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Back To School: Making It Fun

Back to school time in many families is a time of excitement, poignancy, and relief. New experiences for our kids, feelings of wistfulness that they are growing up, and realizing we will have a bit more time to ourselves are all thoughts that cross our minds at once, so it’s no surprise we can feel overwhelmed by emotions in addition to all that we actually have to do.

Even though children might be excited to see their school friends again after a long summer, many still aren’t excited about the idea of teachers, homework, sitting for hours, etc. It’s part of growing up, and it can (and should) be fun for them. As parents, we want our children to have fond memories of these years, and look forward to those first days of school, so we’ve already be working on building up the excitement level around here for him. This is what we’ve been doing:

5 Tips For Making Back To School Fun

5 Tips For Making Back To School Time Fun

1. Get fun school supplies If your child’s school allows it, get school supplies with their favorite cartoon characters. I love fun school clothes too, but this year he’s attending a parochial school that requires uniforms. If your child’s school allows your kids to wear what they want, let them pick a really fun (and appropriate) outfit for the first day of school- something new to celebrate of the day!

2. Make cool lunches I see bento lunches all over the internet, and the few times I gave it a try, my sons wanted to eat the fun characters I created. As a result, I tried it more often, and think that if your child knows that he can look forward to a creative and exciting lunch everyday, that would be a fun part of Back to School too.

3. Talk it up Let your kids know school is exciting, and they are lucky to be going back to see friends and learn new things…remind them of arts and crafts, music, and other enjoyable activities they participated in the past at school.

4. Make Back To School traditions Make the first day of school a special day, with a new outfit, taking photographs with a chalkboard sign stating their current year, and a special dinner (their favorite meal) waiting for them at the end of the day…anything that makes them look forward to it every year.

5. Be involved Be there to see them off on their first day, and be there throughout the year too. Drive them to school, participate in the PTA or school events, when they come home ask about their day and help them with their homework…however you can be involved, do it!




  • What a great idea to get fun school supplies. When I let my daughter choose silly prints, they make her smile whenever she has to use them.

  • Picking out school supplies was a big deal for me as a kid. I remember how fun it was to take all those fun supplies to school!

  • I agree with the lunches. Bentos weren’t a big thing when our daughter was in school, but those Lunchables were. So I would buy or even make my own on occasion and the smiles and thank yous I got when she was home at the end of the day were priceless. I know that they made her afternoons at school better too just because those little lunches perked up her disposition and attitude. Crackers & Cheese….who knew?! lol.

  • Being involved in everything is so important. I’ve worked in the schools on and off for many years helping children that need help in all areas. Parents need to work with children so they can enjoy school and understand what is being taught. I really wish I could get into making bento lunches for Zoe because they are so much fun.

  • These are some great tips. My granddaughter started 1st grade this year. 🙂

  • Good tips. Some of those get harder to do as the kids progress through the higher grades.

  • I think the Bento boxes are so cool! When school supplies come out I pick up some cool ones for my office too!

  • Great tips, I used quite a few of them.

  • Those are some great tips. I love the idea of fun lunches, it gives them something to look forward to!!

  • My daughter loved going shopping for back to school. My son – not so much. Not sure anything can make a teenager like school.

  • Those are some great tips. Picking out new clothes and school supplies is always a huge thing with the kids.

  • As an empty nester, I don’t have to worry about getting school stuff anymore. But I do get some for my grandkids.

  • These are all really good tips. My kids and I love to shop for back to school supplies. My husband gets frustrated because we always have a house full of supplies.

    In fact, our local Walmart had Preschool workbooks available for 3.00 which is a HUGE savings. I snagged one up for Zeva for her to do with my mother-in-law (she does Preschool with the kids and then I take over in K.)

  • My mom worked at my elementary school, so I was pretty spoiled having my mom around all of the time. Showing you care about their school makes such a difference in their attitude about school.

  • I was at my son’s elementary school so much that the ladies in the office would kid and say I should be on the payroll. 🙂 It’s weird now that my son is in a much smaller Christian middle school and parents are need no where near as much. I have mixed feelings about it. 🙂

  • Great tips, being involved is so important. It’s gets a little harder when they’re older and don’t want you there so much.

  • As always, you offer such wonderful suggestions! Being involved in a child’s schooling activities can help make a tremendous impact. 🙂

  • These are great tips, I try to let my kids pick out fun supplies.

  • Oh, I love the Bento boxes! They make lunch more fun! 🙂

  • These are all great suggestions! We always have a pizza party the night before school starts and shopping for new school supplies is always a lot of fun for us too.