First Day of Homeschool Traditions

It feels a little strange to be starting school back up in the middle of July, but it also feels great!

This year we had to decide between doing a traditional summer off or year-round schooling. We ultimately decided to do year-round schooling for these reasons:

We wanted to take more breaks throughout the year.
I wanted to make sure the kids we’re retaining those skills they learned the previous year.
I wanted to keep structure in the house (mainly for my ADHD child who craves structure).
We live in the south and it’s not enjoyable to be outside during the summer months, so we’d rather do school then and take more time off in the fall!

This year we took 6 weeks off for our summer break. It felt like the perfect amount of time to get some summer fun in and enjoy a few trips as a family! During that time we focused on the boys interests. We did lots of science activities, crafts, baking camps, and read lots of books. By the end of it though, the kids were actually craving structure and were asking to start school back up.

With every school year, we slowly dive back into learning. We start off with just a few days of school a week and we add in one new subject once we feel like we were ready to tackle on more.

Let me tell you…the first day of school is my favorite! There’s so much excitement about the new school year and we all can’t wait to dive into learning. I try to make the first day extra special for the kids with some fun first day traditions.

Here’s what we do on the first day back-to-school….

First Day of School Breakfast

Last year, we started the tradition of a back-to school-breakfast. I’ve used this cute set up from A Girl and a Glue Gun for two years now. It’s FREE to download and the kids love it! I also printed out this cute First Day of Homeschool Flag from Etsy. to put in the center of the table If you’re not able to print though, Michaels has a great selection of back-to-school items now. We usually eat donuts as a fun treat and the boys love it!

Another thing I put on the table is a First Day of School Interview for the kids to fill out. My kids are still working on their writing, so I have to help them quiet a bit with it but they have fun telling me all about themselves (like their favorite colors, what they want to be when they grow up, etc.). After were done, I attach their interviews to their school folders.

On the table, I also set out some fun educational games, books, and a gift basket for each of them. I’ll share more about those below!

Baskets

Every year, I gift my boys a basket with some items they need for the school year. This is a fun way to add some excitement to the first day. They usually can’t wait to dig into their baskets to see what they got!

What I put in their baskets this year:

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1st Grade Basket

Books: This year I included School is Wherever I am by Ellie Peterson. It’s a cute story that shows kids that learning can take place outside of a classroom!
Yoto cards
Pencil pouch/fun pencils
Art supplies (crayons, markers, brushes, scissors)
Water bottle
Nature journals

Preschool Basket

Books: This year I included The Smart Cookie by Jory John and Pete Oswald. It’s a wonderful story about a cookie who tries to find what she is good at after failing over and over again. Moral of the story: keep trying and never give up
Yoto Cards
Art Supplies: I included these gel crayons and paintbrushes in his basket this year.
Water Bottle
Blank Notebook (for nature walks)
Coloring + Sticker Books. I love Paper Pie books! Last year, I gifted my son the Little Stickers ABC book and he loved it. This year I gave him two activity books, My First Color by Numbers and First Sticker book 123, to help him practice his numbers.

Some other fun ideas:

pjs/shoes/clothing item
backpack/hiking bags
pocket microscope
puzzles/games

First Day Photos

We always take a moment after breakfast to go take our first day of school photo. It’s so fun to look back at the end of the year and see how much they’ve grown. You don’t need anything fancy for photos, but my favorite prop is a pennant flag! This year I found these FREE flags from the Lovely Planner. All you have to do is sign up for her their emails and you’ll be given access to the free printable.