Back-to-School Fun for Kids

I know, I know, no one wants to think about back-to-school time. But I know some people who have gone back already and many of us will have kiddos heading back to school soon (or starting up homeschooling again), and there are ways to make it a little more fun for all of us.

If you have preschoolers or are a preschool teacher, check out these cute back to school songs for preschoolers. They’d be great for circle time or walking through the halls. You’ll find them at Teaching Mama.

You might also like to do a preschool countdown with books about going to school if you have a child who is going to school for the first time, or who has the jitters (or is excited about it, for that matter). Hands On As We Grow has the details, and Buggy and Buddy has a great list of books for back-to-school time not just for preschoolers.

Or keep your countdown a little simpler (but still super cute) with a paper chain countdown like the one at Preschool Inspirations. Tear a loop of each day until it’s time to go back to school. Honestly, I think my almost-8-year-old would love one of these, too.

My Life and Kids has a great roundup of back-to-school games, some of which are great for teachers to use in the classroom and others can be played at home. Or check out the back to school word search from Superheroes and Teacups.

This sweet bus craft with family photos from No Time for Flash Cards is great for a child going to school or riding the bus for the first time, or for a child missing their older sibling while they are still at home.

All kids seem to love terrible jokes, and this collection from Kids Activities Blog has some groaners that will be great for breaking the ice at school or getting rid of some nervousness on the ride to school. (Example: How do you get straight A’s? By using a ruler!)

You’ll find more great jokes in the form of printable lunch notes at Happiness is Homemade, where she also has an amazing roundup of other sources for printable lunchbox notes that will keep you going all year.

Make your mornings a little easier with tips from B-Inspired Mama. And don’t forget to do something cute for your first day of school photos (might I suggest my easy chalkboard sign?) and make sure you think about your family’s privacy before you post those photos online (thanks for the reminders, JDaniel4’s Mom).

How do you celebrate or prepare for going back to school? I’d love to hear your ideas!

I did a post earlier this year with activities and ideas for teaching the alphabet, but a lot or learning letters and recognizing them just has to do with seeing them and working with them a lot.

That means coloring, tracing, identifying things that start with different letters and more.

One way to reinforce the letters is through little activity books like these cute printable alphabet books from Life Over Cs.

These are available for free when you subscribe to her newsletter, and I’d say that’s well worth it if you have a little one (or a group of little ones!) working on the alphabet and letter recognition.

Each mini book includes a collection of things that start with that letter to color, color and read with words that start with the letter, tracing the letter, finding the letter in a grid and other coloring pages with objects that start with that letter.

These little books are super useful reinforcing the different letters and giving kids different activities related to the letters.

If you do a letter of the day or letter of the week you can use a new book for each one, and then keep the copies in your reading center or in a basket where kids can look at them again.

And of course you can add in all the other letter activities you like, go on a scavenger hunt for items that start with that letter, read alphabet books, practice writing letters in rice or with pompoms or playdough or whatever sensory activities you like.

You can grab the free printables when you enter you email address at Life Over Cs, and check out her other great alphabet resources and activities while you are over there.

Do you have favorite activities for teaching letters to kids? I’d love to hear about them!

[Photo: Life Over Cs]

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