Back To HomeSchool Ideas: 7 Ways to Encourage Kids to Get Excited About Back To (Home)School

Back to school is different for kids who go to school; back packs, locker chandeliers, and the school list we spy moms trying to fill in the local Wal-Mart don’t always work for those of us who school in our PJ’s.

I wanted my girls to look forward to back to school.  Here are some ideas I found that got them excited.  And me too!

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” ~ C. S. Lewis

1– Take pictures on the first day.  Go outside; pictures always look better outside.  Try to catch your kids personalities.  Let them pose.  Be silly; no rules.

2- Make Back to HomeSchool Bags for the first day of school.  My kids look forward to this every year.  I use pretty or colored gift bags but you could use paper lunch bags as well.   Ask your kids what they would like for school.  From pre-schoolers to high schoolers, here are some ideas you can include:

gum, candy, sharpened pencils, markers, crayons, stationary, glue sticks, colored pencils, erasers, hot wheels, sharpeners, Lego’s, hair clips, Pez candy and dispensers, chocolate, socks, pocket knife, snacks, notebooks, calculator, cool pen, punching balloons, shaving cream, a special razor, make up, nail polish, a new tooth brush, tooth paste, dollar bills, coupon to a coffee house or coffee, homemade coupons, special drinks, that little something you usually do not let them have, etc…  For my youngest, she wanted vitamin water.  Who knew?

3- Write a letter to your child addressing things you are looking forward to this year;  Character issues you are proud of and ones that need work;  A Bible verse for encouragement.

4-  Conspire with your kids to find out what they would like to study during the year.  Follow up.  Buy a book or check one out from the library on the subject and incorporate it into your studies.  We saw a shark at the beach this summer and my youngest is very interested in sharks now.

5- Ask your kids what they would like to do for the school year.  What would they like to accomplish or try?  Sort of like a school year bucket list:  Field trips, mission trips, theater productions, movies, games, karate, 5K’s, camping, etc…

(We do this for summer as well and try very hard to check these off their wish list.)

6-  Think lunches with a new perspective.  Sometimes I just need a kick start to get inspired.  My girls had their own ideas when I asked.  Google homeschool lunch ideas.  Here are several: (Be sure to check out the comments as well.)

• Lunch Ideas For Homeschool Moms
• 4 Ways To Simplify Homeschool Meals
• Healthy Homeschool Lunches
• 10 Homeschool Lunch Ideas

Making a special breakfast the first day is always appreciated too.

7-  The best way I have found to get my kids looking forward to back to school is for ME to look forward to it.  Get organized.  Pray.   (For yourself and your homeschool.)  Make it special.  Mention it often.  We are so blessed with this opportunity to homeschool and it is infectious to show our gratefulness by our actions and the words that come out of our mouths, just how blessed we are.

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Do you have any ideas for Back to Homeschool? I would be interested! Please share any ideas you may have in the comments.