First Day of School Lunchbox Treat... with free printable tags

The first day of school is a special day that requires an extra special treat. This little lunchbox treat is perfect for a child's luncbox, and it is wonderful for kids to share with classmates too. I'm even sharing the "punny tag" for free for you to use below.

My kids love Fruit by the Foot, so I thought it was the perfect first day of school treat to include in their lunches this year. To add some extra cuteness, I designed a "Put Your Best FOOT Forward" tag to attach to the treat.

Seriously, isn't it cute? Who doesn't love a good pun?

To download the tags I designed for free: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

And it's simple to make a bunch to share with friends and classmates too!

Do you have a special first day of school lunchbox treat you like to share? I think these "Froot by the Foot" treats are simple and cute, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Cookie Bar

Who's looking for a special treat to serve to the kids on the first day of school? I love the idea of setting up a "You are one smart COOKIE!" bar, don't you? Here's one I made using my light box.

You could also download and print the sign below. Just click on the photo below, right click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 picture.

For my "one smart cookie" bar, I made two of my favourite cookie recipes.

You can find the recipe for my favourite chocolate chip cookies here.

And you can find the recipe for my chococolate cake mix cookies here.

I like the way the contrasting colours of the flavours look on the tray, but you could use any homemade or store bought cookies.

Discussing the first day of school over cookies and milk sounds like the perfect way to end the day, don't you think?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

10 Questions to Ask your Kids After School... that won't get one word responses

Now that the school year is well underway, you might be finding it difficult to get information about the school day from your children. After school, kids are tired, and getting more than a "fine" or a "good" can be a challenge. Today, I am sharing 10 questions that you can ask your kids after school... that will get more than a one word response.

1) What did you do at recess / lunch? Who did you play with? Who did you sit beside at lunch? - Great questions because they lead to a bigger discussion about who their friends are, what they are interested in playing, and what sort of drama is happening on the playground.

2) Did anything funny happen at school today? - A simple question with a positive focus.

3) Did you find anything hard or upsetting today? - A great question for uncovering emotional struggles.

4) What are you working on in math? What are you reading? - Wonderful questions for showing interest in the academic part of a child's day.

5) What was the best part of your day? What was the worst part of your day? - Simple questions that can lead to more detailed discussions.

6) What did you learn today? 

7) What are two positive things that happened today? What is one negative thing that happened today?

8) Did anyone get in trouble in your class today? What were they doing? - This is a wonderful question to ask because it allows you to talk to your kids about acceptable and unacceptable behavior and what your expectations are for them.

9) Did you eat your lunch? Why or why not? - Sometimes kids don't eat their lunch because they were worried about something and had a sore belly. Or, sometimes they don't eat their lunch because they were in a hurry to get outside to play with a new piece of playground equipment. Either way, it's a good question that can help uncover further information.

10) Do you have any homework? Do you have any projects or tests coming up?

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  Of course, you aren't going to ask all these questions every day. Pick the questions that work for you, and feel free to "mix them up". You should also consider the timing of asking your child questions. Some kids love a chat while enjoying an after school snack, but others prefer to share information at bedtime. You know your child best, so go with your gut.
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• What's your favorite question to ask your kids after school? Did any of your favorites make my list?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Photos... my favourite back to school tradition

When my oldest started school, I had him hold his "first day of Preschool" photo for a picture. The rest (as they say) is history. It has become an annual first day of school tradition for my boys to get a picture holding the picture from the first day of school the previous year. Here are our photos from this morning. We always start with a group a photo, and then they we do individual shots.

Here is my oldest, 13 years old and heading to Grade 9. I can't believe he is starting high school! I love his confidence, focus, and strong work ethic.

Here is my middle son, 12 years old and heading to Grade 7. I love his pleasant attitude, kind heart and outgoing personality.

And here is my "baby", 10 years old and heading to Grade 5. I love his sweetness, his quirky sense of humor, and his cuddles.

I am already missing my boys, but I can't wait to hear all about each of their days. I hope their classes are filled with friendship and fun.

Taking these photos on the first day of school really is my favourite back to school tradition. I am hoping that when my boys graduate from high school, we can look back at all their first day of school pictures and remember how special these days were.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like these school lunch ideas... 

peanut free lunches for picky eaters.

FREE First Day of School Chalkboard Sign

I have had a couple of people ask if I have a chalkboard sign for the first day of school that they can download. I never used these with my boys, but I thought I would design one for my lovely readers, and you can download it for free below.

To download and print the sign: click on the photo above, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

You can use a photo editing software to the add the info before you print it, or you can use a Sharpie to write directly onto the picture. Just make sure you let the marker dry completely to avoid "smearing".

You could also place the photo in a frame and use a dry erase maker to write on the glass. This would allow you to reuse the photo prop each year. Clever, right?

Happy first day of school! I hope you like this free first day of school chalkboard sign.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Buffet

The first day of school is big deal; and therefore, it deserves to be celebrated. It's a hectic day for everyone, but I love the idea of surprising kids with a simple after school "back to school" buffet. Today, I am sharing some fantastic ideas and free printable labels that will add to the fun.

The centerpiece of my simple first day of school buffet is this super-fun giant chocolate chip cookie. (You can find the recipe for my soft and chewy cookie tart here.) The cookie tart is delicious plain, but for some added fun, you can use store bought icing to add a special message for your "smart cookies".

Sweet tarts are also a tasty treat, and they are perfect for the first day of school with a "Here's to a SWEET start to this school year!" tag.

And how cute are these gummy "book WORMS"?

And these packs of excel gum are a cute addition to a first day of school buffet with "I hope you had an EXCELlent day!" tags.

And teddy bear crackers are great in a jar with "It's going to be a BEARy good year!" tags.

Finally... it's fun to add a non-edible element to the first day of school celebrations. I love these silly and colorful dollar store glasses in a jar with a tag that says, "LOOKing forward to a great school year!" 

To download any of the tags I designed (below): click on the tag below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

See how cute the first day of school buffet looks when it all comes together?

My boys are going to love enjoying these treats when they get home from school, and I'm going to love hearing about their first day!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Peek at Our Back to School Shopping Finds

Every parent knows that the end of summer means it's time to do some back to school shopping. As a mom of three boys, it's a struggle for me because my boys do NOT enjoy spending time in malls. So, for me, online shopping is my "go to", and finding clothing items my boys all like is key. For my hockey loving boys, Gongshow gear* is always a hit.

This year, I let my boys browse the Gongshow website, and they were each allowed to pick out a hat. They were also given the choice between one long sleeve shirt or two short sleeve shirts. Here's what they chose: 

My oldest is a huge fan of hoodies, so he chose this one with skate lace detailing. He also selected an "always game" hat.

My middle son loves black and grey, so I wasn't surprised that he chose this "clutch nation" hat. And he is in love with this light weight hoodie with skate lace detailing.

And my youngest (who is just happy to have clothes that aren't hand-me-downs) chose two t-shirts and this fantastic "t-diddy special" hat. It's the perfect outfit for taping his new hockey stick! 😊

As you can tell by the smiles on my boys' faces in these pictures, they are all really excited about their new clothes. The clothes are stylish and are high quality! I love that my boys were able to shop online (with super quick shipping), and none of us had to endure a trip to the mall. #WinWin

If you have hockey fans in your house, I highly recommend checking out the new Fall 2019 Gongshow line. Happy shopping!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure - I was given GONGSHOW clothing for free in exchange for my honest review of the products. As always, the views expressed on this blog are 100% my own... and my boys genuinely love these items.

Cookie Jar Teacher Gifts... with free printable gift tags

I love the idea of kids making gifts for their teachers, don't you? What is better than a handmade gift and card from a child? This is a tasty alternative to candles and mugs! Keep reading because today I am sharing the recipe and instructions for making this adorable cookie mix in a jar.

1) You'll need to start with a clean 1L mason jars.

2) Then, you'll need to layer the ingredients below (patting down each layer before adding the next one):

First layer: 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt
Second layer: 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
Third layer: 1/2 white sugar
Fourth layer: 1 1/2 cups quality, semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make the process easy: use a wide-mouthed funnel to fill the jars, and make a tool to press down the layers. I attached a round piece of cardboard to the end of skewer and covered it all with tin foil.

3) Then, print off the cookie tag below, cut it to look like a tag, and attach it to the cookie jar with twine. 

To download the tag: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print.

Here is one that my son made. Isn't it cute?

And to make the gift a little extra special for your favourite teacher, you can attach a "A SWEET treat for a SWEET teacher!" tag.

To download the tag I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

What teacher wouldn't love this adorable personalized treat?

This would be a fantastic teacher gift for the first day of school, last day of school or Christmas. Kids will love making it, and teachers will love receiving it! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Letter to My Boys on the First Day of School

As the first day of school approaches, here are the things I want my boys to remember...

Dear Boys,

Academics aren't everything. Not everyone is going to get an A. Do your best. That's enough.

Be kind. You never know what someone in your class is dealing with. You don't need to be friends with everyone, but you should always be kind.

Take responsibility instead of making excuses. If you make a mistake, resolve to do better the next time. This is how you build character, and it's how you get those around you to respect you.

Try hard. You won't always succeed, but you will never succeed if you don't try.

Be respectful. Everyone you meet in your life has something to teach you. Education is a gift. Accept it with respect and grace.

You are not alone. Surround yourself with friends and family that want you to succeed... and know that I will always be cheering for you.

Love, 

Mom
xoxo

First Day of School 2018... it's all about continuing our back to school traditions

There is something very comforting about traditions, don't you think? Knowing what to expect, and having things "the same" is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety on the first day of school. I also believe that traditions provide the foundation for lasting childhood memories. Today, my three boys went back to school (grades 4, 6 & 8), and we continued all our simple first day of school traditions. Here is how our morning went...

As always, we started our day with a special breakfast. I made (not perfect but still fun) pancakes in the shape of the kids' grades, and they all drank milk from wine glasses.

Then (like all annoying parents do), I subjected the kids to a few first day of school pictures. My favourite pictures are the ones I take of the kids holding a picture from the first day of school the previous year. I love this tradition, and it is fun to see how the kids change from year to year.

The younger boys also took a little gift for their teachers and small treats for their new classmates. This year, they are took crayon vases full of chocolate bars (with "First Day of School Survival Kit" tags), pencils, and packs of gum.

My boys are currently safely at school, and I am now at home with my messy kitchen, piles of laundry, stacks of paperwork, and calendar full of after school activities and freelance work deadlines. It's tough to say goodbye to summer. 😢

I can't wait for my boys to get home from school so we can share a special after-school snack and chat about their first day of school adventures.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)