Before back to school arrives, the beauty of these last days of August are to be savored. Sun-kissed faces and little bodies are empowered by fresh air and long play days in the grass. Daylight hours are still filled with spontaneous curiosity and freedom. Back to school seemed weeks away, but with summer months coming to a close, the excitement of this new chapter of the year is nearly here. It’s time to welcome and celebrate back to school.
Around the world, the anticipation and preparation of back to school has been a part of family life for generations. As in the United States, many countries and cultures instigate their own unique back to school traditions this time of year. For other parts of the world, including South Africa and Australia, back to school begins in January with the school year following the calendar year. But, no matter where you live or which of the twelve months you begin, back to school invites a new beginning to prepare for and celebrate.
Back to School Around the World
This time of year is a big deal in France. La rentrée, as the French call back to school, includes the bigger picture of students and adults alike returning to routine or back to work after summer vacation. La rentrée translated means “the return/reentry.” The country as a whole transitions from the calmer, more carefree days of summer into autumn. For everyone, there is a new energy in the air.
In Germany, children look forward to the back to school tradition of schultüte. Grandparents or godparents make a beautifully decorated paper cone for a child’s first day of school. The cones are filled with sweets, school supplies and small toys. The children are told the story of schultuten-baum sharing that when the fruit is ripe on the schultuten-baum, it is time to go to school. Arriving on the first day of school, children discover a tree decorated with all of their cones. Searching for and discovering the cone bearing their own name, students excitedly open it to discover the gifts lovingly given to begin the new school year.
Back to School Traditions
I am a mother who, like so many others, desires her children to understand education and learning are not only privileges but opportunities filled with goodness and joy. Traditions gift the occasion of a new school year with anticipation and an association that good things will come to pass.
I have been inspired through the years by example, in stories from classic literature as well as beautiful people, of how different families celebrate the start of a new school year. A neighbor and mother of eight greets her children with warm, homemade cinnamon rolls as they arrive home after the first day of school each year. My mother made it a special occasion by taking me shopping for my back to school outfit. I loved spending that time together. It calmed new school year jitters as I looked forward to wearing my new dress and shoes. As my birthday falls towards the end of August, my mother would put together school boxes with pretty pencils, a ruler and eraser as party gifts for my friends to take home after celebrating with me. Marking the annual back to school event with small changes or unique events acknowledges its significance in your child’s life.
First day of school –
“The sun came in the windows brightly,
The teacher, too, sang as she played,
And the children, even the littlest ones,
Opened their mouths wide and sang with all their hearts.”
–Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher-
12 Ideas to Celebrate Back to School
At this time of year, we transition from warm memories of carefree, summer days to the anticipation of back to school. To mark this seasonal event, peruse the following list of ideas to consider incorporating into your family back to school celebrations.
- special dinner menu reserved for back to school eve
- back to school surprise after the first day of school, choose the same surprise each year or something new
- visit a grandparent’s home for dinner, grandparents want to hear about the first day of school too
- the night before, you and your child lay out clothes for the first day of school, add a surprise to be discovered as they dress for school
- back to school breakfast
- countdown to first day of school, parent and child each name something they are looking forward to about school
- first day of school photo
- school supply shopping event including going out to lunch
- library visit to collect school themed picture books read each evening during children’s hour leading up to the start of school
- starting at the front door, use chalk to draw and write silly faces and sayings on the sidewalk to send them off to school
- write loving, supportive messages tucked into your child’s pockets, back pack and lunch box to let them know you are thinking of them on this first day of school
- a back to school tradition you enjoyed as a child
Preschooler parents, our teach at home Golden Days at Home early childhood curriculum is an excellent way to introduce the first back to school experience for your 3, 4 or 5 year old. Each full week lesson plan is inspired by an award-winning picture book. Follow fun, high-quality lesson plans created to support you as parent teacher. Golden Days at Home provides a confident resource to spend deliberate time with your child teaching, creating, reading and enjoying the school year together. You are your child’s greatest teacher.
Back to school is an annual event worthy of tradition and celebration. It not only marks the beginning of a new school year but is also the recognition of your child’s growth since the start of last school year. In a child’s life, it is an occasion nearly equal to a birthday in significance. Supporting your child with tradition and celebration helps to make this new school year very special indeed.
Written by Janet Nicole Meyer for Golden Days at Home.
A favorite in our family, A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor is a beautifully illustrated picture book following a family and their holiday traditions and celebrations through the months and seasons of the year. Sleepovers in the barn, floating birthday cakes, homemade valentines, Fourth of July antics and more fill their life with memory-making fun. It is a lovely addition to any young family’s library.
