This year, it seems like the summer went by in a flash, right? It’s getting close to the start of the school year, if your kids haven’t started already. Every year, I have a little list of things I love to do for my daughter, Pinky, to make that first day a little more memorable.

#1. Have something fun for breakfast.

I love serving up a special breakfast on the 1st day of school. Usually, I let my daughter pick something fun that she loves and this year she chose doughnuts. We rarely have doughnuts, since we are all eating fairly gluten free, but there are a few special days of the year that I am OK with unique treats like these. Lucky for me, I was able to just buy one from the drive-thru and I didn’t have to make anything. But, you could totally make a yummy and healthy breakfast at home. I’m thinking fruit and eggs. Or oatmeal. Or bacon. That’s healthy, right?

Kids are very intuitive and if you are anxious or worried about them heading back to the classroom (or going for the first time,) they will totally pick up on it. Even if you know that they may have some obstacles to deal with, whether they be social, academic, etc., try to be positively excited about the new experiences to come and they will most likely follow suit.

#3. Record their favorites.

Kids are constantly changing and growing (Duh!), so it is a great idea to get the details of all of their current favorites down on paper. I whipped up this quick questionnaire for my daughter to fill out the 1st day of school, so we could keep a record of her favorites. I love that she will be able to see how her likes have changed over the years, as well as her handwriting.

You can also print it out, for your own use, by clicking on the image below. Please download the file to ensure proper print sizing. When printing, make sure that Page Scaling is set to “Fit Printable Area” and Borderless Printing is selected.

#4. Take a picture.

This is something that many people already do. I have photos that my parents took of me on my first day of school and I love looking through them and seeing how I’ve grown and changed. Plus, I always get a laugh when I see the clothes that I wore. The 80’s were an interesting time.

We’ve been snapping a photo every year of our daughter since she started kindergarten and will continue to do so for our son too. It’s crazy how quickly they grow up!

You don’t need to do anything fancy and can use a dslr or a point and shoot camera. Heck, even a phone camera will do. The point is to get a photo that represents your child. Props are optional. We like to have Pinky hold a sign that says the grade she is in, but any picture will work, as long as you take one. There are so many great ideas out there.

This is probably self explanatory, but kids need our love and support. Never let them walk away without telling them how much you love them!

And remember, even though this list claims to be for the 1st day of school, whether it be in a public, private, or home school setting, it is completely flexible. If your work schedule or other events keep you from being able to do one or any of the previous mentioned items on the 1st day, do it another day. There is not a specific time line in the rule book that says you must take a photo, make a special breakfast, or fill out a favorites questionnaire on the actual 1st day of school. Give yourself a break and work it into your own schedule, whenever that may be. (Our daughter’s 1st day was technically cancelled due to fog.) It doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. We hope your kids have an awesome school year!!!