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Back To School Planning

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Getting your kids ready to go back to school

Check out these Back To School Planning resources, compiled by busy mother of four, Laura Schofield. Back to school season shouldn't stress parents out. In fact, this time can be used to get kids mentally in shape for learning. They can do the planning and budgeting, leaving you with a shopping list and a game plan. Make use of these handy resources to make your back to school prep easier.


Give yourself a break, teach your children a little personal responsibility and get ready for the new school year.

Back to school preparations

More than paper and pencils..

Back To School Planning TimelineThe back-to-school season has usually meant stress for parents. There are school supplies to buy and sometimes hard-to-find items . Supply purchases add up, adding a financial burden to the mix. Supplies are just the start of the matter though. The kids themselves have to be prepared. This can mean doctor and dental appointments, haircuts and new clothes. Sleeping schedules have to be adjusted from the lazy and hazy summer days. A study area has to be readied.. Looks like we need a plan!

Back To School Checklist

  1. Building Enthusiasm For Learning
  2. School Supplies
  3. Novelty Items
  4. Specific product recommendations
  5. Shopping for books
  6. Science Fair Project Ideas
  7. Doctor and Dental Appointments
  8. Fashion Tips For A New School Year
  9. Keep it clean
  10. Rooms, lockers and study areas
  11. Time Management and Filing / Storage
  12. From a teacher's point of view
  13. Special Concerns

The perfect assignment to get your kid's mind back in the learning mode

Let your child guide the back-to-school preparations by making a to-do list, assigning deadlines and sticking to a budget.

Building Enthusiasm For Learning

Learning all day long

Real success during the school years comes from kids being excited about learning new things. Encourage their love of learning at home with these resources on how to get your kids loving learning.
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School Supplies

Do your shopping online.

The internet has made back-to-school shopping SO much easier! No longer do we have to search all over town for an elusive supply on your child's list. Virtually any item is available for purchase online. You may want to check web pages devoted to back to school shopping for even more ease in finding those back-to-school products.

back to school suppliesTIP - Check your kid's school website as early as a month before school starts to see if a back-to-school supply list has been posted for their grade or class.


Remember, you have to do your online back-to-school shopping a little early so there are no back-ordered items or other issues too close to that big day!

Novelty Items

Too cute to pass up

Back to school shopping is exciting. Add a little more fun to it with these novelty items.
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Specific product recommendations

More thoughts on buying the basics

Some things are required for all kids at all levels: lunch boxes, back packs, etc.. Here are a few lenses with more info on these types of purchases almost everyone will be making at the start of the new school year.
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Shopping for books

Not just for college kids anymore..

Shop Online For Text BooksChildren as young as elementary school may be required to purchase school books in advance of returning to school. Sometimes there is a "Required Reading" list of books the child will be tested on or expected to write book reports about. My child even had an over-the-summer reading assignment to be completed before the first day upon transferring to a new school: check for these types of tasks. We had a lot of stress acquiring the exact books in time and getting them read and studied for the start of the new school year!

If you aren't to purchase the books directly from the school, there are many choices online for both textbooks and popular reading materials - often at a discount.

Test Prep and Study Skills

Get ready for important exams

Don't let test prep turn into last minute cramming. You should always figure in time for exam prep during years when test results will be key to your child's future success. These lenses can direct you to more specific sources for test & exam prep, as well as offering general study tips & tricks.
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Purchase books for SAT and ACT prep

Get ready for the big ones

Purchasing a few test prep books for US college entrance exams, the SAT and the ACT is a good investment. Good scores on these exams translate to acceptance at the school of your kids' choosing.
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Science Fair Project Ideas

Winning topics

The science fair is a requirement at most US schools. A little bit of thought about this at the beginning of the school year might help avoid parental headaches closer to the date of the fair. Some schools have a restricted list of possible topics for students in each grade. Be sure to check with both your child's school and teacher as early as possible to get a due date for projects and any recommended or restricted topics by grade level. More prep time also allows for a bigger possibility of a winning science fair entry.
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Books On Science Fair Projects

Let your kid pick something they're really exited about

The science fair project happens in my childrens' school district right in the middle of birthday season, after Halloween and right before Christmas shopping. Why not get the planning for it done at the start of the school year? It's not like they're not going to have a science fair this year!

TIP - Be sure to check with the school and the teacher before finalizing your science fair project plans: sometimes accepted projects must be chosen from a pre-defined list or have other limitations placed on them!
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Doctor and Dental Appointments

required back to school immunizationsBe sure to have your child visit their doctor and dentist well in advance of the start of a new school year for their required immunizations and check ups. The doctor and dentist offices that cater to kids tend to get slammed right before the start of a new school year. Don't end up having to settle for an inconvenient appointment time and having to take time off work.

Take care of required appointments ASAP.

Fashion Tips For A New School Year

These lenses focus on more specific topics regarding back to school fashion. They can be geared towards uniforms, age groups, or be specific for girls or boys.

Buy Messenger Bags
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Keep it clean

Getting your kids room organized and ready for the back-to-school season will not only get your child in the proper frame of mind, it'll make early morning dramas like finding shoes, books and other required items less likely. Follow these tips for getting your kids' room in shape.
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Rooms, lockers and study areas

Creating the perfect environment for learning

Don't forget about getting your child's room ready for school. They need an organized and neat area with a quiet space to study and work on homework as much as they need the right supplies. Check these lenses for design tips to get your child's space ready for busy school days.
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Time Management and Filing / Storage

Develop a system

This is time for proactive planning, rather than reactions later on! Major lessons in life are time-management, prioritization and organization. The sooner your kids get these skills honed, the better they will be. Some points to consider when developing a time management strategy include:


  • Personal Goals - If you don't know where you're going, you probably won't make it there! Have a chat with your child about what they hope to accomplish both in the long term and the short term for the upcoming school year. These goals will not allow give them focus for their upcoming work, but maybe also work as incentives.

  • Rewards / Incentives - Face it, we all need motivation. Set up some goals your kids can accomplish for attaining and / or maintaining good grades, preparedness, good behavior, a clean room, etc.. You may want to make a chart to track your child's progress towards those goals.

  • Routine - Common knowledge is that an action should be repeated 10 consecutive times if it is going to be a habit. Start your kids off with their back to school routine ideally 2 weeks before the first day of attendance. That gives them plenty of time to adjust their body clock. It also sets up the desirable behaviors as habits before the pressure is on. AND, kids secretly DO want routine!

  • Visualization - Let your child visualize what a typical school day will include and all the possible actions with their consequences. From this visualization they can think of solutions to potential problems before these problems arise.

  • Proper Tools - All students need a quiet area where they can complete their homework and study for tests. Do you have adequate filing, shelves, inboxes, flash drives and more to handle the upcoming workflow? Think about a parental system too (we definitely get our share of school-related papers to file as well!)

A little thanks goes a long way

Have a few 'thank-yous' at the ready

I like to keep a few blank cards in the glove-box of my car. They're there for teacher birthdays or just to say thanks for helping out with something. That way, when you're ready to drop your child off at school and realize you've forgotten to thank so-and-so for calling you with the homework assignment or giving your child a little extra help, you're prepared.

Back To School season isn't just prep time for the kids!
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From a teacher's point of view

They're on your team too!

Its not teachers vs. students or even teachers vs. parents. Be sure to meet with your kids' teachers as early into the year as possible. You may encourage your child to write an introductory postcard to their new teacher before the school year starts. The teacher should be the parent's best ally in a child's education and vice versa. It is also invaluable if the student sees their teacher as their mentor and not just an authority figure. The best way to ensure a good relationship with your child's teacher is to have a quick look at things through their eyes. Check out these lenses from a teacher's point of view. PS - you might want to adjust some of their tips & tricks for use in the home.
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More general back-to-school ideas

Here are a few other lenses on Squidoo with some general info on helping get your kids and your entire family ready for the new school year.
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Special Concerns

Additional support for kids going through transitions

Some kids require a little extra support. These lenses offer some tips and further resources for parents with kids who need something extra.
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Books on ADHD Teaching Strategies

If you're dealing with a child who has trouble focusing, you may want to invest in a book with some ideas on how you can make the homework struggle a little less burdensome.
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Bookmark this page for your school needs throughout the year

When the school supplies need replenshing, tests come up, science fair projects are due, etc..

Back to school shopping carries on throughout the year. If you've found this page to be a useful resource for school supply shopping and study tips / strategies, be sure you bookmark the page and come back to it throughout the year whenever you need to replenish your home study center.

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Additional Ideas

Reader-approved tips I've forgotten

Philosophy Free Shipping CouponWhat have I forgot to address here? Do you have a different way of getting your kids ready to get back to learning? Be sure to let everyone know by leaving your ideas and tips here in the comments section.

Contact Laura Schofield

*If you would like to suggest any links or have your own photos and / or stories published, please send me an email. I can be contacted through my personal homepage, laura-schofield.com. If you enjoy the work I've done here, I do offer professional copy writing, photo restoration / manipulation, search engine optimization and web design services. I can again be contacted for any of these services through my website.

  • jimmyworldstar Dec 13, 2011 @ 3:29 pm | delete
    You have some great tips, I don't think kids need a filing cabinet though. Being on top of summer reading is important and saves time, along with writing any necessary book reports.
  • janices7 Jun 15, 2010 @ 8:55 am | delete
    Great list of ideas for getting a kid ready for school. Thanks for featuring my Teacher Thank You lens!
  • ClassyGals Jun 12, 2010 @ 3:25 pm | delete
    Back to school planning usually does start earlier and earlier, especially for families on a tight budget. Wonderful job on this lens, Laura. Thanks for featuring my Juniors School Fashions. This lens will be featured there as well. 5*****
  • JaguarJulie Jun 12, 2010 @ 11:18 am | delete
    My dear ... you are quite remarkable to be planning this far ahead ... especially when the kids are JUST getting out of school and we are talking about going back to school ... WOW, get a load of those kids already ... let's send them back to school. ;)
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LauraSchofield

Laura Schofield is a mother to four children - she's had to figure out the best Back To School planning strategies out of necessity. Browse her collection... more »

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