17 Clever Back to School Tips, Tricks & Hacks for Parents

Heading back to school creates a roller coaster of emotions for the entire family—excitement, anxiety, and the reality that summer really is over. Routines, busy schedules and homework suddenly replace the carefree days of idling poolside and riding bikes with friends until dark.

Transitions can be hard for kids – but parents, fear not. By following our back to school tips, you can help alleviate some of the stress that naturally comes along with such a big change. Below you’ll find our best back to school hacks that will ease the entire family back into school mode.

Ready, Set, Shop…for School Supplies!

While the idea of quizzes and math homework might make your little one squirm, you can still jazz them up for the new school year by making mundane prep work… fun! Back to school shopping creates the perfect opportunity to squeeze in some extra bonding time, so why not make the most of it?

1. Review the School Supply List:

Read through your child’s school supply checklist together. For tykes just entering school, brainstorm all the fun ways these supplies are going to be used throughout their new school year. Think: art projects, science fairs… this will help remind them that adventure awaits!

2. Find Joy in the Simple Things:

Your standard #2 pencils may be a little boring. Let your kiddos get creative by picking out a pack covered in kittens, fun colors or anything else that tickles their fancy. This same rule applies for many standard school supplies. Appeal to your child’s senses with supplies that boast fun colors, shapes, patterns – or even smells, with Crayola Silly Scents art tools! Opting for less generic back to school items can make required items cool!

3. Avoid Wardrobe Woes:

Pick out a new outfit to wear on the first day of school. While they may have jitters stepping onto the school bus on Day 1, wearing a new favorite top or shoes can help boost otherwise shaky confidence. If your budget is tight this year, opt for a nice new accessory instead.

Give New Routines a Test Run

Whether your child is just entering school or has been there several years, chances are they haven’t stepped into the building in several months by the time fall rolls around. Familiarity with the classes and layout can help foster a sense of comfort on their first day. A test run will also ease your child into the school year routine.

4. Visit the School:

If an open house is offered, go! Take your time and let your child wander the halls, visit the cafeteria, the restrooms, and most importantly, the classrooms! By spending this time in a relaxed setting, it’ll make it less intimidating on the first day of school.

5. Spend Time at the School Playground:

This is an especially good idea if you can’t do #4 due to the school building being closed. Having fun at the playground and romping around the premises (as allowed) can help to associate school with fun!

6. Request a List of Classmates from the School:

Letting your child know which pals are going to be in their class will make them eager to return!

7. Reconnect with School Friends:

Arrange playdates in the weeks leading up to the return of the school year. Seeing a familiar face on the first day of school can bring immediate relief to a potentially intimidating situation!

8. Ease into the Bus or Carpool Schedule:

Okay, we admit it. This one is probably the least fun – but it’s worth it! Get back into the swing of a school-appropriate bedtime/wake-up routine a couple weeks ahead of the first week back. We all know how important a good night of sleep is… and how half the beauty of summer is late nights and lazy mornings, especially for kids! By getting ahead of the curve and slowly transitioning to a healthier sleep schedule, when the actual first day rolls around, it’ll feel totally normal for the whole family.

Organize Like Your Sanity Depends on It (Because it Does!)

These tips for back to school organization can make a big difference regarding how smoothly those first few weeks run.

9. Create an Easy Space for Entering/Exiting the Home:

Add some hooks for coats and backpacks. Add shelves to hold gym sneakers, school projects, and anything your children may need to take to school. Mornings can be hectic – even for the most organized families – so make the routine easier on everyone by having all school items in a single space, ready to go. You’ll appreciate having a system in place that discourages clutter and mess; especially on long days when it’d be easier for your kid to walk in and drop everything as soon as they’re in the door!

10. Create a Dedicated Homework Space:

Homework can be a drag, but having a special space to work on it can make it a bit easier. Whether you put a little desk in a corner of a bedroom, or create a nook in the family dining room, having this quiet, dedicated space can help your kids get into a productive mindset outside of the classroom.

11. Create a Kid-Friendly Weekly School Calendar:

Have a dedicated calendar that includes activities and obligations for all family members. This shared calendar will make it easy for everyone to keep tabs on their busy schedules! For little ones just learning to read, use pictures! Mark items like “gym day” and “music lessons” – things that require your child to bring extra items to school, like sneakers and instruments.

Craft a Healthy Food Plan (That Doesn’t Include a Drive-thru)

When the days get too busy, it’s easy to rely on junk food and frozen meals to get you through. But growing minds and bodies require proper nutrition. Avoid the pitfalls of poor eating habits by creating a food plan to cover lunch and after school snacks.

12. Pack Healthy Lunches at Home:

Buying lunch at school may be easy, but it isn’t always the best option. The best thing you can do for your children is to pack their lunches yourself (or have them make it, if they’re old enough!) Got a picky eater? Make lunchtime more fun with a new lunchbox and food containers. Try crafting their lunches bento box style, which offers little compartments for each food item, covering all the food groups. Approaching food in a new way just may trick your kids into eating (and enjoying!) their meals.

13. Have a Go-To Snack Drawer:

Most school kids, regardless of age, come home ravished and ready to raid the cupboards. Keep things simple by having a dedicated shelf or bin in the pantry or fridge filled with mom and dad-approved after-school snacks they can help themselves to.

Safeguard Young Immune Systems with these Health Tips

A new school year means winter is approaching, and so are the germs that come along with it. While it’s practically inevitable that school kids will catch a cold or stomach bug during the year, you can still try to ward off as many germs as possible with the following back to school health and safety tips in mind.

14. Schedule Yearly Wellness Visits before School Starts:

End of summer is the best time to schedule important visits in your calendar! It’s easier to make the trip to the doctor, dentist, and other specialists while they’re already out of school. Doing this before fall will allow the doctor to ensure your children are up-to-date on all immunizations, and prepped as best as possible to avoid getting sick.

15. Stock up on Medicinal Supplies:

Why wait until disaster strikes to make a trip to the store? Avoid late-night and last-minute runs to the pharmacy by having the basics stocked in your medicine cabinet – this includes over the counter meds for common issues like fever, headaches, stomachaches, allergies, boo boo’s, and more.

Make Time for Creativity

The school year is all about structure and academic performance. Help balance out math, science, and tech classes by encouraging your child to engage in art. That could mean drawing, coloring, painting, sculpting, or anything else that lights them up!

16. Keep Artistic Expressions Mess-Free:

Let your kid blow off steam after a long school week with some coloring. Art play is a great way to not only stimulate imagination, but a fantastic stress relief for kids of all ages. To make sure relaxation on their end doesn’t cause hours of clean-up on yours, try Crayola Color Wonder supplies, which are invisible on every surface except Color Wonder paper!

17. Color on a Budget:

Looking for an inexpensive way to let your child explore different scenes and mediums? At Crayola, we offer hundreds of free printable coloring pages, designed with popular movies, characters and occasions. Come back as often as your little Picasso likes to print new pages for different holidays, seasons, and more.

Good luck to all the parents and students gearing up for this school year! With these back to school tips and tricks, your friends at Crayola are confident that you’ve got this!