11 back to school traditions your kids will love
Creating back to school traditions is a great way to help your children feel excited, confident, and prepared for the start of a new school year.
Whether your children are starting school for the first time, or returning to a familiar classroom, a few simple traditions for the first day of school can make the transition feel less daunting.
In this post you’ll discover 11 back to school tradition ideas for before school starts, the first day of school, and after the first day of school.
You’ll find ideas for family outings, school supply shopping, breakfasts, lunchbox notes, after school celebrations, and more ideas that you can do year after year.
You’ll also find some tips for creating traditions that are easy to maintain, and that can grow with your children.
Whether you’re starting new school traditions, or adding to the ones your kids already love, these school tradition ideas will help make the beginning of the school year extra special.
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What are back to school traditions?
Back to school traditions are activities that you repeat each year to celebrate the beginning of a new school year.
They help your children feel better prepared for the new school year, and give them something to look forward to after the school holidays, plus it’s a great way to get your family organised for the school year ahead.
Here are some fun traditions for the first day of school that you can choose from.
Traditions before school starts
These traditions help build excitement before the new school year, providing your family with some quality time together before school starts.
Plan an end of holiday day out
Before the start of a new school year, I plan a family day out so we can create one last memory before school starts.
Here are some family day out ideas that I’ve tried with my kids, that you may like to try as well:
- Beach
- Farm
- Museum
- Picnic
- Water park
- Weekend staycation
- Zoo
READ MORE: Simple outdoor activities for kids to beat boredom
Go school supplies shopping
Getting new school supplies was always my favourite back to school activity, as I’ve always loved any excuse to get new stationery.
Here’s a school supplies list, that you can also add to their homework station:
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Read school themed books
Reading school themed books before returning to school is a great tradition to start, especially if you have a child who is starting school for the first time, moving to a new school, or is feeling nervous about what the school year will bring.
Some of my kids favourite school themed books are:
- The Colour Monster Goes to School
- Why Do I Have to Go to School?
- Welcome to Dinosaur School
- Little Tiger Starts School
Spend one on one time with each child
Spending one on one time with each child allows you to get to know your child, without eavesdropping siblings.
Some ideas for one on one time are:
- Baking
- Going for a walk
- Going out for ice cream
- Making hot chocolate
- Reading a book before bed
- Visiting the park
First day of school traditions
First day of school traditions may help your children feel less nervous about the first day of school.
Here are some first day of school traditions to try.
First day of school breakfast
A special first day of school breakfast gives everyone a chance to slow down before the rush of a new school year, and adds variation to your kids morning routine.
Some of my kids favourite first day of school breakfasts are:
- French toast
- Muffins
- Pancakes
- Smoothies
- Waffles
READ MORE: A simple morning routine checklist for kids for stress free mornings
Take a first day of school photo
One of the traditions for the first day of school that I do with my kids is to take a first day of school photo of them together, and separately.
It’s a great way to see how they change over the school years.
Write a lunchbox note
If you make school lunches for your children, adding a note in their lunchbox is a great way to brighten their day, and can help nervous children feel better.
Your note could include:
- A drawing
- A funny joke
- A reminder of how proud you are
- A simple “Have a wonderful day!”
- Words of encouragement
Start a school year goal
The beginning of a new school year is the perfect time to encourage your children to think about any goals they’d like to achieve.
For example:
- Make 1 new friend
- Read 3 books
- Learn 1 new skill
- Improve their handwriting
- Join 1 sports team
- Be kinder to others
- Try 2 new clubs
After school traditions
Having traditions for after school gives your children something to look forward to during the school day.
Here are some after school tradition ideas.
Have an after school treat
You can celebrate your children’s first day of school by:
- Getting ice cream
- Going out for dinner
- Ordering takeaway
- Visiting their favourite park
- Watching a family movie together
READ MORE: Easy after school routine ideas for stress free evenings
Create a special family evening
Instead of everyone heading off to their own spaces after the first day of school, you may like to plan a special family evening together like:
- Having a family games night
- Making homemade pizzas
- Going for an evening walk
- Enjoying dessert together
- Letting everyone share their favourite part of the day
Start a memory box
One of the most meaningful school traditions that I’ve started is creating a school memory box for each of my children.
To do this, choose a sturdy storage box or container and add special items to it from each school year, for example:
- Artwork
- Awards
- Certificates
- Class photos
- Concert programmes
- Favourite pieces of writing
- School reports
- Sports ribbons or medals
Tips for starting back to school traditions
Here are a few tips to help make your back to school traditions last:
- Choose traditions that are easy to repeat
- Ask your children which traditions they’d like to continue, or what new ones they’d like to try
- Change your traditions as your children’s interests change
- Write your traditions down so they’re easy to remember each year
Back to school traditions – a recap
The best back to school traditions are the ones that bring everyone together.
Start with just one or two of these ideas, then add to them over time.
Before you know it, you’ll have traditions that your children will look forward to every year, and memories they’ll treasure long after they’ve finished school.
Ready to get more organised?
If you enjoyed these traditions, don’t forget to download your FREE toolkit full of helpful checklists and planners to make managing home and family life easier. Get your FREE toolkit here.
Which back to school tradition will your family try this year?
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Loved reading this post, it was so heartwarming and nostalgic for me!
I still distinctly remember back-to-school shopping day with Mum, and having one-on-one time with each of my parents (I’m one of three!) before the new term began. We also had a ‘special breakfast’ on our first day back! Can’t wait to one day begin these traditions with little ones of my own!
I love that you had one-on-one time and that you still remember it, that’s a really special memory, and a tradition that no doubt you’ll carry on in your future, I love that!