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Back to School Tips to Help Your Child Start the Year Strong

It’s normal for both parents and kids to feel apprehensive about the start of a new school year, but with a little bit of preparation and following this back to school advice guide, both you and your kids can enter the next school year feeling confident and ready.

Back to School Tips for Parents

Follow these simple back to school tips to help your kid transition back into the school semester as smoothly as possible.

Start the School Sleep Schedule Early

With school approaching, it’s important to make sure your kids are getting enough sleep. A 2020 research paper measuring the effect of sleep on academic performance found that consistent sleep patterns have a greater impact on GPA than duration.

Tip: Rebuild the school night routine by shifting bedtimes 15 mins earlier every 1-2 days, starting 1-2 weeks before school starts. 

Rebuild School Routines and Morning Checklists

Create a morning routine that helps your family get out on time and stress-free. Wake everyone in good time and prepare clothes, homework, and extra equipment the night before.

Tip: Use a visual chart to help younger kids remember what they need to do. Include things like brushing teeth/hair, packing your bag, and when to remember your sports kit. 

Set Reasonable Expectations Together

Chat with your kid about expectations and how you define ‘success’. Approach it collaboratively and allow your child to voice their own ideas, concerns, and expectations. 

Tip: Discuss things like attendance, homework routines, grades, screen use, rewards, and extra-curriculars so your child knows what’s expected of them from the start.

Hand Kids Age-Appropriate Responsibilities

Responsibility helps self-esteem, resilience, and problem-solving skills. It also lets kids learn from their own mistakes. 

Tip: Many families use chore charts to guide kids and offer rewards like stickers, allowances, or extra screen time. 

Organize School Supplies and Backpacks

Make a school supplies checklist and shop early. Sorting supplies early gives you a chance to make sure nothing has been missed.

Tip: Label kids’ supplies so if something gets lost, there’s a better chance it’s returned. 

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What Does Getting Ready for Back to School Really Mean?

Back to school preparation for students is not just about the right equipment. It’s about making sure they are mentally and emotionally prepared. For some families, that means reviewing last year’s learning and setting new goals, while for others it’s about relaxing and switching off. Only you know what works best for your kids. 

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How to Ease First-Day Nerves and Back to School Anxiety

First day of school jitters are totally normal so make sure your kid knows it’s ok to be a bit worried. Follow these first day of school tips for parents to help ease your little ones’ nerves:

• Find out what’s worrying them. It may not be anything specific, but ask them what’s making them feel anxious.
• Chat with them about what to expect, where their new classroom is, and who their new teacher is. 
• Remind them of all the exciting things they will get to do, like playing with their friends or a favorite class.
• Plan something exciting for the first weekend, like a special craft or game, to give them something to look forward to.
• Visit the school if you’re new to it and meet the teacher. Try to meet other kids through clubs or play dates before they start.

When Back to School Jitters Might Be Something More

If your child’s back to school nerves are persistent or are affecting everyday life, like their sleep or physical health, then reach out to your child’s school or doctor for more advice and support.

Healthy Habits for a Strong School Year

Back to school tips for students aren’t only about preparing them academically. Building healthy habits young will set them up for success throughout their lives. Here’s our top back to school health tips. 

Nutrition and Packed Lunches

Plan healthy lunch ideas to support your kids’ energy needs. Too many unhealthy foods can affect energy, concentration, and overall health.

Tip: Prepare packed lunches the night before to prevent yourself from throwing unhealthy convenience foods into your lunch box. 

Physical Activity and Movement

Sport is important for more than just physical health. Sports teach teamwork, resilience, and widen their friendship circle. 

Tip: There’s a sport for every kid. Your child might not like the popular sports, but keep encouraging them to try new things until they find the right activity for them.

Screen Time Limits on School Nights

It’s 2026, so avoiding screen time completely probably isn’t an option. But establishing a screen schedule during the school days stops it from interfering with homework and sleep.

Tip: Some families find that setting a timer for online activities helps kids build healthy boundaries.

Refresh Skills Before Day One: Beating the Summer Slide

The summer slide is when kids lose some of the reading and math skills they gained during the school year. Without regular opportunities to practice, Dartmouth Children’s Health reports that kids in grades 3-5 can lose around 20% of reading gains and 27% of math gains over the long vacation. 

Here’s how to get ready for back to school:

• Don’t leave homework. In the first weeks, get your kids to set out what work they need to do, and make a plan together to tackle it.
• Spot gaps early. Take the opportunity to run through some fun math activities or reading challenges to see how your kid copes. 
• Make it fun. Learning doesn’t have to be sitting down and studying, you can introduce hands-on math learning into a trip out or practice reading in a restaurant. 

Brighterly offers free learning resources to help you support your child at home. If they need a bit of extra help, our 1:1 tutors are US-curriculum aligned and can create a personalized learning plan to fill any knowledge gaps. 

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Age-Specific Back to School Tips

	Top Tip #1	Top Tip #2	Top Tip #3
Back to school tips for elementary school students	Set priorities: Let them know what their school-time responsibilities are.	Give them space to fail: Let your kids take ownership, manage their time, and be efficient.	Create a distraction-free environment: Prepare a quiet space for homework.
Back to school tips for middle school students	Give them responsibility: Age-appropriate responsibilities like walking to school alone foster independence.	Set SMART goals: Set short, medium, and long-term goals together. Encourage seeing setbacks as opportunities, not failure.	Let them choose: Give your kid input into their weekly schedule, including extracurricular activities and free time planning.
Back to school tips for high school students	Teach relaxation: Encourage mindfulness, meditation, and other stress management techniques to support emotional health.	Protect your relationship: Teens need an adult they trust and can go to. Prioritize your relationship with your teen.	Encourage sleep: Sleep is often overlooked in favor of socializing, studying, or sports, but it’s vital for learning and overall well-being.

Back to School Tips for Kids to Use Themselves

• Tips to feel prepared: Encourage your child to spend 10-15 mins a day reviewing key concepts to prevent summer learning loss. Ask if they struggled with anything and help them fill in any gaps. Older kids might consider doing a writing program or an online summer math camp.
• Tips to feel calm: Introduce your child to journaling and mindfulness to protect their emotional health and learn life-long relaxation skills.
• Tips to feel healthy: Prioritize movement like playing with neighborhood kids, bike rides, or keeping up with sports.
• Tips to feel excited: Encourage them to see friends, let them plan something to look forward to, or help them organize their first-day outfit.

Common Back to School Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake 1: Leaving all academic preparation or homework to the last week.

How to avoid: Set out expectations and a realistic plan at the start of the summer. Spot if your kid needs extra support and space learning out in small, manageable blocks. 

• Mistake 2: Overscheduling your child

How to avoid: Extracurriculars are important, but when the school year starts, so does downtime. Choose one or two activities your child wants to do. 

• Mistake 3: Not setting boundaries, responsibilities, and goals

How to avoid: Sit down and talk about what you and your child expect from the coming months. Make it collaborative and come up with some realistic goals together. 

Conclusion

Heading back to school can be nerve-racking for everyone, but by following a few back to school tips and tricks, you can make the transition from summer holiday to school semester smooth for the whole family.

Kids should enter the new year feeling prepared, both academically and emotionally. Using a reading or math tutor for homework help or to plug gaps can set your child up for a successful year.  

Frequently Asked Questions

When Should Parents Start Preparing for the New School Year?

Realistically, kids need a week or two to decompress before they’re ready to tackle schoolwork. Start other back to school preparation, like buying new equipment at least 2 weeks before the end of the holidays, and shift into term-time sleep and health routines 1-2 weeks before school starts.

How Can I Help My Child Make New Friends at School?

You can help younger kids make friends by arranging play dates or signing them up for local clubs. Encourage older kids to reach out to friends over the summer and arrange things. Some children like a wide variety of friends, whereas others prefer a smaller group. 

How Can Parents Handle a Tearful First-Day Drop-Off?

Tearful first-day drop-offs can be heartbreaking, but it helps to remember that it’s very common and usually doesn’t last. Support your child by:

• Helping them to verbalize their emotions, “I can see you’re feeling worried about your first day”
• Providing a supportive space for those emotions, “It’s ok to feel worried when we do new things, sometimes mommy feels that way too”
• Not to let the tears dictate what happens, “It’s time to go into class now, mom (or X) will be here at X time when you’ve finished.” 

How Much Sleep Does My Child Actually Need?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, here’s how much sleep your child needs:

• Age 3-5: 10 to 13 hours (may include a nap)
• Age 6-12: 9 to 12 hours.
• Age 13-18: 8 to 10 hours.

What If My Child Says They Don’t Want to Go to School?

It’s normal for children to say they don’t want to go to school at some point. However, if your child’s feelings persist or they refuse to go, then talk to the school about any issues and ask for extra support. You can also speak to your kids’ healthcare provider for further help. 

How Can I Support My Child’s Learning at Home During the Year?

You can use at-home resources like worksheets to support school learning or try online math lessons. You can also try a reading and writing tutor who can assess your child’s level, their strengths, and areas to work on. Our tutors design a personalized plan to help your child reach their goals.