Entering a new grade is an important time in a child’s life. Establishing a first-day-of-school tradition is a fun way to bond with your child, celebrate a new milestone and start the year off right.
To help you out, we put together a list of nine of the best first day of school tradition ideas we could find. Feel free to tweak these suggestions to fit your family’s unique personality and interests. And don’t forget to include your child’s babysitter or nanny in the celebrations, too! This will not only help make your child’s big day extra special, but it will also help make sure these traditions stick in the future.
1. First day picture
Get a picture of your kid every first day of school and watch them grow up through the pictures. Brainstorm a special theme or pose for the pictures — maybe in front of the same tree or spot in your home. Personalize the picture by creating a collage with your child of their current favorites (movies, books, school subjects, etc.) and then taking a picture of them holding the poster. You can later scrapbook them and give it to them when they graduate.
2. First day special breakfast
Celebrate the big day with a fancy breakfast. Set up the table extra nice, serve your child’s favorite breakfast foods and sit down together as a family. Incorporate apples as part of the back-to-school theme.
3. Movie night
Watch a fun, family-favorite movie! Munching on popcorn, watching a movie and spending time with the family is a great way to get rid of those first-day jitters.
READ MORE: “10 Back-to-School Movies for Kids“
4. Special notes or treats
Leave your child a special note or treat in their backpack or lunch box. Write a long note full of words of encouragement or a cute pun. For example, write “Hey there smarty pants!” on a note and attach a pack of Smarties candy.
5. Back-to-school party
Host a party and invite some your child’s friends or even the entire class (if you have the room/time). Get them excited to be heading back to school. Keep it casual and decorate with letter blocks, pencils and school supplies.
6. One last summer adventure
Get the kids excited for school by having a final summer adventure. A good way to start school is to end the summer with a bang! Take the family to a local national park and go camping. S’mores and scary stories around a campfire are great ways to get in some last-minute summertime family bonding. Or keep it a little more low-key with a scavenger hunt around town or even just around your own house. Get the whole family involved with a fun theme, like finding various things you’ve accumulated on all your adventures from summer break.
READ MORE: “101 Fun Things to Do With Kids This Summer“
7. New school year’s goals
Have everyone in the family write out their individual goals for the upcoming school year and brainstorm goals for the family to work on as a whole. Come up with things you can do along the way to help with those goals. Write everything on a dry erase board or poster board and place it in your kitchen or living room. Check in regularly to see how everyone is doing.
8. Growth chart
This is an oldie but a goodie. Every year on the first day of school, measure your child’s height. Keep the growth chart in their room or by a doorway. Every year, add a line marking their height, along with their age and the date.
9. After-school surprise
When school lets out on the first day, plan a surprise for your kids. Change it up every year so they don’t know what’s coming. Whether you decide to go out for ice cream, visit a water park or plan a Nerf gun attack, they’ll surely be excited!
When starting a back-to-school tradition, it’s important to make it meaningful and special for your family. Brainstorm ideas with your kids to see how they would like to mark the day. Use these ideas or customize them for your own family.
