Our first day of school is coming up, and if you know me, you know I love celebrating this day! When I was a child, I would lay out my new school clothes and pack my backpack WEEKS before school started. I loved the feeling of a brand new, clean notebook (still do)!
With homeschooling, I want to offer my children this experience too, even if its not quite the same. Here is how we celebrate!
First Day of School Traditions
First Day of School Gifts
Since we don't buy back-to-school supplies in the same way (we usually get books, school supplies and clothes as we need them rather than all at once) a little gift has been a fun way to kick off the morning on our first day of school!
I usually get my children things they need anyway like: new water bottles, tennis shoes, or glue and tape (we're always running out!). I also like to include some special things, like a new Yoto story, new craft supplies or something else they've been eyeing up.
First Day of School Pictures
Every year we head to our backyard for back to school pictures. My kids don't always enjoy this part but it is my favorite. It's amazing to see how much they grow in just one year!
Since we don't do traditional school photos, pinning this activity to the first day of school means that I always remember to do it and at least have one photo of them per year! They do enjoy taking silly ones, so we leave time for lots of "creative" poses.
First Day of School Tradition - Donuts
Our family has a simple tradition to go out for donuts each first day of school as a family. My husband takes the morning off of work so we can celebrate together. We head to our favorite local donut shop and let the kids pick out whatever they want!
First Day 2021
We also let the kids decorate their own First Day of School Pennant Flag to mark their advance to a new "grade level". I know grade levels are often arbitrary when it comes to homeschooling, but I want my kids to "know" what grade they are in, since this is a question they are asked so often and this is a way that most groups organize kids outside of homeschooling. It just feels celebratory and fun too! This is probably their favorite part!
You Can Find These Printable Flags in My Shop!
My favorite part is having them complete a first day of school interview! We've been doing this since my oldest was in preschool and it is so fun to see their answers! I hope to save these until they graduate so we can see all of their answers change over time.
I hope you are finding simple and fun ways to celebrate this new beginning, even if you school year-round! I'm going to be sharing a series on Intentional Celebrations throughout the year this year, so be sure to follow along and click on the tag "Intentional Celebration" for more! Happy Homeschooling!
Right now the First Day of School Interview is only found in my Homeschool 101 Course but I will definitely consider adding it to the shop in the future! Thanks guys!
So fun! I am excited to start thinking intentionally about back to school traditions. It made me think back on the traditions we had growing up and my mom always took a photo of us all together, including my dad, who was a public high school teacher. I love looking back on those photos. We also met up with our family friends and went out to breakfast. Love those memories! Do you have a copy of the interview?
Where can I find your first day of school interview questions? Thanks!
Hi! Would you be open to sharing your first day of school interview?