Back To School Ideas

Well, it’s time to put away your bathing suites and start sharpening your pencils again. As summer is coming to a conclusion, people, especially children, are looking to salvage those last two weeks before the school year commences.  As a kid myself, whenever those back-to-school-sales would appear on ads, I knew I was in for another grueling 10 months of homework, tests, papers, and finals. I was not excited about being coped up in a classroom, especially when summer wasn’t officially over. I most certainly empathize with what most kids dread about the school year. Shopping for school supplies wasn’t what I had in mind for spending my last two weeks of summer vacation. Not surprisingly, parents have told me that school couldn’t start soon enough. Their kids were already done with camp and had all this allotted time to drive their parents bonkers. I can only try to imagine what they have to do to entertain their kids while struggling to hold on to every ounce of their sanity. But why go into a school year on a sour note?  Here are several last minute inexpensive back to school ideas for both parents and children alike.

1.      Host a Back to School Party for a Cause

School supply shopping can put a strain on family’s budget. If your family and friends are in a position to help others, you can throw a backpack-stuffing party with your kids. Simply Ask each guest to bring a particular item–glue sticks, paper, pens, etc. Provide backpacks (either new or gently used) and set up an assembly line for the kids to fill the bags with supplies. Once you’ve finished your work, let the kids play and eat. At the end of the party, deliver the backpacks to your local school district office or other program that helps kids in need. You should call those organizations ahead of time to find out their needs. School supply lists can vary, and they might even be able to tell you how many girls and how many boys they'll be serving.

2.      Throw a Back to School Bash

I couldn’t think of a more creative idea to finish off a summer vacation other than with a school-themed party. Serve food in brown paper lunch sacks. Menu items could include sandwiches, cartons of milk and red apples. Play school-themed music, such as “Wonderful World” by Sam Cookie. Decorate with chalkboards, globes, stacks of textbooks and flashcards. Play traditional schoolyard games such as tag, foursquare, dodgeball, tetherball and kickball. For dessert, serve caramel apples, an apple-shaped cake or a cake shaped like an old-fashioned schoolhouse and painted red. If you’re looking for more school-themed party ideas, do some online research and look for tips on how to throw parties. Many of these party ideas can be applicable for back to school bashes.

3.      Host a Backyard Campout

Autumn is around the corner and the schedule will be filled with soccer lessons, field trips and homework assignments. Better squeeze in a night of backyard camping before it’s too late. You’ll need tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags and coolers with ice. Serve hot dogs, hamburgers, cut fruit and vegetables, chips and s’mores. You can also take advantage of the last days of summer by engaging in outdoor activities as well such as gardening, mountain biking, hiking or canoeing. Be sure to hydrate yourself at all times. A little nature never hurt anyone. Besides, you might regret missing out on the scenery once school starts.

4.      Hold a Back to School Fashion Show

If you want to beat the summer heat, go to the mall. From a female perspective, shopping doesn’t require a special occasion. Plus this is a great excuse for creating a new line for your wardrobe. Girls (and sometimes boys) can’t have too much clothing. Once all the back-to-school clothes shopping is done, have your child invite friends over for a fashion show. Set up a catwalk, turn down the lights, play some techno music and hand everyone a flashlight so they can illuminate whoever is strutting their stuff. Serve some drinks, refreshments, and their favorite treats. An alternative to this is to have all the kids bring gently worn clothes they no longer want. They could exchange the secondhand clothes with each other to freshen up their wardrobes or could pool all the clothes together and donate the outfits to kids in need.

5.     Attend a Sports Game or an Event

In late August and early September, most high school football teams are playing scrimmages on their schools' practice fields. Elementary and middle school-age kids might enjoy watching the teens play. Boys in particular tend to be more easily entertained when it comes to sports games than girls. You should find out the scrimmage schedule. Then you can arrange for your children and their friends to attend a game together. Pack sub sandwiches, easy-to-eat fruit (such as grapes), popcorn and crispy rice cereal treats shaped like footballs. Before they get together, tell the kids to wear the school’s colors. Bring along a football for the kids to toss around after the game is over. For a more female friendly activity, you can take your girls to a movie of interest or a play. If you are looking for something more cultural, you might enjoy a museum. You can even pamper them with a makeover or a manicure. All of this can be done at home. Create some homemade beauty products together.

6.     Plan Your Own Family Tradition

When we were of school age, my family would take us on a boating/rafting trip the week before school started. Back-to-school season is a chance for fresh starts. So why not launch your own ritual that celebrates new beginnings? You can make a scrapbook together for the upcoming school year. Create the first pages, but leave most of the book blank so it can be filled throughout the year. You can also whip up a special breakfast on the first day of school or pick a restaurant where you’ll eat on the first day every year. Teach your kids a new skill. You both can make their favorite homemade treats together. You can prepare their lunches with them too. If you have the time, take them to their favorite local spot or area to put their minds at ease before the school year starts. Go somewhere or do something together with your family that will evoke good memories forever.