By Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H.
It’s time to start preparing for a new school year. For many this is an exciting time but for others it can be a cause of anxiety. Just a little preparation can help your child make a smooth transition and have a successful school year. Here is a checklist from the search institute to help you with your planning.
Getting ready for school can be a lot of fun as long as everything doesn’t happen at the last minute! Spread out everything that needs to get done over these next few weeks of summer so that by the time school starts, you and your kids can relax and step confidently into the new school year.
Here’s your three weeks before school starts check list…
- Start shopping for school supplies. Make sure your child knows what the budget is.
- Get a copy of the new school year calendar. (Most school districts release them around this time.) Read through the entire calendar and highlight any dates (school conferences, parent orientation, school holidays, late- start, and early-release days). If you keep a family calendar, transfer all these dates unto your calendar.
- Visit your local library with your child. Check out books about going back to school. Some books to consider: Little School by Beth Norling (preschool), I Am Too Absolutely Small for School by Lauren Child (preschool to grade 2), Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell, First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg (kindergarten to grade 3, starting a new school), High School Bound by Martin Spethman and Chuck Klein, and the Everything College Survival Book by Michael Malone.
- Plan some play dates for your child before school starts. Often kids get disconnected from their school friends during the summer because they don’t see them every day. Help them reconnect by inviting old school friends over to play.
- Schedule a haircut for your child if you haven’t already done so.
- Help your child ease back into “learning mode” with these brain sharpening activities: Brain & Body Smarts Challenge
- Decide on a quick family getaway. Visit an amusement park, a state park, or a water park, and have fun as a family.
Additional Resources:
Ten Tips for Back to School Success
Sources:
1. Preparing Kids for School, ParentFurther, http://www.parentfurther.com/parenting/school-success/preparing-kids.
2. School Success, ParentFurther, http://www.parentfurther.com/parenting/school-success
This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). This content has been provided as a free download on ParentFurther.com SM, an online resource from Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.
Kerri Kreh Reda, M.P.H., is a Human Development Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 330 or at kkr5@cornell.edu.