By Contributing Author
Returning to school after a summer of relaxed entertainment can stir up feelings of apprehension and gloom for even the most eager of students. It’s hard to leave behind carefree days and face the uncertainty of new teachers, new classes and new friends. Help your kids get excited for the changes by making the time before school starts a memorable and exciting part of your family’s traditions. It’s never too late to create moments that your children will remember and might even wish to recreate with their own families in the future. Here are three ways to celebrate a new school year:
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Give a Schultüte
In Germany, children going into first grade receive a cardboard cone filled with school supplies and other small goodies. Called a “schultüte” (pronounced shool-too-tuh), this “school cone” commemorates a child’s first day of “real school.” It’s a similar concept to a Christmas stocking or Easter basket and serves as a way to get children excited about learning and experiencing new things as they head into their first year of formal education. In many parts of Europe, schultüten are readily available at local stationary shops. But here in the U.S. a schultüte can be harder to find. It’s easy enough to make a schultüte, however. Just fashion a large piece of poster board into a cone shape, decorate the outside and fill with small school necessities like pencils and notebooks, as well as candy and other small gifts. Stuff the top with tissue paper and tie with a bow. Present the schultüte the morning of the first day of school. Continuing to give these schultüten each year can help make returning to class a little bit “sweeter” for your children!
Have Brinner
The first day back to school is frequently a hectic one with everybody scurrying around to get back into a routine after months of sleeping in and neglecting chores and other responsibilities. Make it easier on everyone by having a big breakfast the night before the big day. It will be one less thing you need to do the morning classes start, and it can be exciting for your kids, especially if they don’t usually have breakfast for dinner. Cook their favorite morning foods. Decorate your table with folders and globes and pencils. Discuss any fears for the upcoming year and highlight exciting things to anticipate. Celebrating “Back to School Eve” in this way not only makes it exciting for your children, it provides you with a scheduled opportunity to talk about new school year concerns and expectations.
Decorate the House
We all know how special it feels when we pull out our holiday decorations. It not only signals a particular time of year, it also insulates us from the other parts of the year. It identifies and sets apart one particular season from all the others. You can provide the same type of comfort by decorating your house for the return to classes and a new academic year. Hang banners and inspirational quotes about learning. Use apples and pencils and globes as accents on your shelves. Display alphabet blocks; you can even make them interactive by asking your children to create words with them. Simply taking the time to celebrate the season will show your kids you value education and want to make it exciting for them, too!
