muffinmom Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Do you do anything special, or buy some special items? I'd like to start some traditions, but I need suggestions. :lurk5: I'm sure the Hive is buzzing with ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Baer Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 special, but maybe it would be nice to do so. We actually homeschool year round but our summers are much lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I can't say that what we do is super-spectacular, but I like to start the morning with Quiver's cinnamon rolls, and then use the first part of the first day to let the kids decorate the front of their binder for the year. :tongue_smilie: I'm waiting to see the really neat ideas that everyone has come up with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We usually go out for a pancake breakfast with a bunch of friends, and take the rest of the day off. Lots of times there are groups of mothers there having breakfast to celebrate finally sending their kids back to school. :001_smile: For *our* first day of school, we just buckle down and break out the books. They know in advance it's coming. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have breakfast out--IHOP or someplace similar, then hit a store for any supplies we need. When we return home, we get out the new curriculum and have a good time looking through it. We place the new stuff on the appropriate shelf, assemble any notebooks required....basically set up shop for the year. Usually, we start a light schedule and 'ease' into school for a week or two. This year will be our last as a homeschool family...I guess I'll have to send coupons for breakfast out when the 'baby' is off at college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Ummm....take a shower before noon? Feed them something besides cereal? :tongue_smilie: Just kidding...we school year-round so we don't have a "first day". :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NJ Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We start the day by going out to breakfast. At breakfast everyone gets a copy of their schedule and plans for the year. We discuss what is expected of them and look over the schedule. When we come home we have gifts for them: special pens and pencils, new backpack, pads, calendar - all school related fun cute stuff. I'll have a sign that says WELCOME TO (whateve grade they are in). I will have a letter written for each of them talking about the last school year, the summer and what I wish/think/want for their future (mushy stuff). Then we look through all our books (it is hard to keep them out before hand). Then we make up our binders and get everything all organized. We have lunch - sometimes packed into lunch boxes (they request this). After lunch we go through each subject lightly. We typically start one week after public school starts. Where we used to live our co op would always have a back to school picnic on the day the public schools started. We would picnic, some would bring things to sell (toys and curr.). Then we would play kickball. We would leave the park when the kids got out of school. So far all of this has made for good memories. Deb in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I usually make pancakes (which I rarely do) and have a little gift of some new special school supplies by their plate in the morning. We make it a short day and drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Deb, I love your ideas. We'll steal them if it's OK with you... Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 IWe make it a short day and drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! I love it! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesloonybin Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We started a tradition with my oldest when she was in public school and we will continue now that we homeschool and this year will be the first time for my youngest. They get to put on a nice outfit and I take their picture (usually outside by the front door). I has been really nice to look back at all the "first day" pictures and see how much they change and grow. Since this will be our first full year homeschooling, I am not sure what else we will do but I like to have traditions...so we will make some up as we go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have the same routine every year. . . . . . . Special, hot, yummy breakfast. Then everyone gets their picture taken at their desk, then at the front door, then I do all the kids together at the front door. THEN - my favorite part - we have a "first day of school" questionnaire that everyone, I mean EVERYONE fills out. Even the 15yo! How old are you, what day is it, how tall, weight, favorite book, favorite Bible story, what you want to learn, what are you good at, what do you want to get better at - I really, really love that. I keep everyone's list, and file it as the cover page to their notebook/file for that year. It is SOOO fun to look at them in May! (Especially when the 3 yo tells Mommy that she's good at "scissors", and proceeds to cut the page) If anyone wants a copy, pm me, and I'll send it along in .pdf format. . . . . Hope these ideas prime your pump! I really think it's important that kids have markers in their lives - we do special things for both the beginning and end of school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElisabethGrace Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We give each child a schultute, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schult%C3%BCte, even the ones that aren't beginning first grade. They all LOVE them! I set the table the night before with their new books & schultute at each place. They open the cones while I prepare an extra-special breakfast. After breakfast, we discuss what each of them will be working on over the year, look through their planners & begin our day. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverfront Headmistress Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We have an annual "NOT back to school" party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I usually make pancakes (which I rarely do) and have a little gift of some new special school supplies by their plate in the morning. We make it a short day and drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! Thank you for my first laugh of the day. Jet:lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 ...drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! :lol::lol::lol: I am cracking up over here because I can really see you doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We did our first schultute last year--I took a big piece of posterboard and made cones for my two that were home. This next year will be different, as one is going to college part time, one is back with us and will be in public school, and my youngest is going to 3rd grade at public school (and I will be starting preschool teaching). We'll do new clothes, and I'll make breakfast, but my heart will be a little sad. At least I don't have to work that first day. I don't know if I will drive dd to school or let her take the bus--I'd like to walk her in her very first day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMP Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 First day of school picture.....that is a must. We start so slowly, half the time they don't even realize we have officially started until we are chugging right along. I like the gift cone....and the IHOP..love those great grain pancakes....;) Maybe we will add that one along with the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pajama Mama Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 My kids talk about our first day throughout the year. We have waffles and chocolate ice cream for breakfast on our first day of school. I toast 2 waffles per person and make them into a sandwich with choc ice cream. Then we drizzle some choc syrup and then whipped cream on top. This is the only day of the year that they can have ice cream for breakfast. They love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 After lunch we meet Daddy at Coldstone Creamery for ice cream!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicMom Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 have continued every since We start the day setting up our notebooks, going through our books and we do Math and Language Arts. Of cours there are pictures at home and in front of the house. Then we go to the local park to hit the trails and since my older ones are too big for the swing sets :sad:, they push the younger ones. There are some wonderful places that we take yearly photos at the park and then we stop at a local ice cream parlor for ice cream to top off the day. It's nice to have a tradition and to see the kids through the years in the pictures. I just wish they didn't grow up so darn fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We normally go out to breakfast. We didn't do this the three years we lived in Belgium since nobody goes out to restaurants for breakfast there. Then this last year and again this year, we will eat breakfast with our homeschool group at a banquet room in a local hotel. It was fun last year so we plan to do it again. Oh and I usually take photos of the children too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I'm loving all of these ideas. Y'all are all so fun! We try to do something that is usually crowded. We've gone to the rock-climbing gym and the movies, for example. One year when Cars came out we went to see it and had the entire theater to ourselves. That was very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We do "school cones" (loosely based on German Schultüte), and now the kids really look forward to that every year... On the first day of school (which generally corresponds to dh's first day), I give each of them (dh included, lol) a cardboard cone (I usually cut all three from a single piece of posterboard) filled with (by the way, do you think I could use more parentheses if I tried?) a couple of small school supplies, a few pieces of candy, and perhaps a small school-related card game or some such. So, maybe some fun pencils, perhaps a sheet of stickers... If there's some small school supply they need -- colored pencils or a compass -- or maybe some other small thing like a cute bookmark, or a little game... Never something major, and other than a couple of pieces of candy, I try to stick to things that are actually useful for the coming year. For dh, I just put in a couple of good pens, 'cause there are never enough of those, perhaps a new Moleskine notebook if he needs a replacement, and some small treats. But the kids now really look forward to it! They start talking about their "school cones" around May, lol... I find it hilarious, because they're never major gifts or anything. But I let them open their cones at breakfast on the first day, and it has become a really fun tradition for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faline Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I make up a scavenger hunt with their new school supplies and always include sparklers since we start at the beginning of July. This year we also made homemade ice cream and baked and decorated a "world" cake to kick off our geography/cultures year. We had a great first day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 This year we also ... baked and decorated a "world" cake to kick off our geography/cultures year. Details?!? (We're doing a world cultures year, and I know my kids would love the cake idea...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 On the first day of public school we always get donuts and chocolate milk, a rare treat, and head to the play ground. This year I am going to make each kid up a gift bag with his/her supplies and stuff and give them that when we get back. I usually have everything opened and organized for them, but I think they would have fun doing it themselves instead. We will get our binders put together and probably do math and english and call it a day! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 First day of school photo with dc holding signs they decorated. "This is the first day of ___ grade. I am ___ years old. Aug. __, 2000_. " I never label photos, so this helps us know when they were taken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faline Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Details?!? (We're doing a world cultures year, and I know my kids would love the cake idea...) Well, it was nothing fancy, lol. Ds baked a round chocolate layer cake, and I put blue frosting on it, then did the continents in green. I wonder if you could also cut the continents out of flattened green gumdrops, but I didn't have any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandpsmommy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 The first day of dd's kindergarten year we went on a field trip to a science museum where we participated in a workshop about outer space, bought her (and her little brother) a special something from the gift shop, and met dh for dinner at a restaurant in the city where he works (an hour away from home). Last year, I can't really remember, lol! I suspect we probably did school work in the morning and went swimming in the afternoon, but I can't remember for sure. I should thnk of something special again for this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandpsmommy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We usually go out for a pancake breakfast with a bunch of friends, and take the rest of the day off. Lots of times there are groups of mothers there having breakfast to celebrate finally sending their kids back to school. :001_smile: For *our* first day of school, we just buckle down and break out the books. They know in advance it's coming. :D That's so funny about the first day of public school! I'll have to remember that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandpsmommy Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We give each child a schultute, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schult%C3%BCte, even the ones that aren't beginning first grade. They all LOVE them! I set the table the night before with their new books & schultute at each place. They open the cones while I prepare an extra-special breakfast. After breakfast, we discuss what each of them will be working on over the year, look through their planners & begin our day. :001_smile: Is your family of German origin? My dh's german step-grandmother told us about these. That's really neat. What do you put in yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat19 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We don't do anything special, so this year we will have to. I am liking the gift cone idea with supplies and such in it~cool idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I am a school supply lover so to get ready for school, I take the kids to Target and let them buy whatever school supplies they want. Backstory: My brother and I have a code word: 64 Crayolas. It means something you always wanted and never got. I always wanted that 64 box with the sharpener in the back but it was never on the school suppy list. My dh is still dealing with fact that his mom never purchased the correct school supplies (she'd buy five 1-subject notebooks but the school would want one 5-subject notebook). The poor man. I can picture him sliding down in his desk, hiding from the teachers so they didn't notice his incorrect notebook(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I usually make pancakes (which I rarely do) and have a little gift of some new special school supplies by their plate in the morning. We make it a short day and drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! I LOVE IT! You just gave me our new tradition!:lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElisabethGrace Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Is your family of German origin? My dh's german step-grandmother told us about these. That's really neat. What do you put in yours? Actually, I do have German ancestry, but that is not why we do it. I had never seen them until we were living in Hungary. I loved the idea! It's a fun way to present school supplies!:001_smile: I fill them with age appropriate school supplies such as mechanical pencils, compass, protractor, crayons, markers, etc. I also add some candy, a book on cd, special art supplies, books, a small game (Professor Noggin, Set, Quiddler have been given in the past). This year, the four older ones will be getting fountain pens from http://www.achildsdream.com. I try to fill them with things I'm buying for homeschooling for the year anyway, so that it is not a big extra expense. Rainbow Resource has lots of interesting extras. I just read through a thread on the K-8 board & my shopping list just got longer!:lol: I use one piece of posterboard for the base of each cone. I decorate them with my scrapbook/stamping supplies, which never get used for actual scrapbooks!:glare: You don't HAVE to decorate them, but I really enjoy it. Sorry I droned on. Just typing this has gotten me excited to start gathering the goodies together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muffinmom Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Thanks, everyone, for all your great suggestions! My wheels are finally starting to turn now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Wow. You all are the good parents!!! We don't do anything special. We just start up slowly. We do week of Sonlight only. Then, we add math and grammar. Then we add other subjects. This way one month into school we're doing the whole schedule. Works for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 I use one piece of posterboard for the base of each cone. I decorate them with my scrapbook/stamping supplies, which never get used for actual scrapbooks!:glare: You don't HAVE to decorate them, but I really enjoy it. I just made mine and it is hiding in the closet for 1 Aug, our 1st day of 1st grade. I made a cone from posterboard 28x32, curled it into a cone (I didn't cut an arc to make a flat top), put stickers all over the outside, hung ribbons from it with large individually wrapped Lifesavers stuck on them, a couple packs of crackers and what I call CheeseOoze (these are very rare treats), a roll of Smarties and a couple of other "vintage" type candies, two nice matchbook cars, erasers, a sharpener, a little scribble pad, a few quarters hidden here and there. It will be a complete surprize, as I haven't mentioned it to him at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Mc in SC Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 This year I bought scented erasers -- I'm hiding them from the kids right now! Mine love new little things, mini staplers one year, pencils w/ their name on them another. I don't go over the top but there is always one item that will be an "Oh cool" moment. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen sn Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I usually make pancakes (which I rarely do) and have a little gift of some new special school supplies by their plate in the morning. We make it a short day and drive right by the local school and shout at the top of our lungs, "SUCKAS!!" as we drive by to go swimming. I know, we are mature!! This is so funny! I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 We love shopping for school supplies. In fact, my kids usually type up and print out their lists, just like the ones they always have in the stores for the local schools. We always shop a week or more in advance, but the kids aren't allowed to unpack or open up their new supplies until our first day. (I suppose I must now switch to singular mode, since my daughter isn't homeshooling with us anymore. We still take her supply shopping with her brother, but all of her purchases just go into boxes to go with her to college. Sigh.) On our first official day, he gets to open up all his new supplies and set up his desk. We then have a "meeting" to go over his curriculum and the general plan for the year. We talk about what my expectations are of him and what specific goals I want to work toward. He tells me how he feels about all of it and if there is anything about which he's concerned or especially enthusiastic. We decide on a daily schedule/routine . . . and then get to work. Last year, we experimented with going out to lunch to celebrate our first day, but it just kind of fell flat. He didn't ask to do it again, and I didn't bring it up. Usually, that first day is a pretty light one, since so many of the first lessons in various texts are introductory. So, this year he was done by 1:00, and he celebrated by watching a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca in GA Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 This year is the first we've done anything special. A couple of days before school started, we took the littles out for Mexican food while eldest was away. We talked about goals and plans, put together a wish list of "autumn renewal" items -- cowboy boots, jeans, a special shirt -- and talked about our expectations regarding the virtual school. Afterwards, we gave them each a $20 school supply budget and took them to spend it at Target. We buy all the basics and necessities, so they were able to get a few extras to make their desks/areas ready. (The littles chose stuff like backpacks and art supplies, and one got a rubber band ball.) We did the same with eldest, alone, only he chose to eat at KFC and bought a stop sign whiteboard and a planner. On the actual first day, I made each one a goody bag stuffed with special snacks -- peanut butter crackers, gum, Milano cookies, chocolates, Goldfish crackers -- and made sure there was plenty of juice, tea and such in the fridge. They think the lunchbox-sized snacks are so cool but I'm too cheap to buy them normally, so the goody bag went over extremely well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide eyes & laughter Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 My kids talk about our first day throughout the year. We have waffles and chocolate ice cream for breakfast on our first day of school. I toast 2 waffles per person and make them into a sandwich with choc ice cream. Then we drizzle some choc syrup and then whipped cream on top. This is the only day of the year that they can have ice cream for breakfast. They love it. This sounds absolutely wonderful - as I picture my dc on the first day back to school, this idea resonates for us! Course, I'll just watch on w/my typical mug-a-coffee:tongue_smilie: as it's be too much for me. BUT they would love it.:D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 We knock off before lunch, either pack a picnic or pick up sandwiches at Panera, then go into Daddy's office and have lunch with him. Dh works in a big insurance company. It helps include dh in our first day of homeschooling, and makes dd feel special because she's out and about on the first day of school, and meeting everyone with whom dh works. Astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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