Back to School with 3 kids is never easy. From ensuring everyone has pants that fit, indoor shoes and backpacks that are able to carry their gear for a year, things can start to get a little overwhelming.
And expensive.
So, I learned my lesson after the first two kids, and replacing school supplies halfway through the year that had worn out or broken. Quality is the MOST important thing when it comes to stocking their book bag.
Oh, quality, and fun!
Getting the kids excited for Back To School isn’t actually that difficult for our family thankfully, but as the new clothes and fresh school supplies get unpacked the excitement starts to grow! Here are a few ways we make the #BTS transition easier!
1. Start Early
About a week to 10 days before school begins we start amending our routine. Gone are the late nights and lazy mornings! We start to pull bed time back to a more reasonable hour and wake the kids earlier each day! For our kids who catch the bus at 730 each morning this is super important, as it is usually mom and dad who suffer the most in the mornings!
2. Find the “Stuff”
“I know we put that lunch kit somewhere REALLY safe two months ago, but now I just can’t find it!”
Look for the stuff early to make sure it is still in good enough condition to use again, and that you haven’t misplaced it “permanently” Lunch kits, back packs, inside shoes… all of those “easily forgotten” items that aren’t listed on the school supply checklist!
And if you can’t FIND your back to school checklist, Crayola has one for you!
Grade 1-3 School Supply List, Canada
Grade 4-8 School Supply List, Canada
Of course, be sure to confirm there aren’t additional items needed for your specific school or program, and take it from an experienced mom; QUALITY over QUANTITY always wins out! Find good quality items so you aren’t running around trying to replace them in January!
3. Purge the OLD
If your kids are like mine they grow like WEEDS during the summer. Perhaps its the fresh air, or the wholesome food, but my kids will often shoot up an inch or two just in July and August. Before we kick start the school year I like to go through and PURGE their drawers. Stained clothing, too small sizes, stinky shoes: all of it goes in the trash or for donation!
This will also help them get their back to school brains organized, and make room for a few choice selections for new clothes to get them through the school year, or at least the fall!
Don’t forget to check their outerwear as well! As strange as it can be to be trying on snowsuits in August, you will be grateful you did when that first snowfall comes and all the suits are sold out!
4. Enjoy the Last Moments
There is something special about summer, so don’t rush through it too much. Get prepped early for back to school so you can enjoy the last few days of summer fun. Plan a picnic, or beach day, or ask your kids what THEIR favourite way to remember the summer is. Every one will be back in the school routine soon enough, so stretch out the days as long as you can right now!
And to help YOU get ready for back to school, Crayola has generously donated a $50 prize pack full of school supplies! Enter below to WIN, and start thinking of the smell of fresh crayons and that special feeling of cracking open a clean pad of paper!
The Crayola Prize Pack giveaway includes:
- 24 ct crayons
- 24 mini twistables fun effect
- Ultra-Clean Broad Line Markers, 10 ct Tropical
- Power Lines Scented Markers
- Ultra-Clean Stamper Markers
- Coloured Pencils, 24 ct
- 24 Washable Watercolour Paints
- Glue Sticks
- Blunt Tip Metal Scissors
- Construction Paper Pad, 120 ct
- 5 Paint Brushes, assorted
Please note this giveaway is open to Canadians only and closes on August 28th.