One of the exciting features on our social media feeds at the beginning of each year, is the cute photos of children holding up their first day of school boards or proudly showing off their new uniforms.
Emails, adverts and social media is full of back-to-school moments and sales and it can be hard as a mom who homeschools to not feel like our children are missing out on something special.
So, as we start the new school year I wanted to share a post I wrote last year for moms homeschooling
Homeschool traditions
I saw something on one of the Homeschool Facebook groups early in our homeschool journey telling moms who’ve decided to homeschool not to feel left out as their news feeds are filled with wonderful back-to-school images.
That they could create their own traditions that would be just as special and magical.
Ways to make homeschooling special
And that is just what we do each year. We made our own traditions and celebrate a new grade, back to school, and other special milestones our own way .
Here are some ways to make going back to school special for a child who is homeschooling.
1. Hold an impromptu back-to-school photoshoot
2. Have a special breakfast
3. Plan a fun first day
4. Make a back to school board
5. Order personalised grade t-shirts
6. Gift your child special stationery.
7. Start one small tradition…maybe it’s ice cream after the first day or a milkshake treat.
Homeschool moms share their traditions
I spoke to some other homeschool moms and found out what their homeschool back-to-school traditions are.
THANDA
Our homeschool tradition for our first day is to take pictures and play a board game before any formal schoolwork begins.
ALLY
This year Faith is starting Grade R and she’s super excited. We’re implementing a new tradition that we’ll carry over to every homeschool year to follow. We’ll be creating a Homeschool Vision Board with places to explore according to lessons learned each school term. Faith will include small rewards she’d like throughout the year as well.
This makes it more exciting for her to learn and work towards achieving these goals
RONEL
Our tradition on the first day is a waffle breakfast and even though my kiddos are older I still read to them “Oh the place you’ll go.” by Dr. Seuss. We plan and discuss our goals and dreams. This year I have an Escape room challenge to kick start the first “Not back to school day.” Hubby also usually brings a treat or tries to come home early with a treat and take us for a beach swim/walk.
REBA
Our homeschool tradition consists of taking first-day pictures, having breakfast together, and sharing our precious moments of the previous year and what we look forward to in the new year.
LAUREN
We’re starting our 4th year of homeschooling next week, and we do a “not back to school day!”
We change it up every year, but either way, we start on the day traditional school starts and we go on an outing!
This year we plan on going to African Dawn Bird sanctuary just outside Port Elizabeth, we’ll walk around and end with a picnic and an ice cream. And we do a traditional photo, but ours always involves a chicken. My son is Aidan, age 7 and he’s starting grade 2.
Our traditions
Each year I buy Hamish a new outfit for school and new stationery.
Our first day is usually a fun day with an outing and a cute breakfast.
I take a few first-day photos and we do a board where he records his age, grade, and what he wants to be each year.
On the first day of school, he is gifted a new book.
Hoping your first week back at school is happy and full of wonderful memories. I would love to hear more about your first day at school traditions share them below in the comments.
