can find some great resources for learning in my Summer Camp at home post from earlier this summer.  

Prepare Sleep Schedule

It is best that at least week or two before summer ends and school begins, you should get your kids starting on a school appropriate sleep schedule.  Have them go to bed and wake up at the same time they would have to for school days. This way, their bodies will get used to the schedule ahead of time since it can take some time for them to adjust to the more rigid back-to-school schedule.  Doing this will make it less of a struggle for you and them when school starts.

Homework Space

When it comes time for school, homework is probably the most dreaded thing for both you and your kids.  It’s even more so at the start of back-to-school season because they just got through a whole 3 months without any homework. One way to combat this is to set up a fun and motivating area for them to do their homework.  Let them help with this, so they can make it as comfortable and give them a sense that it is their area.  Set this place up somewhere away from people and distractions.

Pro-tip: Be sure to include a clock or some sort of time keeping device in their homework space.  It allows them to track how long it takes to finish their homework each day and how long they have left, making homework seem a little less daunting to them.  

Prepare at least one week’s wardrobe

At least a couple of weeks before school starts, be sure to go through your kid’s closets and make sure they have at least 1 week of complete outfits.  This includes not only their outfits or uniforms, but also socks, stockings, undershirts, etc.  Go ahead and lay those all out prior to the first week of school. There will be so many other adjustments to make that first week, this could be the last thing you’ll want to worry about.  

Devise a plan for organizing files, documents and schedules

This might be one of the most important tips for getting into the back-to-school routine.  The first week of school is filled with papers, forms, documents, and basically every “important” thing your child’s teachers want to you know and keep.  

This can be so overwhelming unless you have a plan for these documents.  Create multiple file folders specifically for things like classroom communications, extra curricular activities, signed forms, etc. A family calendar is also super helpful in the kitchen to help everyone keep track of schedules. 

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With these tips for getting into the back-to-school routine hopefully, your experience can be much easier than it has been before. Just remember summer is almost over so it is time to get started, the earlier the better.

 How do you get into the back-to-school routine? Do you have any tips you’d like to share that aren’t on this list?  Let me know in the comments!