Here it is…the end of summer (sniff, sniff). Of course it is suppose to be a beautiful summer week, hot temps, lots of sun. Who wants to see it go? It is a harsh reality that all good things come to an end. But, just think of all the fun fall activities that New England has to offer. It is a exciting season coming up! With the end of summer comes the beginning of school. The start of school is a new beginning, a time to start fresh. So many new friends, new teachers, new challenges.  As adults we can be excited, but it may take a little more convincing for the younger ones. Here are some tips to make the transition a smooth one.

Start the day off right. An awesome breakfast will make the day a bit more thrilling! Some of the most fun breakfast ideas are from Martha Stewart (don’t worry, they are not super fancy, they are kid friendly!). Who doesn’t like a layered breakfast parfait (sounds difficult, but it is so easy!)? You can even just layer yogurt with cereal and fruit. Very nutritional while also being fun to eat. If you have a bit more time to spend on making breakfast, you can use cookie cutters to shape pancakes or fried eggs. Other great ideas can be found here.

After a fantastic breakfast, start a first day of school tradition. One of our favorite traditions is to have your child hold up last year’s first day of school picture while taking this year’s first day of school picture. You can see how much your kids grow and change in just one year. Another creative idea we found on Pinterest is to buy a t-shirt in the size you think your child will be as a Senior in High School and have them wear it every year for a first day of school picture (then they can change back to regular clothes). So fun to see how they get closer and closer to fitting in it. If your child is excited about growing up, have them hold up a sign that says their grade and year with what they want to be when they grow up. It could stay an astronaut for 5 years, but that’s ok!

When they get to school there should be something special to look forward to at lunch. Once again cookie cutters will make everything a bit more interesting. Cut cucumber, zuccinni, bread, and fruit in all different shapes. Then have a dip like humus in a small container. They get fruit, veggies and grains all in one lunch! Cut up some leftover chicken for some added protein. Roll-ups are another kid favorite, with or without bread. Roll lunch meat with cheese and have crackers on the side. Or do the roll-up with flat bread. Martha Steward has more fantastic school lunch ideas.

Start off the school year on the right foot and the kids will be as excited as you are that they are going back to school ; )