Summer is in full swing; holidays are upon us and routines go out the window. Sounds like the back-to-school countdown is on! Don’t let the pressure of getting everything ready for the new school year get to you with some of our simple tips in our back-to-school checklist.

4 weeks out

• Make sure you have a copy of the important dates in your school’s calendar

Logging important dates on paper or electronically will help to keep you organised. Things like school holidays for the next year, or free days can then be marked in your calendars.

• Check supplies list provided by the school

Your school should send you a list of all requirements, from uniform to stationery – whether you still have leftover stationery from the previous year or you need to start fresh this is a good opportunity to get ahead of what you need. These lists may also include water bottles, backpacks and more.

• Book in an advance shoe fitting at The Trybe for school shoes and PE Shoes (with around two weeks to go)

  We offer exclusive one on one school shoe fitting sessions for this upcoming back to school season, whether you’re buying school shoes or sport shoes

  – these appointments fill up quick, so we recommend booking well in advance, close to the start of term.

BOOK A SHOEFITTING APPOINTMENT

• If it’s possible, enquire about booking an advance tour of their school

If your child is starting at a brand-new school this year, see if you’re able to book them in for a tour of their new environment so they can see their classroom and other facilities. It might help them feel more secure about starting fresh – especially if they’re graduating into a new primary school or high school.

3 Weeks out

• Organise a space at home for homework and study time

Making sure they have a nice space to work is super important to help keep them focused when it comes to after school studying and homework. A distraction free space will potentially make them feel like they can fully focus on getting their homework completed too. Either a little desk in their bedroom or even in your own study area at home – you could even ask them to help you decorate, so it really feels like their own personal area for learning.

• Get name tags ready

We know that heaps of our kids’ stuff can go missing, so name tags are a must. Whether you’re writing by hand, or you’ve bought some name tag stickers – apply them to absolutely everything to school uniform, lunch boxes etc.

2 Weeks out

• Time to reset routines back to school calendar (whether that’s winding down late nights, and switching mealtimes back

Naturally school holidays mean routine goes out the window, especially if you take them out of home for a vacation or a summer break. Late nights and shifts in mealtimes can sometimes play havoc with their body clocks. Get them back into school mode a couple of weeks out by hitting the reset button on routines, by adhering to stricter bedtimes and moving mealtimes back. We even recommend making sure they’re getting up at the right times in the morning too to give them plenty of time to adjust. School is tiring enough, so their routine should be in line.

• Hair cut time!

Goes without saying, giving their hair a little tidy up before heading back to school means they will look lovely and ready.

• Complete your school shoe fitting

• Complete your PE shoe fitting

Make sure your fitting at the Trybe is complete by now, whether you were looking for formal school shoes or sporty shoes for PE.

• Conduct your tour of the school

• Do a dry run of the school commute

Whether the commute to school is on foot, by car or even public transport – this will give you an idea of how long it will take to get them to and from school. Perhaps they are going to be doing this journey by themselves (especially if they’re older high school kids) – showing them how to do the journey on public transport outside of the school calendar, should help them feel more confident when it comes to day 1.

1 Week out

• Wear in those new school shoes around the house

It goes without saying, formal school shoes can sometimes take a bit of work to wear in – ask your little one to wear in their new leather shoes around the house a little will help to wear in their new footwear.

• Prep and plan ahead for school packed lunches

Meal planning will help to make you feel organised for the new school year – or at least the first week.

• Review the upcoming calendar with your little one

Taking your child through the upcoming school calendar, showing them important dates and timelines is a way to get them mentally ready for everything that is coming up!

• Make sure their PT card is loaded up – or that you have auto top up enabled

No brainer but if they are taking public transport, make sure their card is loaded up with credit for the whole week – we even recommend having auto top up enabled so that they’re never stuck.

• Help them create a ‘what I need in my school bag list’

Work with your little one on everything they will need in their school bag for the first day, you will also be able to use this as an opportunity to see if there’s anything you have missed.

Day Before

• Help your kid pack their new school bag with all the things they need

Using the checklist you made the week before, enlist help from your child to pack their school bag for day 1.

• Lay out their uniform and school shoes

Make sure it’s ironed and ready to go!

We have some great blogs that detail what to expect on the first day of kindergarden and first day of high school.