23/08/2024

Tips to get your kids back into the school routine

Ah, summer! The season of late-nights, days of play and freedom, and spontaneous adventures. But as the school year approaches, parents everywhere face the same challenge: getting kids back into a routine after the carefree days of summer. All good things must come to an end and probably you (and even your child!), might even be looking forward to a bit more structure after the chaos. We've got some handy tips to help you start preparing them for the school routine:

Early(er) to bed…

Summer holidays may have seen their bedtimes extend to later with perhaps more flexibility to your day than during the school term. If you’ve not already started to rein these in, now’s the time to edging back to the usual bedtime. Depending on the difference this has slipped to start reducing this incrementally to end up at your usual routine the day or so before they go back to school.

Regulate meal times

Kids are natural grazers and during the summer holidays their eating routines can get out of whack. If your children have started to eat more little and often during the long holidays begin to set more defined meal times now to help them adjust to school timings. As they’ll be getting up earlier (with those earlier bedtimes) add in the breakfast routine close to the same time as they’ll be expected to eat when they’re back at school. Match lunch time to around the same time of your child’s school and bring the evening meal in earlier than it may slipped to.

Read with your children

If this has slipped a little get back into the routine of reading regularly with your child. Get them to select their favourite book and put some time aside each day to read with them. This can be any combination you reading to them, sharing reading or them reading to you. All of this will help to get them prepared and in the right mindset before heading back to school.

Reintroduce learning through play

To reawaken those academic skills without overwhelming your kids, sneak in some educational activities that feel like play. Word games, fun math apps, or even a family trivia night can help sharpen their minds. If your child loves crafts, try a science experiment or a creative writing project. Learning can be fun, and this will remind them that school isn’t just about sitting still and listening.

Ready steady go!

Start getting them to get their clothes out for the next day before going to bed. OK, so they’re not quite ready for their uniforms but you can start off the process for them having to plan ahead to avoid the morning chaos before they return to school. This will get them thinking along the right lines. Another tip is to get them to pack their school bags up some time during the week before school starts. This will also help to make sure that they’ve got everything they need. If anything’s missing there’s still time to do some last minute shopping!

Final days!

Back to school celebration

Why wait for the end of the school year to celebrate? Kick off the new school year with a mini party! It could be a special dinner, a fun outing, or even a movie night featuring back-to-school-themed films. This positive reinforcement can make your kids associate the start of the school year with something to look forward to, rather than something to dread.

Bonus Tip: Get the Family Involved

Transitioning back to school is easier when everyone’s on the same page. Have a family meeting to discuss the new routine and set expectations together. Encourage older siblings to help younger ones with their morning routines or homework. This teamwork can make the whole process smoother and foster a sense of togetherness.

Final Thoughts

The end of summer doesn’t have to mean the end of fun. With a bit of planning and a lot of enthusiasm, you can make the back-to-school transition a positive experience for your kids—and yourself! Remember, routines don’t have to be rigid; they just need to work for your family. So, take a deep breath, get creative, and enjoy this new chapter together.

We hope these tips help! If your child is going up to big school for this year, read our tips on preparing your child for secondary school.