Today was the first day of school for my sweet boys. They are now in grades 2, 4, and 6... and I can't believe how quickly time is passing. Today, I am sharing our back to school traditions and a few photos from our first day.
We started our day with a special pancake breakfast.
Then, the boys reluctantly posed for a few pictures. We always take pictures with some photo props and with the boys holding their "first day of school" photos from the previous year.
After they finished their mini photo shoot, the two younger boys headed to school with some little treats for their friends and teachers. Apparently, when you are in Grade 6 you don't really want to do this anymore. :-)
Fun, right?
My oldest son has hockey practice after school, but after that, we'll all have a special snack and talk about the day. I can't wait for them to get home. I miss them already!
My boys are heading back to school next week, so this week we are busy labelling school supplies and finding sneakers that fit everyone. We are also putting together some treats to share with their classmates on the first day of school. Check out the adorable first day of school treats and sweet printable tags they will be handing out to their friends.
Cute, right? It's a simple idea, but it is a sweet and thoughtful treat. Each of my boys chose their favorite (peanut free) type ofcookie, and I designed a tag to staple to the top of each bag.
To download the tags I designed (for free): right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. Each print can be cut into three tags.
Isn't taking a special treat on the first day of school a fun idea? And these first day of school class treats are super-easy and inexpensive to put together. No baking required!
Are you ready to send the kids back to school? I wish it could be summer forever, but I have a feeling that Fall is coming whether I am ready or not. ;-)
The first day of school is always a stressful time for teachers, so I always like to send little "teacher gifts" with my boys. I want my boys to understand that teachers are important and should be respected. I think bringing a small gift on the first day helps to reinforce this lesson and sets a nice tone for the new school year. Today, I am sharing the cute "1st day of school survival kit" my boys will be giving to their teachers this year, and I am including the adorable tags I designed that you can download for free.
I started with an insulated drinking glass, and I filled it with a few things the teacher might need on the first day. My cups included: chocolate bars, hand sanitizer, and headache medication (which was a bit of a joke, but could actually be quite useful).
Then, I added a cute little tag. To download and print the tags for free:right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.
Isn't this a cute (and useful) teacher gift?
Does your little one like to bring a gift for their teacher on the first day of school? This "1st day of school survival kit" is a wonderful and inexpensive option that is sure to please! ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
The first day of school is a huge milestone for kids, and in our house, we always mark the occasion with a few family traditions. This year was no exception.
We always start the day with a special breakfast... pancakes and drinks in fancy glasses.
Then, we get ready for school, and I get the boys to pose for pictures holding pictures from the year before. The boys are always excited to look back at how much they have changed from the previous year.
Finally, when the school day is over, we always have a special after school treat. I love sitting around the kitchen table, eating cookies, and talking about the boys' day.
Do you have special first day of school traditions? It's a sad day for me, and it is hard to say good bye to summer, but making the first day of school a fun occasion helps us get through!
The first day of school is a big deal for kids, so I always like to pop an extra special treat in each of my boys lunch boxes. This year, I made their favorite chocolate chip cookies, and added a cute little note.
The note would be cute attached to a pre-packaged snack too.
In fact, I put together a bunch for my boys' to take to school on the first day to share with their friends. Cute, right?
This is an easy and inexpensive way to make the first day of school special. I love the idea of my boys passing out little treats to their classmates on the first day of school. If you would like to do this for your little ones, you can download the tags for free by: right-clicking on the picture below, saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular 4X6 photo.
Isn't this a cute treat for the first day of school? What special "goodie" did your little one request in his/her lunchbox? ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
Today was the first day of school, and it was a tough one for me because my youngest son started "big school" for the first time. I was in tears a few times, but overall, we had a good day. We started the day with our traditional, "first day of school pancake breakfast".
Every year {on the first day of school} my boys bring little gifts to their teachers. I love teachers, and I want to teach my boys the importance of giving, so I think this is a great tradition. This year, my boys are taking "first day of school survival kits".
I took my boys to the dollar store, and I let them pick out mugs. Then, I let each of them fill their mugs with treats that they thought their new teachers might like. They had a lot of fun choosing chocolate bars!
Then, this afternoon, I printed out some fun tags, and added them to the mugs. To print out the tags I designed: right-click on the image below, save it to your computer, and print it like a normal photo. Because of all the color, I sent my to "Staples" (our local office supply store), and they print the sheet for $0.39.
I think my boys are going to love delivering their treats tomorrow. Do your little ones like to bring teacher gifts on the first day of school?
My boys are heading back to school soon, and in keeping with tradition, they will be bringing a little treat for their classmates on the first day of school. This year, all three of my boys are taking little bags of goldfish with an adorable tag that says, "O-FISH-ally wishing you a fantastic first day of school!"
Isn't it cute? You can download a 4X6 version of the tag I designed by right clicking on the picture below, saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular photo. (There are three tags on each sheet.)
Once the tags are printed, cut each photo into three tags, and staple a tag to the top of each bag. Don't you just love how sweet and simple this idea is? My boys are really excited about sharing these treats with their little friends.
Do your kids like to bring a class treat on the first day of school or do you have a different first day of school tradition?
My youngest son is starting school for the first time in September, so I thought it was a good time to share some tips to help parents prepare their kids for starting school. Some of these tips are based on my own experience (as a mom), and others came from some great teachers I know.
Here are 11 great ways to prepare kids for the transition to "big school":
1) Read books to your child so that they see reading as a source of enjoyment. In preparation for school, you can choose some books with a "starting school" theme. Our two favorites are: The Kissing Hand and Llama Llama Loves his Mama.
2) Have your child practice printing his/her name with an uppercase letter as the first letter, followed by lowercase letters. Also, practice recognizing the other letters of the alphabet. While you are reading to your child, point out letters, and have them identify them.
3) Teach your child to go to the bathroom on their own. Take them to a public washroom, and have them do everything themselves. Teach them how to lock and unlock a stall door, use soap, get paper towel from a towel dispenser, unbutton and button their own pants, and wipe their own bum.
4) Practice getting dressed. Practice buttons and zippers, and if they can't tie, buy velcro sneakers.
5) Think about lunches. Have your child practice opening containers without help, let them know how long they will have to eat, practice good handwashing and eating out of the lunchbox (not off the desk), show them how to pack things up properly after they have finished eating, and talk about healthy meal options for them. Also, don't be worried if the lunch box comes home full at first. Sometimes lunch at school can be overwhelming and takes getting used to. Encourage your kids to eat their lunch at school, but if it comes home, they can finish it as an after school snack.
6) Talk about what will happen. Before the big day, talk about what will happen... e.g. you'll take the bus, you'll have your own desk, you'll eat lunch in the cafeteria, you'll play outside after lunch, etc... It can also be helpful to tour the school and visit the playground before the first day.
7) Label everything. Your child will lose some of their belongings, and labels will help you get them back. (You can support my blog by purchasing labels through my affiliate link. I recommend the School Pack. Thank you!)
9) Get up early on the first day, and make sure clothes and lunches are taken care of the night before. Being organized will help ensure that the child doesn't feel rushed, and this will eleviate unnecessary stress on the first day. It might even be worth a "first day run through" the day before.
10) Keep the lines of communications open. Often children are tired after school, and this makes them reluctant to talk about their day. I find that it helps if I ask specific questions after school. e.g. Who did you play with at recess? Who did you play with at lunch time? What did you do when you played outside? Did you make any crafts today? What was your favorite part of the day? Were you a good listener today? What was the worst part of your day, etc.....
11) Empty back packs and do homework as soon as you get home from school (if possible). This is a great habit to get into... and the sooner the better.
What is your best tip for moms and dads that have little ones heading to school for the first time? Did it make my list?
I can't bear to think about sending my boys back to school (when they don't go back until the first week of September), but I know a lot of my readers have children heading back within the next couple of weeks. With this in mind, I thought this was a perfect time to share a collection of my favorite back to school tips, treats, and traditions.
1) Back to school countdown - Build some anticipation by counting down to the big day. Why not try an easy countdown with candy or a simple balloon pop countdown? {Click on the links for more details.}
2) Back pack organization - Get organized by making sure the backpacks have a place (and don't end up on the floor). Over the door hooks are a perfect solution for a small space. {Click on the link for more details.}
4) Lunchbox notes - Make lunches a little more fun with these FREE printable lunchbox notes. {Click on the link for more details.}
5) Back to school printables - These FREE back to school printables make fun back to school photo props or back to school home decor. {Click on the link for more details.}
6) First day of school photos - I always take photos of my boys (on the first day of school) holding a photo from the first day of school the year before. {Click on the link for more details.}
7) First day of school teacher gift - My boys like to bring a little gift for their new teacher on the first day of school. You can read about it here. {Click on the link for more details.}
8) First day of school class treats - My boys like to bring treats for their new classmates on the first day of school. You can find a few ideas for class treats here. {Click on the link for more details.}
9) Elf on the shelf postcard - If your little ones are fans of Elf on the Shelf, you might want to check out the FREE printable first day of school postcard here. {Click on the link for more details.}
10) Back to school traditions - If you are looking to start some back to school traditions, you can check out my five favorite back to school traditions here. {Click on the link for more details.}
I still have a month before I have to say good bye to summer, but I know the time will go by quickly. I hope you have more vacation ahead, but if you are heading back to school soon, these tips should be helpful.
Yesterday, I shared the gifts/treats my boys gave out on the first day of school, so today I thought I would share a few photos of our day.
We always start a new school year with a special pancake breakfast, and then we head outside to take some photos to mark the occasion. This year, we used the signs I designed {that you can download here}.
Then, we took our traditional photos of the boys holding their first day of school photos from the previous year. I love seeing how much the boys change from year to year.
We finished the day with some milk, cookies, and a big chat about the days events. We all had a great first day, and we are looking forward to the year ahead. How was the first day of school at your house? ♥ Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)
