Whether you home school year-round or take breaks during the summer, it’s always fun to make a new school year special. If you have taken a break for the summer, following are a few unique ways to start off the new school year with ease and grace.
Make the first day (or week) simple
You might be anxious to jump headfirst into starting your new school year with gusto. We recommend taking a lighter approach, keeping your first week simple and short. Be sure to check out our free download where we outline 5 unique activities you can easily incorporate into your back-to-school plans.
Don’t worry about everything you have on your to-do list for the year, you’ll have plenty of time to do everything that needs to be done this school year!
Start a new read aloud
Ready to commemorate the new school year with a new story? Kids love to listen to a read aloud, no matter how old they are! Take your crew to the library and spend some time picking out a new book together. You might start with a little research at home first. Which genre is speaking to your crew? Is there a new series you’d all like to start reading together? Is there a series of books you’ve started that you’d all like to continue?
The time you spend researching ideas for a new book and then actually choosing a new book is valuable learning time. Make sure everyone has a voice in the selection process. You might develop a checklist to make sure each child’s ideas are captured and saved for the next read aloud selection if needed. The process of choosing a book together is all about school, you’re practicing vital communication and collaboration skills making decisions together as a team!
Brainstorm ideas for field trips together
One way to get everyone energized for learning is to involve your learners in choosing some (or all) of your learning activities. Spend some time brainstorming and researching places you can visit on field trips this year. Make a list and post it on the wall or write your ideas on sticky notes to review when you’re creating your lesson plans during the year.
Annual field trips to museums and zoos are always fun but try to think of a few different places to go this year. Maybe you can plan a day trip to a local national park to look for new kinds of plants? Or even planning a visit to a playground that you’ve never frequented before, maybe one with a treehouse. If you have an aquarium nearby, plan a day to spend with the fishes … packed lunch and playground on the way home!
Looking for more new ideas to help you ease into the new school year? Download KneoWorld’s FREE First Week of School Planner. This planner is full of ideas and activities to help you kick off the new school year with fun and learning.
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