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The following is from contributor Jen @ Forever, For Always, No Matter What
It doesn’t matter if you are getting ready to celebrate your very first ever first day of homeschool, or if it’s your first day in a long string of years, , it’s worth it to make the first day a little extra special. Â Making the day extra special doesn’t have to be time consuming or cost a lot of money. Â Here are some super easy ways to mark the day!
1. Â Special Meal – Plan a special meal to start the day. Â Breakfast is fairly simple because you can decorate the night before and “surprise” the kids in the morning. Â It may even be possible to get Dad in on the action which is always fun. Â Some ideas for a simple, yet delicious breakfast might include:
Muffins
Waffles/Pancakes
Smoothies
It can also be a fun treat to go out for breakfast!
2. Â Field Trip – Perhaps there is a favorite family field trip or a field trip you have been meaning to take. Â Maybe it is as simple as meeting friends for a picnic lunch at the park.
3.  Make A Schultuete – Make the start of school festive by making a Schultuete.  A fun way to present the kids with a few little trinkets, school supplies, even a little snack.  Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, but the kids would love it!
4. Â Greeting Cards – I have a friend that gives her children a simple greeting card for the first day of school. Â When they wake up the card is sitting on their dresser. Â Such a sweet and easy way to make the day a little brighter. Â Everyone likes to receive a thoughtful greeting card.
5. Â Special School Supplies – Maybe your child would appreciate a special notebook or binder. Â Older students might like a notebook with a favorite sports team or something with his or her name on it.
However you decide to start your day, don’t forget to snap a picture of your kids! Â They are never too old for a first day of school picture!
What are some ways you make the first day of homeschool special?
Jen blogs at Forever, For Always, No Matter What. She has one amazing husband and six eclectic kids. Stop in for a visit as she blogs about their Catholic faith, homeschooling and adoption, all while trying to fit in exercise and healthy eating. Jen can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
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On the first day of homeschool for each new school year, I always take a picture of each of my children alone and then together on our front porch. They really like that tradition!
Last year we walked to the ice cream shop after we finished our first day of Kindergarten!
I have always made each child a “Welcome to the ___ Grade!” With their name, and then clip art of the things they are interested in at that stage of life. As they got older, the boys were like, ” aww, mom, don’t do that!” But I do it anyway. I also fou pnd a form online years ago called “This is Me” that has a place for a photo, height, weight, and a whole list of favorites–food, song, Bible verse, color, sport, etc.
This is our 3rd year, but never started a special tradition. I am changing that this year. I have special pens, post its, a bracelet for each girl (found at garage sales), aprons with their initials, and plan on using the first two weeks as slow and introduction time. The picture and sign will be introduced this year.
They are in late elementary and middle school, so this is real exciting. Student planners, curriculum that is student driven, and variety in electives. The girls are excited, but also have some apprehension.
We were so overwhelmed last year (we sort of got thrown into homeschooling without a whole lot of prep time, any experience, or much support from our local community) that making the first day special just wasn’t even on my radar. I will definitely start it this year. We start a whole new curriculum in two weeks and will definitely implement at least one or two of these ideas. Thanks for the suggestions and the reminder that homeschooling, however hard it may be at times, is a gift to be celebrated. I am so grateful that we have this option.
Blessings to all,
JC
It truly is a gift! Thanks for reading and many blessings on your school year.
I blogged about the Schulteute… http://thegypsygrades.com/2013/08/06/shoool-toooot-uh/
It’s a really neat tradition with over 200 years of history 🙂
Thanks for further explanation, great story!
We have several rituals that mark our first day of school. We always plan a special breakfast which the children choose that I normally wouldn’t make (biscuits and gravy or biscuit sandwiches usually), and then everyone gets dressed and ready for pictures. While they’re doing that, I lay out first day of school stuff on the table including their individual white boards with special notes on them, which I always take a photo of so they have the notes forever. Daddy gives each child a small gift (silly putty, fun markers, pencils, etc…), and he always gets flowers for the teacher. During our school time, we will do some kind of fun project too. It’s a fun day!
This is my first year homeschooling & I enjoyed reading all the ideas. My girls are 10 & 13 and did a first day tradition with our long time homeschooling friends. Their Mom has them write a letter to themselves with their goals for the year, their hopes, things to work on….schoolwise or personally. They then put it in an envelope addressed to themselves and stamp it. No one else reads it and Mom keeps it to the end of the school year and then mails it to them. Maybe they met their goals or maybe they realized some things were unimportant. My girls did it with their daughter this year and they decided instead of mailing them they will put them in a time capsule, maybe with some other things, and bury it in the yard…not sure if they will open on the last day of school or the first of next year.