The first day of school is a big deal for kids and parents alike. Each year more families step away from public and private schools to begin homeschooling. For some of these families, the first day of homeschooling doesn’t seem to come with the same excitement. However, with a little planning and creativity, you can make the first day of homeschool fun and memorable.

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Relaxing Start

Take time to enjoy not having to rush out the door to school. Sleep in or gather in your PJs to watch the school bus drive by. Then spend the morning cooking breakfast together. Choose a family favorite or choose a new breakfast recipe to try. Another fun idea is to have your kids draw pictures with pancake batter. An old ketchup bottle or any other type of squeeze bottle will work well for simple pancake art.

 

First Day Pictures

Have your child pick out a special outfit and take a first day of school picture. It’s a fun addition to have them hold a first day of school sign with their grade or school year on it to commemorate the day. You can do this using a felt letter board, a small chalkboard, or a free printable. Share the picture with grandparents and other relatives. Your child may also enjoy using a copy of this photo to make a first day of homeschool scrapbook page. A scrapbook can be used as a yearbook or to build a portfolio for your child’s homeschool year.

 

Get Out of the House

Taking a field trip or other outing on the first day will help set the tone for a fun-filled homeschool year. This outing doesn’t have to be big or expensive, like a trip to the zoo or a theme park, to be memorable. It could be something as simple as taking a hike together or going to the bookstore or library to pick out a new book. If schools in your area have started, enjoy that whatever you decide to do will be much less crowded.

Have a Party

Throw a first day of school party, or as many homeschoolers like to call it, a “not back to school party.” Invite other homeschooling families to join in on the fun. Everyone could bring a snack to share. Especially if this is your first year homeschooling, you may want to have the party in the afternoon so that your child can invite friends they went to school with. This is a great way to help your child feel secure in the fact that they will still have their friendships. However, if you invite school friends, you may not want to call it a “not back to school party.” 😉

 

 No Busy Work

Don’t start the first day with a bunch of worksheets, textbooks, or busywork. One significant advantage of homeschooling is that it can be fun and active. Take the first few days of homeschooling to have fun and help your child fall in love with learning. Do science experiments and other hands-on activities, read together, and explore topics that interest your child.

 

Start a Tradition

All of these things can become simple traditions that your child can enjoy at the beginning of each homeschool year for years to come. Think about what your family enjoyed this year and would like to do again next year. Brainstorm as a family other simple first day of homeschool traditions to try. These small things can become lasting memories for your child.

 

 

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Note: This post was originally published on July 26, 2020.