Can you believe it is almost time for us to ask the question: How to get ready for going back to school?! Summer always flies by and leaves us over here like…
We don’t know about you. But the summer sunshine and all of the opportunities to be outdoors make our hearts happy in the summer! AND our kiddos too!!
However, as teachers and mamas, we’re balancing ALL the fun this summer. We’re also being intentional about making sure our kiddos are ready for school in the fall.
Thinking about how to get ready for going back to school may be looming over your head. Yet, simply the fact that you are having that thought makes you a great parent or guardian. You care about your kids’ education, and you want them to do well. Because you love them. We get you, Mama.
How to Get Ready for Going Back to School
Maybe you are feeling worried about the school year approaching and wondering about whether your child is on track for their upcoming grade level.
Are you concerned about the summer slide and the summer learning loss that sometimes occur for kiddos when they take a long break from “doing school”?
Do you wish you could entice your kiddos to keep learning in the summer in a fun way that would prepare them for going back to school, enhance their skills, and get them ready for a great year?
Have you found yourself wondering if you are doing enough as a parent to help your kids learn and prepare them for the next school year in a way that will set them up for success?
Relate? Us too! Yes, even teacher moms and reading specialists have ALL these same thoughts!
So we’ve put resources together to end the summer slide and get kids learning in the summer and having FUN in ways that relieve stress for parents and give them peace of mind!
And today we’re going to share about writing specifically as it pertains to getting kids ready to go back to school!
Many mamas have shared with us that their kids love to read but that they have a harder time getting them to practice writing. Can you relate, name?
We get it. And we’re here for ya.
How to Prepare for Going Back to School – Ready for Writing!
WE’VE GOT 3 TIPS TO GET YOUR KIDS WRITING THIS SUMMER!
1. Give Them Authentic Opportunities to Write!
So what does this mean, and how does it relate to that whole “how to get ready for going back to school question”? Well, you may or may not know this, but in the U.S. research shows that only about ⅓ of students are proficient writers. That means that if you are asking yourself if your child is ready for school next year, the chances are that as writers they may not be.
And one of the best ways to give our kids writing practice (without it feeling like we’re pulling teeth) is to have them write with an authentic purpose! So get ready to get those kids writing this summer! In FUN, EASY, APPROACHABLE ways, Mama!
We planned it out for you, so you don’t have to! 🙂
Here are our ideas for you to get them writing in FUN ways!
- Write letters to grandparents or other relatives!
- Write wish lists for birthdays, things they’d like to do this summer, goals for the school year…LISTS are loved by kids, and the possibilities here are endless!
- Have them write a thank you note to a neighbor, coach, pastor, or friend! Great opportunity for a life lesson here AND writing practice!
- Make it a family service activity and have your kiddos write and decorate cards for the local nursing home, fire station, or hospital nurses!
- Challenge them to write a how-to book for a sport they are learning to play. They can give it to a younger sibling or friend to learn!
Real opportunities and reasons to write are always more fun, and the more writing our kids do – the better prepared for school they will be!
2. Provide Them Something Special to Write on and Write With!
This one doesn’t have to be expensive either! You CAN grab a fun, new notebook or pencil from the dollar store OR find one around the house and make it exciting and “new.”
Here are some ideas for HOW:
- Collage the front of a spiral notebook together (or have them do it independently depending on age here!). Cut out magazines or newspapers for fun pictures to glue on the front of this notebook to make it feel personalized!
- Staple random scrap pieces of paper together! Bam! Now they have a new “notebook.” We promise that it’s all about the way you present something. If you say it’s amazing and fun, they’ll usually buy into it.
- Print our free writing paper, and let them make their own booklets or journals by stapling them together, hole punching for a notebook, etc. That FREE paper pack has 12 different versions of lined paper for all different levels of writers!
- Have fun writing utensils nearby that they can grab independently! Seriously – think old pens you’ve gotten at random places for free that are scattered in junk drawers! Put them all in that pretty coffee mug you never use, and voila! Your kids have a fun “new” cup of writing utensils!!
- Put up a Facebook post to see if any of your friends and family are looking to get rid of old empty notebooks or notepads & extra pens. People LOVE a good reason to clean out their “junk.” And paper pads and mismatched markers will become your kids’ new treasures!
3. Sit Your Elementary Kiddos in Front of This SUPER FUN & ENGAGING WRITING LESSON VIDEO!
Seriously, next time you need to keep the kiddos busy for about 22 minutes – just throw some paper and writing utensils in front of them, and let the video work its magic! (And YES – we DID just give you one of the Virtual Literacy Camp videos COMPLETELY FREE!)
That video will get them writing and having FUN writing in NO TIME! Then, when they LOVE it – which obvi – they will LOVE it…
Sign them up for The Literacy Camp at Home Experience HERE for more inspiration to keep them writing more than ever before…ALL. SUMMER. LONG!
How to Get Ready for Back to School – For the Parents!
Okay, parents, the question of how to get ready for going back to school is not just for the kiddos! It’s for us too, right?!
Here’s our quick guide:
- Sign up for The Literacy Camp at Home Experience to give those kids FUN learning videos to keep them busy and learning while you start Amazon Priming school supplies!
- Join our FREE Parent Facebook Group: The Literacy Ladies for Parents of Elementary Kids! It’s an amazing, growing group of parents and educators sharing ideas to help kids learn – completely FREE advice with a fun group of people! All are welcome!
- Grab Your Free Parent Guide with Our 9 Steps to Keep Your Kids Busy & Learning! These are PERFECT for preparing them for going back to school and giving them some summer learning activity fun! Additionally, this guide will even set you up for a successful school year with tips like how to set up an at-home learning space for doing homework and which learning shows to let them watch while you cook dinner! Did we mention it’s FREE?!
Now, start putting the kids to bed early & pour yourself a lemonade for reading on the back deck! No seriously…make some time for you the rest of this summer too, parents! You deserve it.
Now go grab a spot in Virtual Literacy Camp while they are still available!
Happy Reading!
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