This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx. It’s back to school season and I’m sharing my favorite tips to help kick start a new year! After reading through the tips, be sure to download my FREE first day of school printables 2022 at the bottom of this post.
Create a Drop Zone
When my girls went back to school last year, I quickly learned that we need a better system to organize all of their school stuff so it wasn’t all over the place. Each child has a hook for her backpack and two cubbies below: one for shoes and the other for their lunchbox or other school items. I also hung a fun art board above to clip important papers to or display projects they’ve made in class. This area is right next to the entrance to our garage so they are able to unload as soon as they walk into our house.
Select & Lay Out Clothes In Advance
One of my best tips for making back-to-school mornings flow smoother is to lay out clothes the night before. I always help my girls pick their outfits and lay them on top of their dresser so in the morning they know exactly what to wear. Of course, I try to account for the weather or any special activities (P.E. days, Spirit Days or Themed Days) as well to ensure their outfits are school appropriate. I even lay out my own clothes to make it quicker to get ready without needing to make any decisions.
Create a Morning Checklist
I created the MORNING CHECKLIST (below) for my daughters to follow in the mornings when getting ready for school. There is a copy in their room above the light switch and also on the bathroom mirror. I included both graphics and words so even my kindergartener can follow the list without reading. This list is a great reference to help my girls stay on task and check off each item to ensure they are ready to go without repeating myself a million times.
*Don’t forget to download my FREE first day of school printables 2022 at the bottom of this post *
Stock Up on Snacks
When school starts back it’s so important to stock up on healthy, delicious snacks. Both of my daughters have designated snack time in school, in addition to packing lunches several times a week and snack time after school we go through LOTS of snacks.
One of our current favorites are these Keto Brownie Bites from CORE Foods. These yummy bars are plant based, organic snacks that are also vegan and gluten-free. It’s hard to believe they have 0g added sugar with the rich fudge, chocolate flavor.
Start a Daily Dose of Vitamins
With school back in session, all kids can use a boost of nutrients. Vitamin Friends makes delicious gummy vitamins that parents trust, and kids love. These kid multivitamin vegetarian gummies include 18 essential vitamins and minerals plus Choline.
Vitamin Friends formulated these gummies to fill common nutritional gaps based on the average diet (and deficiences) of kids in the U.S. The vegan Focus Gummies include 100mg of Sharp PS® a branded ingredient with many clinical studies tied to ADHD, ADD, memory, concentration, focus and Alzheimer’s. Shop these gummies for your family and save with code Babble15 when you set up a recurring subscription.
Get Them Outside
When my girls come home from school they usually need time to unwind and play. I always encourage them to get outside! Whether it’s walking down to the park in our neighborhood, or playing in our own backyard, it always helps them get some of their pinned up energy out after sitting in class for a majority of the day. In Florida, we get liquid sunshine (aka rain) on a regular basis. Sometimes playing in the rain is JUST what they need after school.
My oldest LOVES her new Western Chief rain boots from the first-ever Girl Scout Boot Collection. We recently signed up for Girl Scouts this year. Both of my girls are so excited to start experience scouting. As a former Girl Scout myself, I really love this adorable ‘it’s raining cookies’ print paying tribute to all the favorite Girl Scout cookies. The boots have a touch of glitter and vibrant fun colors. Western Chief is one of the nation’s oldest rain boot makers. They’ve been making footwear for over 131+ years, so I know these boots will last for years to come.
These boots are available in kids size 5 – 6 Youth ($40 through $70) and women’s size 6 – 11 ($55 through $70). The collection is now available for pre-orders at Girl Scouts x Western Chief and will also be available for purchase at Murdoch’s and the Girl Scout Shop this summer.
Make a Fashion Statement
My girls love to express their own style. From selecting new outfits to finding the perfect backpack for a new school year, they definitely let their opinions be known. This year, one of their FAVORITE accessories is the adorable Fashion Fidgets fromWowWee. These dolls combine the stress relief and focusing benefits of a traditional fidget toy with the imaginative pretend play possibilities of a fashion doll.
There are 18 surprise dolls to collect all with different styles and at least 3+ fidget features. My girls both love putting these on their backpacks and lunch boxes. They wear them with love while at school and play with them in the car and at home. Find Fashion Fidgets Series 1 at Walmart.com!
FREE First Day of School Printables 2022 DOWNLOAD BELOW
I’d love to hear your back-to-school tips in the comments. Be sure to download my FREE first day of school printable 2022 via the link below. I hope your kids have an amazing first day back and a MAGICAL year!
