Scour the internet, and you will find many blog posts about starting the homeschool year slowly, having grace for everyone, easing into a new routine, starting with just a couple of subjects first, etc. This is all good advice (which now you have. That was quick.)
This blog post is different.
Do you want the first day of school to be epic? Follow this prescription to make it a day your kids will never forget!
Your kids won't believe all the tricks you have up your sleeve with these 10 epic action steps!
1- Do something unexpected!
Declare it “Crazy sock day” and come out of your bedroom dressed in stripes and polka dots (and maybe a wig for shock value)!
“Pajama day” will be a sure pleaser!
If you have lots of boys, go for a “Warrior day” and allow swords and shields!
How about “School spirit day” and make up a silly song about your homeschool! Get crazy and go for a good laugh.
If you have teenagers, you probably know what they value. Can you find a way to work that into an unexpected morning? Maybe find a way to give them a surprise at the breakfast table.
A small box with a piece of paper inside containing a link (teens love technology) could be fun. When they jump on their phone, the link will take them to a funny, crazy, or unbelievable video that you will find on Youtube just for them!
Shake it up with the surprise factor and ignite your student’s curiosity!
2-Make a fancy breakfast!
No cold cereal will do today, folks!
My kids look forward to our first day of school breakfast each year. It sends the message that this day and this process matter enough to plan and prepare a meal they love.
Waffles, pancakes, french toast, or the cream of the crop breakfast in our house, homemade cinnamon rolls, start the day in style!
Yes, I’m suggesting you do the “Christmas morning” type of breakfast and roll out the red carpet. A meal of ooey gooey comfort food with a side of visiting, sharing, and a few laughs will start the day with high spirits.
3-Play a game!
Won’t the kids be surprised when your first order of business is playing a game and not table work! Go for something active and engaging (you’ll have lots of energy after that excellent breakfast)!
What game is best will depend on the age of your kiddos. Simple red light, green light, (or any classics) would do with elementary kids. I like this one because they will have to listen and obey to play.
After the game, give a pep talk on how proud you are that they listened and obeyed so well. This is much more effective than a lecture on following school rules!
If you have older kids in the mix, you can’t beat a good scavenger hunt! They will have to read clues and follow instructions, all terrific skills for effective schooling!
In larger families, pair the kids up, so they get to practice teamwork and cooperation!
Keep it light and fun, or the game will bog everything down you are trying to achieve, which is fun and anticipation of a super year!
4-Take 1st day photos!
If you have never done this, it’s time to start the tradition!
All the kids will have lovely pink cheeks after game time, and you can announce that the “photo booth” is open for business!
Find an area with good lighting and a background that isn’t too distracting but interesting, and get out the cell phone (or camera).
Let the kids take some pictures of you and each other. Do you have any props on hand that would be fun to have in the shot?
Make a yellow pool noodle into an oversized pencil, or a stack of thick dictionaries could look like school books!
Even silly props (I mean, you have dressed in crazy socks after all) would be fun! Write “The first day of school” on a small whiteboard or blackboard for the shots!
Gone are the days of only 24 photos at a time, and you don’t know if they are any good for a week! Ha!
Have a blast and let the kids take as many pictures as they want!
5-Sharpen pencils!
After dress-up day, a fancy breakfast, a classic game, and lots of photos, it will be a nice break to go to the table. Eek! Not the table! That could mean work!
Today we sharpen pencils!
Looking at all the new binders and supplies and getting organized can be fun! If you usually do these tasks, perhaps you can leave some of the fun of putting it all together for the kids?
Get some butcher paper and make book covers. And while you are at it…roll some out and trace around your child and let them create a “me” mural!
Younger kids would love to help you set up the monthly calendar and pick out some books to read for independent reading time as well as a read-a-loud.
Teens can help you label tabbed binder dividers, bins, and complete administrative duties for you like printing and sorting.
If you’re beginning to wonder when the actual learning takes place, don’t worry, it is!
Just like the games helped tune-up listening skills, following directions, and cooperation, these skills help kids get into a routine of focusing, working on a task, and staying on task.
During this epic first day (where they think they are off the hook from actual learning), you can tuck in some gentle comments with a big smile.
“This organized bin will be so helpful when we need the math manipulatives,” or “Thank you for making that beautiful book cover so when we study science, we won’t ruin the cover with our cool experiments!”
Sending the message that learning certain subjects will occur (however you chose to do that) helps get them processing this idea.
If you’re lucky, you’ll get some push-back on your comments.
How can that be lucky?
It is an opportunity to talk about what things are happening during school, answer questions, and create a framework for the school year.
If you haven’t read my post, Evaluate your homeschool year and plan for next year (Easy 6 step process), now is the time!
It will be helpful because it involves your children and their opinions during the planning process. People are typically more supportive of things they help create over things thrust upon them.
6-Watch a video!
After all the table work is done, collect the kiddos in the living room for a fun video of something you want to introduce, like a topic of study, a new subject for the year, or a video that sheds light on an area they struggle to enjoy.
Let’s say you are going to study history from Creation to the Greeks. You could watch a video of the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, operated by Answers in Genesis, who also run the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. (Ken Ham, founder)
This video is by a family with small kids, so it is lots of fun! There are many videos about this structure, built to scale from measurements in the Bible! So cool!
Videos are engaging and get your kids excited about learning again! Try it!
7-Read out loud!
Another good living room option would be a read-a-loud book.
A good book is calming and creates that warm, cozy environment we all love!
We’ve been reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which never disappoints!
If you have restless children, let them color or playing with legos during this time so the hands keep busy and the mind can tune in to you!
8-Have a surprise visitor!
A special auntie, friend, or animal visitor would be another epic first-day adventure! Planning this surprise will be so worth it when the front door opens!
Take it to the next level by having the visitor bring a picnic lunch you arranged! Rain? No problem! A blanket in the living room works just fine!
Remember that Ark Adventure video you watched earlier because you’re studying Creation to the Greeks?
How fabulous would it be if the picnic lunch had:
- kangaroo pouch sandwiches made with pita pocket bread
- stegosaurus salad
- ants on a log
- build your own animal cracker with all the fixings (peanut butter, cheese slices, carrots, olives, blueberries, etc.)
Top it off with elephant ears for dessert, and you have made memories that will last!
9-Go for a surprise visit!
If you like to get out of the house, then don’t spill the beans until the last second and go for a surprise visit!
A mini field trip to a local museum, farm, or fire station would be fun! Even a trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house would be a fun adventure, especially if they had the picnic lunch all set up at their house!
The possibilities for making this adventure your own are endless! What do you think would work for your family?
This change of scenery is a great way to keep it fresh. Even getting outside for a nature walk around the neighborhood to collect treasures is a great and simple solution.
And last but not least…
10-Eat ice cream!
We really can’t have a perfect first day without finishing up with ice cream!
Whether it is a McDonald’s ice cream cone or a trip to Safeway for a quart of chocolate chip mint, nothing creates a better ending than cold, creamy ice cream!
Don’t let me down, people!
If you can incorporate all 10 of these in your first day back to school, then you deserve a six-foot trophy!
I hope this list of things that create an epic first day of school inspires you to think outside the box and use it as a launching pad for your epic first day back!
Leave a comment below on how your first day back went!
*Don’t forget to take pictures during the day and print a, “First Day of School” photo album through an easy app right from your phone. I use Chatbooks.
