5 Back-To-School Traditions To Start This School Year
This post is sponsored by Time Snap Shop. As always, all content and opinions are 100% my own.
I can hardly believe that summer is winding down and school is starting in just 26 days (we start after Labor Day here)! We’ve been having tons of fun this summer, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to school starting again. Both my little ones will be enrolled in a 4-day preschool program this year, including my soon-to-be 5 year old who is starting Pre-K. If you are a regular reader of Grace, Giggles & Naptime, then you know I’m a huge fan of creating simple, yet meaningful traditions for our family. And what better time to create new traditions than the start of a brand new school year?!
So, if you’re like me, and love creating sweet little memories with your kiddos, you’ll love these simple back-to-school traditions that you can start today!
Start a countdown to school Get your kids excited about the upcoming school year by starting a countdown! The kids & I made this paper chain countdown a few weeks ago. Paper chain countdowns are especially great for the preschooler/kindergarten group, as they are great visuals to show younger children exactly how many days are left until school begins! My little preschoolers absolutely love removing a paper chain from our countdown each morning. It’s also a great way to practice counting, too!
Go on a back-to-school shopping date I love back-to-school shopping! There’s just something so refreshing about crisp new clothes and a fresh box of crayons. Anyone else with me on this?! I can do without the crowds and long lines, but since back-to-school shopping is inevitable, I choose to embrace the chaos and enjoy this once-a-year occasion. Last year I took my oldest (who was only 3.5 at the time) out for a special one-on-one lunch and back-to-school shopping date. We had so much fun together that I knew it was going to become a yearly tradition of ours. Noah and I went out just this past weekend for this year’s shopping spree and it was another fun outing! My daughter, London, is still a bit too young to fully appreciate this tradition (read between the lines: she’s a terrible shopping companion); however, I hope to start taking her out for some one-on-one shopping fun next summer. Even if your kids don’t enjoy shopping, I encourage you to make a day out of it, and enjoy some one-on-one time with each of your kids!
Make a special 1st day of school breakfast We always do a fun 1st day of school breakfast in our house. We like to switch things up from year to year, too. Last year it was pancakes (Noah’s favorite!); however, this year we’ll do something really special like chocolate chip Mickey Mouse waffles. Because when you’re 4 years old, chocolate chip waffles are a really BIG deal. After all, it’s his last year of preschool, and I want to make this a special day for him. I’m going to try a new dairy-free waffle recipe, too, so London will be able to enjoy them as well!
Plan an after-school ice cream date Treat your kids to a 1st day of school surprise with an after-school ice cream (or fro-yo) date! This is a tradition I am planning to start this year with my kids. Since London has a dairy allergy, we’ll likely go out for frozen yogurt or shaved ice (since both places have dairy-free options). If ice cream isn’t your thing, plan a milk + cookies party at home instead! I just love the excitement of the 1st day of school and can’t wait to surprise my kiddos with a special treat!
Snap a 1st day of school photo with a “Go To School Board” We’ve always taken the traditional 1st day of school photos; however, this year we are adding in a fun new photo prop – a “Go to School Board” from Time Snap Shop! I am SO excited about this one! As someone who was absolutely fanatical about taking my kids’ monthly photos when they were babies, I’m all about cute signs and photo props. This adorable photo prop can help capture your child’s 1st day of school. And if you look closely, you’ll see that it’s totally customizable! With just a spin of a few hidden wheels on the backside, you can change the grade, date, and even change the top of the sign to say “First” or “Last” Day of School. I love that you can get so much use out of one sign – use it for multiple children and to capture both the first + last day of school! Time Snap even has a collection of milestone boards to help capture your little one’s birthday, too (I’ll be sharing our milestone board on my son’s 5th birthday later this month)! Head on over to their website to snag your own “Go to School Board” before your little one heads off to school this year!
How are you getting ready for the upcoming school year? What are your favorite back-to-school traditions?
xo,
Sumer
47 Comments
Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups
I loved back to school shopping and am looking forward to getting to take my kiddos back to school shopping. School has already started here!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Back-to-school shopping is my absolute fave!!
Marie
This is so cute! Definitely need to step up my ‘back to school’ mom game!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Thanks, Marie! There are so many super simple traditions you can try!
Amanda
Love the idea, after school ice-cream date! We all could use a ice-cream date for sure! 🙂
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
I totally agree! Can’t wait to do this with my kiddos when we start back in a few weeks!
Brenda
I love ALL of these ideas! I just might have to implement all of them! My daughter and I are going on a back to school shopping date this week. We’re both excited. And I think we will make a paper chain countdown today!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Oh how fun! I hope you enjoy your shopping date!
Heather
Paper chain count down! I LOVE that idea – it can be used for many things! The grandparents are taking the girls for the weekend and each day both my girls have asked, how many more days till we spend the night with Grandma?! This would answer it. I could color code the rings – Grandparents, school…. the possibilities are endless! And btw, I adore the set up of your blog, fits so perfect with your topic.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Heather!! I love the color coded rings for different countdowns. So practical. And cute!
Megan | LoveFamilyHealth
I love these ideas! My Son is going into Kindergarten this year so I for sure want to start a tradition with him that we can do each year!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
It’s the perfect time to start!
Corey | The Nostalgia Diaries
I love the idea of a back to school shopping date. New school supplies are the best!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
I totally agree!
Belle
Such a fun post! And I’m actually saving this for future use!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Thanks, Belle!
Jessica
Love these ideas. We don’t do a countdown. But we did have a special pancake breakfast…I made a “K” for Kindergarten….or attempted to make a “K” pancake. 🙂 We also had donuts for her first day! I love doing these fun things with my little one to create memories. Thank you for your ideas!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
I love the “K” pancake. How FUN!! Totally doing that when my son starts next year!
Jackie Speed
Great ideas ! We did most of these and they are reallt fun !!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Yay Jackie! 🙂
Clair
Great ideas! I am using these for this coming up week when my son starts Kindergarten ?
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
I’m so glad, Clair! Best of luck to your son this school year!
Ruby
what a cute idea!!! I’m going to try it with my little one =)
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Thanks, Ruby! Enjoy!
Vicki @ Babies to Bookworms
I love these ideas! I have a stock pile of back to school books for when my daughter starts school. Reading a good back to school book together will hopefully be one of our traditions.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Oh yes! We LOVE our back-to-school books here, too! We’ve been reading them almost daily!
Kristen Raney
I love the idea of ice cream after school! My son is going into kindergarten and I’ve been so excited to go back to school shopping for him. I am a nerd, I know.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Nothing wrong with getting excited about shopping! I LOVE it!!
Linh
Love these traditions! We’ve been counting down the days for the past 2 weeks haha! A 1st day of school and last day pic is also a must.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
We are counting down here, too!
Amanda Maxwell
Such simple ideas that will last a lifetime. What a great line up of new traditions!! Love them all
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Thank you, Amanda!
Kimberly
We always do a special 1st day breakfast! It’s such a fun tradition!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
I love it! Just starts the day out with something special!
Virjinia Harp
A big back to school breakfast is such a great way to start off the school year! I also love the idea of the shopping date!
Lexi
These are such fun ideas! We do a fun back to school breakfast too! I make my kids chocolate cake for breakfast. It’s our tradition. We homeschool so at least I know I’m not making another teacher suffer through their crazy sugar highs. I handle it with lots of outside time!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Haha! I LOVE it, Lexi! You’re an awesome mom! 🙂
Nicole Banuelos
I know many parents dread back to school shopping but I love taking my kids out and helping them pick their new school things and new clothes!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Me too, Nicole!! I get weirdly excited about it, too! 😉
Devon
I love all these ideas! It so easy to get caught up in getting ready for school and forget to make it special for the kids.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Totally agree! 🙂 And thank you!
Kristin
I love the ice cream date idea! we only had a short summer vacation so we don’t really have any traditions yet. These are so fun though!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Ice cream is so simple, yet so special for them 🙂
Erin
I can’t wait until my kids are old enough for these fun new traditions!
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
School is so much fun! You’ll love it when the time comes!
Kerry
I love these ideas! My daughter will be going to preschool next year. I’m excited to start some of these traditions with her. Back to school shopping was always one of my favorites with my mom.
sumer.schmitt@gmail.com
Enjoy the last year with your daughter at home. It flies by SO fast!