Five back to school traditions that are worth the effort … it’s time to make some memories
The new school year is almost upon us and that means lots of planning, preparation and purchasing for things like uniforms, school shoes, books, tablets, laptops, lunch boxes, and if you have older kids, those fancy calculators that cost more than a weekend getaway for two! It can be such a busy time that it all gets a bit overwhelming for everyone, so we think it’s important to take some time to focus on making the process fun, and creating memories that you can all look back on in future years. We’ve put together five back to school ideas for you to celebrate this important milestone in your child’s life.
1. Make a Schultüte – in Germany parents give their children a Schultüte when they start school for the first time. A Schultüte, or school cone is a giant cone filled with school supplies and treats.
· To make one you will need a large sheet of poster board, scissors, tape, tissue paper, ribbon and any decorations that you might want to add such as stickers.
· Cut the poster board into a large triangle shape, then roll to form a cone and use tape to seal the edges together. If you want to add decorations such as stickers do this now.
· Next put some glue around the outside of the cone about 3 centimetres from the top. Attach the tissue paper by pressing it onto the glue.
· Fill the Schultüte with goodies of your choice – things like coloured pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers, stickers, a pencil case, a book, a small toy, hair ties, and some sweet treats.
· Use the ribbon to tie the tissue paper up to seal the Schultüte.
2. First day photos – of course you’re going to take the obligatory first day of school photos but if you want a cute idea that you will adore in years to come, try this idea. Buy an adult sized t-shirt and have it printed (or DIY-it with fabric markers) with the year that they will leave school eg: “2035 Leaver” or “Class of 2035”. Each year on the first day of school take a photo of your child wearing the t-shirt and we guarantee that by the they reache Year 12, you’ll tear up looking back at how much they’ve grown.
3. Time Travel – another great idea if your kids are little, is to take a new photo each year of them holding the back to school photo from the year before. It’s a fabulous way to record their school journey.
4. First Day/Last Day Book – parents know how quickly children grow and change not just physically, but also in the way they think, feel and write. Capture these changes with a First Day/Last Day Book.
· To make one you will need a scrapbook or visual art diary.
· Use one page for the first day and one for the last day of each school year.
· Attach a photo of your child on the first day of school and have them write in the book how old they are and what they want to be when they grow up (or you can “interview” them and record their responses if they are too young to write it themselves).
· On the last day of school each year, attach a photo of your child and have them write responses about what is their favourite subject, what’s their favourite book and favourite colour, who are their best friends, what they like about school and what they want to be when they grow up.
5. Make a time capsule – help your kids make a time capsule of their first day of school. Include a newspaper from their first day, along with photos and any other things that they would like to include. Bury it in the garden, or find a safe storage spot and dig it up when they are starting their final year of school.
