It’s getting to that time of year where parents are ready to say “TAG, YOU’RE IT” to teachers. As parents, many of us have just finished playing the scavenger hunt of finding the items on the new grade level necessities list for the year, clicking order on the ‘put-it-in-a-box-and-send-to-my-house’ button, or maybe you haven’t started yet. Regardless of where the supply situation is, it is now the time to start getting your children back into the routines (reading, math, going to bed on time) of going back to school. I know, I know…you’re probably dreading this. However, here are some painless back-to-school tips to get back to it.
Reading doesn’t have to be a book, and math doesn’t have to be facts. As a teacher, parents are often surprised when I tell them this at conferences. Here are a few ways to squeeze in those minutes before heading to class.
Travel is still on the calendar
Reading
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Read the road signs or see if you can find new businesses, restaurants, etc. Here is a fun game that can be played while you’re searching
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Find fun billboards – who can find the coolest one or the one with the most words on it
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Learn/read new city names
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Play a game of stop and read – Randomly say “What words do you see?” Then have all people near you read as many words as they can and count to see who has the most
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The license plate game for a little reading mixed with social studies
Math
- Get the logic moving with fun tangram puzzles or any other logic puzzles like Soduko
- At a place with animals? Make up a story problem about the animals there – For example, I see 5 cranes over there by the ferns and I see 6 pairs of ducks in the pond. How many animals do you see? Do you see what I did there, it’s a two-step problem and getting those brains going.
- Use the map – figure out how many miles are left, how many gallons of gas did we use, or how long it takes us to get where we need to go
Staycationing for the rest of the summer
Reading
- Keep the cereal box out and read the back
- Head to a museum and read the information next to the exhibits
Visit Bay Beach – Read about the rides and their history - Visit the EAA Museum and learn about all the way planes have been used over the years
- Green Bay Nature Preserve – Learn about the animals that live there (hey look, a little bit of science too!)
Math
- While at Bay Beach, you can figure out how many tickets it will be for all your family to ride certain rides
- At EAA, how many years ago did that plane fly?
- The questions are endless at museums, parks, and well anywhere…even a trip to the store – Estimate how much will the groceries cost?
Short on Time
Reading
- Make use of the lovely audiobooks and or online books while working out
- One of my faves is listening to an audiobook while cleaning the house – psssttt…you and your kiddos can do this!
Math
- Quick quiz your kiddo on what time it is when you see an analog time. I know, it’s not very often anymore, which really makes it sort of fun!
- If you use cash at the store, have your child count the change when you get home. This allows you to get out of the store quickly but gives them an opportunity to see how change works.
Family Time
Reading
- Do a Family read-aloud – no I’m serious. Everyone loves to be read to, no matter what their age
- Set a timer for 20-30 minutes, or even 15, once done, have everyone tell a summary about what they read (mommas, now would not be the best time for the steamy stuff – just saying)
Math
- Sit down with your kiddo and start counting the change in a piggy bank. They really do get excited about it.
- Look for math in nature. Go for a walk and see if you can find patterns in flowers or numbers that accidentally are in tree trunks or rocks.
A few other back-to-school tips –
- Start getting back to your school bedtimes. I have my kids go about 15 minutes earlier each week leading up to school in August. For example, if they have been going to bed around 9:00 p.m., I have them go at 8:45 the first week, 8:30 the second week, and so on
- Start thinking about ideas for meal prep. Let’s face it mamas we are really busy when the school year starts. – Pssst…Watch Green Bay Area Moms Community for a blog regarding the above
- Watch for deals on school clothes, shoes (remember the gym shoes and regular ones), and of course, school supplies [Link to blog here on deals?]
Whatever you do to start getting ready for the school year, make it fun! They love picking out their own clothes, shoes, and supplies. Set aside a mommy/child date or a daddy/child date for each child. They love the focus on just them. My kids love when we sit down and read a chapter of a book together. Even my 13-year-old will come out of her room during this time, and that is a total win in my book!
