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5 Ways to Excite the Homeschooler for a New School Year

Sometimes it’s hard to give up summer break and get back to homeschooling! But with a little bit of planning and some easy tips and ideas, you’ll make the transition fun! Below I’ve shared 5 ways to get your children excited about the new school year. Some of these you’ll want to do way ahead of time, and others you can save as last-minute treats. However and whenever you do it, these ideas are just what you need to get the new school year off to a great start!

Planning ahead for ways to get your children excited about the next school year? You'll love these easy tips and ideas!

 

1. Create a Top Secret Construction Zone:

One of the things I looked forward to most when I was a public school teacher was preparing my classroom for the new group of children! The looks on their faces when they entered the room were priceless! I really wanted that element of excitement for my own children when we decided to homeschool. I have an entire room dedicated to homeschooling in my house, so I can easily lock it up and put a ‘Construction Zone — Do Not Enter’ banner on the front to create suspense. If you use a dining room or loft area . . . you could get painting tarps (or trash bags) and block it off for a couple days while you worked some magic . . . or even just start piling huge boxes that say ‘Do Not Open’ around the area with lots of special plans inside!

2. Plan a theme:

While I realize the high schooler may not be tickled pink by this idea . . . I think you could modify it right up to middle school. Camping, frogs, the beach . . . there are so many possibilities! Perhaps you could just add a few special touches with this theme . . . like snacks or décor. I plan on setting up a small tent for a reading area for my boys for our camping theme.

3. Fun days!

Crazy hat day, wear your pajamas to school (well, ok, for us homeschoolers that may not be too special ;)), backwards day, crazy socks, you name it . . . you can do it! I plan on having my husband take our two big boys (ages 5 ½ and 3 ½ ) to buy their ‘fun day’ items to surprise me with the next morning. It sounds so small, but after a tense day with your kiddos or a long week that doesn’t seem to end — a day like this can really lighten the mood . . . even if for a moment!

4. Start a blog!!!

My little boys LOVE to read all about themselves (surprised?) on my blog. I’m sure your kiddos would too. Those who are older than mine can write the posts and take the photos of special projects, field trips, trials, and triumphs. It is a bit of extra work, but documenting your journey with your children will instill so much pride and excitement — even if you’re the only ones to read the blog! Where to get started? www.bloggingwithamy.com or www.wordpress.com

5. Call the Substitute!

What? No really, hear me out. Call a grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, even another homeschooling high schooler, or DAD to come in and take the reigns for an hour . . . a few hours . . . maybe a day. While this may seem like a vacation for us moms, guess who thinks it’s exciting? Our kiddos!! What a great opportunity to allow them to communicate and ask questions about what you’ve been learning with someone new! Meanwhile . . . you have gained some time to plan, clean, or run to Starbucks. Maybe you’d like to just co-teach with this person for the day? I am going to *try* to use this tactic at least once this year too. Although . . . we do live several hours from family, I’m expecting a new baby in December, and my husband always travels. Oy. Will I do #5? Doubtful, but hopeful!

Best of luck planning some fun fall surprises for your kiddos over the summer!

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12 Comments

  1. I really enjoyed reading this. My daughter will be in the 8th grade this year and she still loves surprises! Thanks for the article. 🙂

  2. I think a substitute would be an excellent idea. Sometimes we need a break too. I feel blessed that my children are a bit older and I can just get in my van and drive away to the grocery if I need to!
    I keep up with a lot of folks on my homeschool blog if anyone would like to check it out. Occasionally I will post my “extras” books on there too! Stop by and hit “like” Trying to get to 100 by the end of the week!!
    https://www.facebook.com/OneHomeschoolMom

    1. Thanks Jill! I plan on taking pics for sure! Maybe create a ‘first day’ wall or something in the classroom with each kiddo’s first day of each grade? That would be cute! And so awesome to display at graduation! Thanks for that idea!

    1. Thanks Savannah! I really hope to be able to put it into action this year. But, like I said in the article, we’re far from family. Although, I have amazing homeschooling friends that I may arrange something with! Thanks for reading and commenting!

  3. Outstanding ideas. We often do an alphabet theme – even up to 6th grade because it gives us something to go by. So we went to a small airport for A and watched a little plab=ne take off am=nd get a tour, B went to donut shop = bakery, C went to carwash. They gave us a tour and free car wash – even let the kids ride through the car wash. We have always had a lot of fun

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