10 ideas to help your child get organised for going back to school

For many children, getting back into the school routine can be a bit of a tough adjustment to make. This year especially, the transition back again to school will tough. The disruption caused by lockdown 3 and the pressure to catch up academically has taken an emotional toll on children.  However, if you looking for some ideas to help your child get organised and emotionally prepared for going back to school, here are 10 ideas that will help. 

#1: Establish daily routines before your child is back to school

Routines help create great habits, so why not implement them into your child’s daily life. It can be as simple as having a morning and evening routine, a routine that involves unpacking their backpack, writing out homework to do etc., or practising good mental health habits, like mindfulness.  

#2: Implement a reward system

It’s always motivating to work towards something and this is what a reward system does. By rewarding them for good behaviour, they’re not only aiming for a reward of some description, but they’re also learning good habits, such as keeping their room tidy, completing homework and emptying their backpack each day.

#3: Have a homework board

Once they’re back to school, have a designated board to write down and plan homework. This helps your child stay organised with their homework, but also enables them to plan out their homework, prioritise it and keep track of longer-term projects.

#4: Create checklists or to-do lists 

You can help your child create a checklist or to-do list for most things on a dry-erase board, a large piece of card or even their phone. A daily checklist could include homework, chores and reading time. You can also create to-do lists for the specific projects and homework they need to complete, so they can easily track them.

#5: Encourage your child to monitor their time 

If you want to help your child get organised for going back to school, help them learn how to effectively monitor their time. Get them to estimate how long a task takes, before monitoring the results. Another option is to have them write due dates on projects, so they can plan the work time they need, to complete it on time.

#6: Use colour coding

Colour coding can be incredibly helpful for some children. Use coloured stickers on folders, homework and books, to help designate the subject they cover. (It also helps them to keep them all together in one place too!).

#7: Give them a designated workspace

A designated workspace is essential if you want your child to focus on their schoolwork. 

#8: Help them think ahead, before they’re back to school

Helping your child think ahead is a good skill for them to master. It helps them organise their time and gets them thinking ahead for when they’re back to school. Ask them what their plans are for tomorrow or the rest of day, have them plan their free time and think ahead about what activities they’re going to do.

#9: Encourage them to write down questions 

Often, when completing homework or reading a book, your child will have questions. It’s also a certainty that the question will have been forgotten when they have the chance to ask it! Encourage your child to have a notebook on them, just for questions, so they can remember to ask the right teacher in school. 

#10: Have a weekly cleanup schedule when they’re back to school

Have a weekly cleanup schedule in place, to help your child keep on top of their school things. It’s an opportunity to clear out their backpack, organise and put away old notebooks and papers, sort out any filing and put their supplies away, ready for the new week ahead.

So there you have it, 10 ideas to help your child get organised for going back to school. What do you think of the ideas listed above – are there any you’d like to add to that list? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so why not leave a comment below.