EVERYTHING You Need for BACK TO SCHOOL

Heading back to school after the summer break can be overwhelming, but I'm here to help. I've collected all the information you need for back to school (all in one place). Don't forget to click on the helpful links below for all the details.

Get organized - The best way to set yourself up for a successful school year is to get organized before it begins. Check out my best back to school organizing ideas here. 

Lunch ideas - Most parents detest making school lunches... but it's a necessary evil. Give yourself a fighting chance with my best school lunch hacks here.

First day of school treats - Bring treats and trinkets for classmates and teachers is a wonderful way to start the year off on a fun and positive note. My boys loved this while they were in elementary school. Check out some of our favourite treats (and free printable "punny" tags) here. 

First day of school traditions - My absolute favourite first day of school tradition are the pictures I take of my boys each year. I always have them take a photo holding an 8x10 from the first day of school the previous year. I explain more about all my favourite first day of school traditions here. 

Are you looking forward to getting back to routine and back to school? I hope you find these tips helpful. What's your best back to school hack?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also enjoy the "back to school" video here.

Top TWELVE Books for Tween and Teen Boys (and Girls!)

Many children start their love affair with reading by enjoying picture books, graphic novels, and easy chapter books. Then, after children have gained their confidence and honed their reading skills, they are ready for more advanced stories, characters, and plot lines. Today, I am sharing TWELVE books that were / are some of my boys' favourites.

*NOTE: The links to purchase these books are Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase one of these books using one of these links, I will receive a small commission... at no additional charge to you.

1) Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan




2) Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling




3) I Funny series by James Patterson





4) David Walliams books: particularly Mr. Stink and The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams

5) Wonder by R.J. Palicio




6) A Series of Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket 




7) Swindle series by Gordon Korman




8) Slapshot series by Gordon Korman



9) MasterMind series by Gordon Korman (My 10 year old LOVED the humour and adventure in this series.)

10) Wings of Fire series by Tui T Sutherland

11) Robert Muchamore books - My 12 year old loved the CHERUB series.

12) Treasure Hunter Series by James Patterson

Do you have books you would like to add to this list? I am always anxious to instill a love of reading in my boys, and good books are the key. If you have a suggestion, please leave it below, and I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

5 Tips for Making School Lunches that Kids will Actually Eat

We're a couple of months into the new school year, and lunches are already starting to get a little boring. Am I right?!? Are you looking for a few fresh ideas? Today, I am sharing 5 tips for making school lunches that kids will actually eat.

1) Make snacks for lunch - My kids love things that are easy to grab and eat, and serving snacks for lunch works perfectly. Some people opt for fancy Bento boxes, but my older kids prefer a collection of individual dishes. It also makes it easy to hit all the different food groups and create a balanced lunch.

2) Make breakfast for lunch - My kids love breakfast foods, so taking french toast or pancakes in a thermos is always a popular lunch option. Cereal is a simple choice too!

3) Stock the freezer with homemade goodies - I love having individually wrapped goodies in the fridge ready to pop in the lunch boxes. My kids love taking homemade biscuits and cookies.

4) Mix up some smoothies - Smoothies are wonderful healthy options, but making them in the morning can be time consuming. Making them in bulk and freezing them in these jam jars is perfect. Check out the full "how to" here.

5) Include a sweet treat - A sweet treat is something for kids to look forward to receiving in their lunch box, and it can be a good motivator for encouraging them to eat the healthy items. In our house, the rule is that the cookie can't be eaten unless the other items are eaten too. Clever, right?!?

I love finding new, creative, and EASY ideas for kid's lunches, don't you? What are your favourite ways to add variety and fun to lunch boxes? It's a long school year, so I can use as much help as I can get! 

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Traditions... 2020 edition

The first day of school is an important milestone, and it provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with kids. We keep our back to school traditions simple, but I love them. Today, I am sharing our favorite first day of school traditions... and a few back to school photos of my handsome boys! 😀

We always start our day with a pancake breakfast... with pancakes in the shapes of the boys' new grades. As you can see, they aren't fancy, but my boys find them fun!

Then, we continue our "first day of school photo" tradition. The boys hold an 8x10 picture from the first day of school the previous year. It's so wonderful to watch how much they change from year to year. This year I had the boys take one photo wearing a mask... as a tribute to our new "covid" lifestyle.

Here are a couple photos of my oldest son...

Here's my middle son...

And here is my "baby"...

I also made them take a couple of pictures together. I'm so grateful that they humour me.

And, of course, we ended the day with a "welcome home" treat.

We have had the same "first day of school traditions" for over 10 years. I have always believed that traditions and rituals are the cornerstones of childhood memories, and I really hope I am creating sweet memories for my boys.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Tips for Organizing Kids Clothes for Fall... and our NEW Gongshow Gear

*sponsored post*

Switching seasons can be a pain when it comes to kids' clothes. When summer comes to an end, my growing boys never seem to have any pants or hoodies that fit. I wonder if their arms and legs will ever stop growing? lol Getting organized for heading back to school can be tough, but I have a few tips for organizing kids' clothes that you are going to make your life a little easier!

1) Get rid of what you don't need - Take everything out of your kids' drawers, try things on, and only put back things that still fit... and that they will wear. Anything left over can be donated or sold on a "buy and sell". 

2) Buy second hand - If you are looking for Fall / Winter clothes for kids, make sure to check out consignment shops and "buy and sell" sites. There are many opportunities to buy quality clothes at reduced prices. You can use the money you save to buy a few NEW high quality pieces.

3) Organize drawers - If drawers are organized, it is easier for kids to see what you have, and they are more likely to wear more than just a few of their favourites. I always fold my clothes this way (see below) so that my kids can see what they have without ripping everything out.

4) Buy what they like - There is no point spending money on clothes that kids are not going to wear. Get them involved in the buying process, and let them pick out the things they like. I prefer shopping online with my kids. It is much easier... and if they take a long time to make a decision, I don't go crazy! lol

Gongshow recently gave my boys the opportunity to check out their new Fall / Winter 2020 line, and my boys LOVE the items they received. The hockey themed clothing is a favourite in our house.

My youngest (who is a goalie) picked the Crease King Junior Hat. I love the smaller fit of these hats. They fit my 11 year old perfectly!

My middle son chose the Snow Shower Jr hoodie. I love the quality of this sweatshirt and the subtle tie dye design.

My oldest son chose the Jr Comfy Hour joggers. The material and style are both top shelf. I love the hockey lace detail too.

And, of course, no 2020 back to school wardrobe would be complete without the season's hottest accessory... the Gongshow adustable face mask. 

Are ready for the transition from summer to fall? We still have a bit of clearing out to do, but my boys are pretty happy with the new additions to the wardrobe. If you are looking for a few new quality pieces for your hockey fan, I highly recommend checking out the new Gongshow line.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure - I was given GONGSHOW products for free in exchange for my honest review and promotion of the products. As always, the views expressed on this blog are 100% my own... and my boys genuinely loved everything they received.

You may also be interested in seeing how excited my boys were when they received their new clothes from Gongshow. 

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A post shared by East Coast Mommy (@eastcoastmommy) on Sep 3, 2020 at 12:09pm PDT