It’s already that time of the year when back-to-school season is just around the corner and looming over your peaceful holiday. As the first day of a new school year comes closer and closer, the pressure to prepare everything can start to slowly build up. It is often a logistical challenge, and is almost too easy to feel overwhelmed, no matter what school year your child is entering.
Use this handy back-to-school checklist to keep on top of planning and preparations, making it a smooth and stress-free transition back into the school term rhythm.
Manoj Arachige
Sort Schoolwear Essentials: Uniforms, Shoes, Backpacks and Water Bottles
Start by checking that their school uniforms and shoes are still in tolerable condition or whether you might need to look into buying some new ones to replace the ones that are no longer a comfortable fit. Also, remember to consider sport uniforms if your student is taking a PE subject or participating in after-school sports.
Inspect their backpacks to make sure that they are still in working condition and spacious enough to carry books, stationery, food and any personal items they may need. By considering these items early, you'll be able to make the most effective use of those back-to-school sales!
- Uniforms
- A Hat
- Water bottles
- School bags
- Lunch boxes
- Pencil bases
- Emergency items
Food: snacks, lunches and water
Having a healthy set of snacks throughout the day is of utmost importance to ensure your child stays energised and focused throughout the day. Use the time before the first day of school to plan future lunch meals for the term ahead and consider preparing snack bundles in bulk to help those rushed and chaotic mornings.
Planning ahead and browsing the various supermarket’s online catalogues for sales and discounts can help to keep prices down. It will also give you time to check with your kids what type of snacks they are into so that the food you buy doesn't end up in the bin.
Frequently enjoyed snacks that can be easily pre-packed for the school day include fruit slices, yoghurt and muesli bars. In terms of lunch, nutritious and balanced options that contain whole grains, vegetables and protein will nourish and support the enquiring mind of a student! Depending on what your child enjoys, it could be worthwhile to consider meal-prepping pasta, grilled vegetables with meat and rice, or wraps and sandwiches with their favourite fillings.
It can even be a family activity to meal-prep lunch for the following week. This also carries the benefit of helping students learn essential cooking skills and even fundamental numeracy and literacy skills as they read recipes and calculate food portions.
Remember to pack a water bottle so your child can stay hydrated with sips throughout the day!
Equipment essentials: stationery + tech
Packing the right tech gear and book supplies is core to an uncomplicated start to a new school year. Encouraging your child to pack their stationery (including pencils, pens, calculator, notebooks, and folders) will help them stay organised and prepared for class.
Having these essentials ready will position your child well to thrive in the new learning environment and help them feel confident in stepping up to tackle new academic challenges.
If there is a school-issued laptop or tablet, double-check that all the required forms have been completed and submitted so that receiving and setting up the device is a seamless experience.
Recommended Tech Essentials
- HP 15.6" Quad Core N100 8/256GB Laptop
- Lenovo 15.6" IdeaPad Slim 1i Celeron 4/128GB Laptop
- ASUS 15.6" Vivobook 15 Laptop Core i5/16GB/512GB
Creating a family calendar
By compiling everyone’s schedules into one central place, it becomes easier to see all the commitments in an overview – no more last-minute scrambles and reshuffling for those last-minute frantic moments of clashes or remembering an impending event that you must attend!
Some things to include could be key times such as sports practices, as well as important dates as they pop up, including parent-teacher meetings, school photos, appointments, and pupil-free days.
Try it out! A centralised family calendar can really add an element of coziness and comfort when you can see what everyone’s schedule is like; it can also help in finding some time when everyone is free to rest and recharge with your loved ones.
Practicalities: Consider routes to and from school (or a drop-off / pick-up schedule)
Creating a clear plan for getting to school and coming home is crucial for a smooth start to the year, especially if it’s the first day at a new school in a new location.
Double-check the school’s starting and ending times, and review possible options for getting to and from school, whether walking or biking, catching public transport, signing up for school-led transport options or driving your child. Account for potential peak hour traffic and other delays, and plan your time to avoid any potential troubles and stresses.
If your child is catching public transport, organise for their student public transport cards to be ready for the first day, and confirm they are aware of how to check on their mobile device the routes they need to catch, and which stop they need to get off / transfer.
If you are picking up your child, ensure that a mutual pick-up location and time has been decided upon, to help streamline the process. Consider whether you may need to book before-school care or after-hours care depending on when you can arrive at school on time for pick-up.
By clarifying these details in advance, the daily school run can become significantly more efficient, and as you get into the routine of it, stress-free!
Overall, forward planning can be really helpful in easing everyone back into the academic school year and making it a productive start for everyone!
Manoj Arachige
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