This is a demo store. No orders will be fulfilled.

Family & Friends Sale! Save 25% with code: SAVE25 + Free Shipping Orders $65+
Spark More Play™ with FREE Playfoam® Activities
Free Shipping on Orders of $79+
Close Nav
Toggle Nav
Menu
Account
My Cart

ABC’s of Back to School 5 Fun Tips for Getting Kids (and Parents!) Emotionally Ready for School

Are your ready?Welcome to EI’s ABC’s of Back to School, a blog series designed to help little ones – and their parents! – make the most of back to school time!Our A— “Are You Ready?”— is all about emotional readiness. Whether it’s your little one’s very first day of school or your older kids are transitioning from lazy summer days back to structured school days, change can be difficult, and can sometimes cause anxiety in children.In the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping, planning for packed lunches (check out our great ideas on Pinterest!), and sorting of school supplies, preparing emotionally for school sometimes gets lost, but it’s a crucial part of back-to-school prep. Try our five fun tips for getting your kids ready emotionally for school—guaranteed to gear everyone up for a great first day.
  1. Get Some Shut Eye!Don’t underestimate the importance that being well-rested plays in emotional readiness. Starting two weeks before the first day of school, gradually roll back your child’s bedtime, remembering that most young children need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep nightly. As you roll back bedtime, also roll back the time you’re waking your kids in the morning until you reach your ideal school day wake up time. Turning off electronics several hours before bedtime and offering calming activities like arts and crafts – try some squishy, squashy, shaping fun with Playfoam® - makes the transition to bedtime easier.
Playfoam
  1. Talk It Over! Starting a few weeks before school begins, talk up the fun things your child will be doing at school. From arts & crafts to story time, recess to new friends, there’s a lot to love about school! Try acting out a typical school day with your child – use one of our playful Puppet-on-a-Stick puppets as the teacher and you’re sure to get some smiles. For some kids, having information prior to a new event helps them process; for others, it stresses them out. Consider the amount of information your child is comfortable with and adjust the conversation accordingly. Some kids will take comfort in understanding the exact flow of the day – others might do better with the highlights.
Pete the Cat Puppet on a Stick
  1. Take a Walk – If your child’s school offers an orientation, go. A clear picture of the campus and classroom goes a long way to calm first day jitters, as does meeting the teacher and soon-to-be-friends. If there’s no orientation, take a stroll through the school together a few days before school starts. Locate the classroom, bathrooms, and drinking fountains and check out the playground. Discuss how your child will get to school in the morning and how he or she will get home in the afternoon. Answer any and all questions your child has.
  1. Make the Mornings Meaningful! Starting a few days before school, begin practicing your morning routine, from waking up to actually getting out the door. Leave enough time to make the mornings calm and relaxed, not a stressful scramble. Preparing as much as possible the night before is a big help – have your kids help you get backpacks loaded, lunches made, water bottles filled, and clothing selected. Make sure your child has a nutritious breakfast before getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair, and gathering her things.
  1. Goodbye Routine! It’s easy to get caught up chatting with other parents, but a solid, focused, goodbye routine is the foundation of a great day at any age. Come up with something special for your child and stay consistent – plant a kiss in his palm to hold all day long, see you later alligator/after a while crocodile, a kiss and a hug and squeeze you like a bug… Whatever you choose, do it with conviction, make eye contact, and tell your child you love them and that you know they’re going to have a great day.
Share this post
ABC’s of Back to School 5 Fun Tips for Getting Kids (and Parents!) Emotionally Ready for School Are your ready?Welcome to EI’s ABC’s of Back to School, a blog series designed to help little ones – and their parents! – make the most of back to school time!Our A— “Are You Ready?”— is all about emotional readiness. Whether it’s your little one’s very first day of school or your older kids are transitioning from lazy summer days back to structured school days, change can be difficult, and can sometimes cause anxiety in children.In the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping, planning for packed lunches (check out our great ideas on Pinterest!), and sorting of school supplies, preparing emotionally for school sometimes gets lost, but it’s a crucial part of back-to-school prep. Try our five fun tips for getting your kids ready emotionally for school—guaranteed to gear everyone up for a great first day.
  1. Get Some Shut Eye!Don’t underestimate the importance that being well-rested plays in emotional readiness. Starting two weeks before the first day of school, gradually roll back your child’s bedtime, remembering that most young children need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep nightly. As you roll back bedtime, also roll back the time you’re waking your kids in the morning until you reach your ideal school day wake up time. Turning off electronics several hours before bedtime and offering calming activities like arts and crafts – try some squishy, squashy, shaping fun with Playfoam® - makes the transition to bedtime easier.
Playfoam
  1. Talk It Over! Starting a few weeks before school begins, talk up the fun things your child will be doing at school. From arts & crafts to story time, recess to new friends, there’s a lot to love about school! Try acting out a typical school day with your child – use one of our playful Puppet-on-a-Stick puppets as the teacher and you’re sure to get some smiles. For some kids, having information prior to a new event helps them process; for others, it stresses them out. Consider the amount of information your child is comfortable with and adjust the conversation accordingly. Some kids will take comfort in understanding the exact flow of the day – others might do better with the highlights.
Pete the Cat Puppet on a Stick
  1. Take a Walk – If your child’s school offers an orientation, go. A clear picture of the campus and classroom goes a long way to calm first day jitters, as does meeting the teacher and soon-to-be-friends. If there’s no orientation, take a stroll through the school together a few days before school starts. Locate the classroom, bathrooms, and drinking fountains and check out the playground. Discuss how your child will get to school in the morning and how he or she will get home in the afternoon. Answer any and all questions your child has.
  1. Make the Mornings Meaningful! Starting a few days before school, begin practicing your morning routine, from waking up to actually getting out the door. Leave enough time to make the mornings calm and relaxed, not a stressful scramble. Preparing as much as possible the night before is a big help – have your kids help you get backpacks loaded, lunches made, water bottles filled, and clothing selected. Make sure your child has a nutritious breakfast before getting dressed, brushing teeth and hair, and gathering her things.
  1. Goodbye Routine! It’s easy to get caught up chatting with other parents, but a solid, focused, goodbye routine is the foundation of a great day at any age. Come up with something special for your child and stay consistent – plant a kiss in his palm to hold all day long, see you later alligator/after a while crocodile, a kiss and a hug and squeeze you like a bug… Whatever you choose, do it with conviction, make eye contact, and tell your child you love them and that you know they’re going to have a great day.
 READ MORE