Easy, Practical Tips for Making Back-to-School More Joy-filled

As a teacher, for years, I loved back-to-school season – all the new supplies, new classroom set up, new bulletin boards, and most of all, new students, and a fresh start to a new adventure. As a mom, back-to-school meant our world was turned a bit upside down. New schedules, new challenges, new friends, new clothes, new supplies, new responsibilities – it was overwhelming at times. So much so, that one time I left my son at school until 6 pm forgetting to pick him up! Yup, I’m not winning mother of the year.

When I went back into teaching after being a mom for several years, I always tried to remember how upending the start of the school year can be, especially for those parents who have a child starting their first year of school. Believe me, I had nothing but compassion for every parent.

So, with all this upheaval and change, we need some ideas for streamlining or at least making the shift easier and maybe even fun. When shift happens (inappropriate pun intended), we need to know how to handle it with grace, flexibility, and hopefully, some humor.

 Easy Lunch Ideas Kids Can Pack or Make Themselves

One time-crunch agenda item can be making lunches. Back-to-School means making lunches whether you are homeschooling or the children attend school outside the home. We want to provide healthy meals without breaking the bank or taking up too much time in your new school-time schedule. We can let our children be a part of this daily activity which will help them learn new skills, understand healthy choices, and feel like a big kid.

Setting Up for Success:

• Transform a lower pantry shelf and fridge drawer into dedicated “lunch stations”
• Use clear containers labeled with pictures and words
• Stock with grab-and-go options such as individual hummus cups, cheese sticks, pre-portioned crackers, washed berries, baby carrots
• Create a simple visual guide: “Pick one from each color” using colored bins (blue for protein, green for veggies, red for fruit, yellow for grains, purple for treats)
• Prep lunch items on Sundays for the whole week allowing children to help where appropriate

Age-Appropriate Independence:

• Ages 4-6: Assemble pre-prepped items, choose their own fruit, add a fun napkin
• Ages 7-9: Spread peanut butter, portion crackers into baggies
• Ages 10+: Plan weekly menus, prep ingredients on Sunday, pack lunches for younger siblings

Fun Presentation Ideas:

• Cookie cutters for sandwiches (stars make everything better!)
• Colorful food picks for kabobs
• Ice packs that double as toys (fun shapes and characters)
• Lunch notes with conversation starters or Bible verses
• “Mystery lunch” days where kids pack each other’s lunches

Make-Ahead Magic: Sunday prep session ideas: wash all produce, make a big batch of muffins to freeze, prep sandwich fillings in squeeze bottles, create trail mix portions in small containers.

Back-to-School Reads and Family Fun

               Reading is always important, and starting school lends itself to some fun reads and important conversations. Some children have difficulties with change, and they need to talk about their concerns and fears. Reading together may open those conversations. Laughter is always good medicine when facing fearful or uncomfortable feelings about something new, and books provide that outlet. If you have books you’ve enjoyed in other years with school starting, consider having a basket like we do at Christmas and Easter of books to grab each day to read together or individually. You can check out the following suggestions, or you can revisit some suggestions from past podcasts here.

Book Suggestions by Category:

• New School Nerves: The Kissing Hand (younger), Wonder (older),
• Friendship Building: Enemy Pie, The Friendship Club, Invisible Boy, Be Kind, We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
• Family Read-Alouds: Basil or Honestry and Industry, Chronicles of Narnia

Creative Engagement Activities:

• Book-themed snacks: Green eggs and ham, Paddington marmalade toast, Charlie’s chocolate bars
• Interactive reading: Use different voices, act out scenes, draw favorite characters
• Real-world connections: Look up book settings on maps, try activities characters do
• Family book clubs: Everyone reads the same book, discuss over ice cream

School Pick-Up Line Reading Strategy:

This is an activity our friend Kristin Wynalda has done, and she has reviewed the books they choose. You may choose books from the library or your own and bring one each day, or you might keep a basket in your car with:

• Short picture books for quick reads (5-10 minutes)
• Beginning reader books for newly independent readers
• Audio books and picture book pairs for following along
• Quiet activities for non-readers (coloring books, sticker books)
• “Reading rewards” like special bookmarks or stickers for completing books

Reading Challenge Ideas:

• Family reading bingo with different genres and formats
• “Book vacation” where you read about places you’d like to visit
• Author studies where you read multiple books by the same person
• “Reading buddies” where older kids read to younger siblings
• Biographies of great Christian leaders read alouds together or each family member shares about their person

Bible Reading and Discipleship Integration

Everything we do comes back to discipleship. What are we teaching our children as we walk through this transition time? How can we help our children grow in their faith as they deal with change and new experiences that may challenge them? Christ is part of all we do, and we want our children to understand that. We don’t put God first and move on after quiet time and prayer. No, God is with us all day wherever we are. He is our life. Therefore, discipleship and Bible reading needs to be a priority in our family life. Here are a few ideas that may help or may help spark some creative ideas that you can share in the comments below. We’d love to hear what you use to keep Christ the center of your family life.

Morning Routine Devotions (5-10 minutes):

• Keep devotionals in the breakfast area for easy access
• Use breakfast prep time for Scripture memory (repeat verses while making toast)
• Pray over the day’s challenges during the car ride to school
• Post a “Verse of the Week” on the bathroom mirror

Discipleship Decks:

We’ve begun creating Discipleship Decks for families who want discipleship to be a natural part of their family week. Some ways to integrate it into your week:

• Morning draw: Pull one Fruit of the Spirit card during breakfast, discuss how to show that fruit at school
• After-school reflection: Review the morning’s card – did you see opportunities to practice patience, kindness, or self-control?
• Bedtime review: Share examples of when you saw that fruit in action during the day
• Weekly focus: Spend a whole week on one fruit, with daily discussions and practical applications

School Pick-Up Line Discipleship: While waiting in the car line, use this time for:

• Reviewing memory verses with hand motions
• Playing “I Spy” with character traits (“I spy someone showing kindness”)
• Reading Bible story picture books to younger siblings
• Using your Discipleship Deck cards for quick character discussions
• Listening to Scripture songs or audio Bible stories

Different Approaches for Different Families:

Admittedly, this short article and these lists can’t apply to everyone, but I hope you can glean some ideas that will make this start of school special and fun. Every family is different and is working with their own situation. Some homeschool and others go to public school, so routines must be different, but the purposes and desires are the same: helping our kids succeed during this transition to the new school year and helping our children grow closer to Christ in the process. Here are a few suggestions for different family situations:

For Homeschool Families:

• Integrate character study directly into your curriculum
• Start each subject with a relevant Bible verse
• Use historical and literary studies as jumping-off points for biblical discussions
• Create “discipleship notebooks” where kids record what they’re learning about God

For Traditional School Families:

• Maximize transition times (breakfast, car rides, bedtime)
• Connect school experiences to biblical principles during dinner conversations
• Use weekend family time for deeper Bible study and application
• Create “school prayer lists” where you pray for teachers, friends, and challenges

Universal Strategies for All Families:

• Weekly family meetings: Discuss upcoming challenges and pray together
• Scripture memory challenges: Work on verses that address school-age concerns (anxiety, friendship, honesty)
• Service projects: Find ways to serve your school community together
• Gratitude practices: Share daily thanksgivings that include school experiences

Practical Implementation Tips:

• Start with just one new habit rather than overhauling everything at once
• Let kids help choose which Bible stories or character traits to focus on
• Create visual reminders (charts, sticky notes, phone wallpapers) for new routines
• Celebrate small wins and be patient with the adjustment period
• Adapt ideas to fit your family’s unique schedule and needs

Connecting It All Together: The goal isn’t perfection but intentionality. Whether your kids are packing lunches, discussing books in the car line, or reviewing Fruit of the Spirit cards before bed, you’re building habits that say “our family values growth, learning, and following Jesus together.” Some days will go smoothly, others will be chaos, and that’s perfectly normal. The key is creating systems that work for your family’s season of life and remembering that small, consistent efforts make a big difference over time.

Remember: the best family traditions are the ones your family will actually stick with. Start small, involve the kids in planning, and don’t be afraid to adjust as you discover what works best for your unique crew.

Just FYI: When you click the links in the transcript, I may receive compensation if you choose to buy one of the items recommended. So, if you do, thank you!