I’ve always loved the Back to School season. Just like Joe Fox (F-O-X), fall makes me want to buy school supplies – “I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if knew your name and address!” I have fold memories of clutching a class list in my hands and checking off all the items on the supply list as I placed them into our Walmart cart – Blank Notecards (check), College Ruled Notebook (check), Glue Sticks (check), Box of Kleenex (check!) Oh the Joy! Oh the organization! Oh the perfect new markers than haven’t dried out or been ruined by little siblings!

I still get a rush Back to School shopping and just because we homeschool, doesn’t mean we miss out on this wonderful season! True, we had a brief stint of the January – December school year but I quickly fell into the traditional school year rhythm as our homeschool enrichments and activities do so as well! It works for us and we get to jump on the Back to School season with glee! It is all the best parts of it and none of those 8 hour days, 5 days a week 😉

Officially my homeschool clan will start school after Labor Day weekend, but I spend August intentionally preparing for the upcoming year. After several years of “just winging it” here are my tips to enter the new year with peace and joy!

1. Pick, Purchase, & Plan

A little bit of thought upfront, helps you feel confident for the new year. Take some time to outline the curriculum desires and goals you have for your kids this year. There are so many options for curriculums, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Do your research, listen to your friends, and make a choice. You cannot do it all or dwell on it forever. I always tell myself that I can take it a year at a time – you are not committing to a specific style or company forever.

This year I am using the Homeschool Planner from Brighter Day Press and I am excited to use it. While large, I am finding it so helpful to organize our weeks! Not pictured are the curriculum planning pages which I used to outline what we are doing for both girls! Speaking of curriculum…

After doing The Good and The Beautiful for 1st Grade last year and really enjoying how it fit into our rhythm, we are doing it again. Hilde is moving into 2nd Grade, Millie is starting Kindergarten, and Thorin is doing the smallest amount of preschool 😉 During these years we focus on Math, Handwriting, and LA/ Reading. We get a lot of science and history naturally through books and outdoor school.

2. Clean Out & Organize your Homeschool Stuff

Before you jump into the new school year, clean and organize your space! Our homeschool room is also our playroom so I went through the whole thing – cleaning out toys we no longer use, throwing away broken toys and colored coloring sheets, sorting supplies, and creating curriculum boxes. Not only does a clean and organized space create a better learning environment, it helps with back to school shopping so you know the supplies you actually need!

3. Make the first day Fun

The first day Back to School should feel special. When I went school shopping, I picked up things we needed (new notebooks, new markers, crayons not chewed on…) and I put them in new backpacks for the kids to decorate and open. Yes, I said decorate! We LOVE Parker Kids (we have their kids crossbody bags) and so we were thrilled when they launched backpacks! You can customize them with their velcro patches – hence the decorating! It is way too fun and such a great way to make your bag feel like your own!

“But do you even need backpacks if you homeschool?!” you find yourself wondering. Yes, yes indeed! We have co-ops, activities, enrichment programs, and simply enjoy being flexible! Having a backpack that can fit our curriculum so we can take it on the go is a gamechanger. Sometimes Homeschool at Grandma’s house is a bit more magical 😉

These are the main three things I keep in mind during August and our Back to School Season! We are all getting pumped over here and that makes such a difference for the upcoming year! Happy Back to School whether you are homeschooling or not!