Five Fun Ideas to Celebrate the First Day of Homeschool
We all know first impressions are important. This year, set yourself up for success by celebrating the first day of school in a fun new way with your homeschoolers. Whether you’re new to homeschooling or a veteran homeschool mom, kick off your first day of school with excitement and celebration! Because, why not?!
Do you celebrate the first day of school as a homeschooler? Would you like to mark the occasion, but you’re just not sure how? Keep reading to discover all the fun ways your homeschool family can get excited about the first day of homeschooling this year.
Why You Should Celebrate the First Day of School
So why should you celebrate the first day of school with your homeschoolers? Because we can! Seriously, there’s no reason to miss this opportunity to celebrate and mark a milestone.
As homeschoolers, we can take the opportunity to celebrate big and small events in our children’s lives. Let’s take it! There are so many fun and memorable ways to kick off the new school year with your homeschooler. Let the first day of school be the start of a tradition you come back to each year that fills your kids with excitement and anticipation.
What If You Homeschool Year Round?
Homeschooling year-round doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun either. We are year-round homeschoolers, but we still mark the start of a new year of learning and growing together. Every year on September 1st, The Waldock Way kicks off a new year in homeschooling with first-day fun!
If you’re unsure how to begin, start by choosing a day. It could be the day your new books arrive, the first day of September, or any day your family chooses. Then, celebrate another year of homeschooling with a fun gift, activity, or first day of school photos.
Fun Things To Do On the First Day of School
There are so many fun ways you can mark the beginning of the school year with your child! Here are some of our favorite ideas for kicking off another year of homeschooling.
First Day Photos
If you’ve been scrolling social media, you’ve likely seen lots of first-day photos from friends and family as their children return to school for the start of a new year. Aren’t they wonderful? I love the first-day photo tradition because it’s so special to be able to look back over the years and see how much Emily has grown each year.
You can get dressed up for the occasion to create a special keepsake photo. Another idea is to let kids choose their clothes for the first day of school photo. Choosing a favorite shirt or creating their special outfit is a fun way to showcase their personality on camera.
Do you homeschool in pajamas? I love the idea of having the whole family wear pajamas for the first day of school. It’s so whimsical and totally embraces all the wonderful ways homeschooling can be different from traditional schools.
Scavenger Hunt
What about hosting the first day of school scavenger hunt? You can invite other families in your community that homeschool or host a small scavenger hunt just for your own family. Create a simple back-to-school scavenger hunt in your own home or plan a hunt throughout your community. Some of my favorite ideas include:
- Searching for resources your child will need throughout the school year. You can do this while back-to-school shopping or have them hunt for school supplies you’ve hidden around the home.
- Plan a scavenger hunt at the local library to track down all the items on your homeschool book list. It’s a great way to get kids comfortable in the library and familiar with how to find resources on the shelves.
- Teach homeschoolers how to use maps and practice following directions with scavenger hunt clues that lead your kids around your neighborhood or the backyard to find hidden items.
First Day Gifts
Giving Emily a special gift is one of our favorite back-to-school traditions. Usually, the gift is related to our “one thing” for the year. You can read more about how we choose “one thing” in Everything You Need to Plan Your Homeschool This Year.
Here are some examples of first-day gifts: poetry books and a tea set for poetry tea time, games related to things you’ll be learning about, school supplies in their favorite colors, etc. The first day of school gift could be anything that will get your child excited about beginning the new school year. That way, you can start the homeschool year with fun.
Back to School Party
Have a party! Celebrate a brand new year with a fun party. In years past, we have decorated our home, dressed up, and enjoyed special activities to celebrate the first day of school. You can theme your event to match your child’s interests and passions or plan a party that features things you’ll be studying this school year.
Field Trip Start
Another fun way to kick off a brand new year is by taking a field trip. Plan your first field trip of the year on the first day of school.
What if you could have the first day of school at the zoo, an amusement park, or hiking in the mountains? You can! As homeschoolers, we can do amazing things like start the year in the great outdoors or on a roller coaster.
Has your child been begging to go somewhere all summer? Make it the first day of school trip! Whatever you do, take this opportunity to make back-to-school exciting and set the tone for the whole year with your family.
But, if you’re looking for a way to slow down and enjoy a little more summer, please do it! Soak up every bit of summer you can with your homeschool family and enjoy all the sunshine together even if the world has gone back to school with my Tips for Celebrating NOT Back to School in your homeschool!
Do you have a back-to-school or a not back-to-school tradition you think is perfect for homeschoolers? Share how you celebrate the first day of school in the comments. I can’t wait to read about how you’re going to kick off a new year of homeschooling!