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Learning Together Joyfully: Back-to-School Mindset

August means that summer vacation will soon be over and time to think about back-packs, school supplies, lunchtime preparation and homework. It is a time for parents to consider reestablishing routines such as earlier bedtimes and placing more of a focus on play-based learning activities to create a positive mindset for children to better prepare them for school. Daily routines such as play time, family time and outdoor play, bath times, mealtimes, quiet times and bedtimes are important for children as they bring comfort, consistency and structure to their life. Regular family activities strengthen shared values, beliefs and interests. Routines teach children: time management and self-management; establish expectations to complete activities without issue and; build confidence and independence. Routines can create a calmer household where expectations are understood so stress and anxiety are reduced. All in all, good routines are flexible, include tasks that children need to become more independent and are fun to follow. The human brain is like a muscle – it needs regular exercise to stay in shape.  So as those lazy summer days tick by, it is important that children don’t forget what they have learned over the previous ten months of school. If interested read 11 Tips to Keep Kids Learning Through the Summer | HuffPost Life and Why Learning Over Summer is Important (schoolcues.com). It is perfect that children have had two months and opportunities where their brain has been free to relax, to wander, to create and to enjoy feelings of happiness and positivity. They have had time to choose activities which they enjoy and have had the freedom of time to engage in their passions and interests. Included are many play-based activities that are fun and activate children’s prior knowledge — particularly as families think about going back to school and what can be done to support an easier transition for their children. Parents may wish to read more Back to School tips: Prepare Kids for Back to School | The Personal OR 8 Tips to Prepare for the First Days of School | Scholastic | Parent 

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1.  Read and Sing together 📚 

PREPARING FOR SCHOOL: Sharing and discussing the following books with your child prior to the start of school can reassure them about what to expect and can ease anxieties about the unknown. Reading can also provide an opportunity to normalize their feelings and share that many children are having similar feelings. You and your child can click on links and enjoy reading the following preparing for school read-aloud picture books or check out your school and public library or bookstore to buy or borrow these recommended books.

  • Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro. Rosie gets a new backpack and can hardly wait for school to start. But the first morning, she’s not so sure. “You just have butterflies in your belly,” her mom tells her. This story is about a girl who has last minute hesitations about starting school.  Luckily the butterflies in her stomach fly out her mouth when she talks and this helps her to feel better.  This is a good story to open discussions about being nervous and how to handle it.
    • Follow-up activity: Play a game of toss-around. Form a circle and begin by telling your students how you are feeling about the new school year. For example, “I was nervous, but now I’m excited.” Toss the ball to a student so they can share how they’re feeling. Play continues until every student who wants to has had a chance to participate.
Butterflies on the first day of school book cover
  • How to Get Your Teacher Ready How to Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan. In a charming role reversal, the students in this story gently guide their teacher through the getting-ready process for back to school. Your students will laugh and surely learn a lesson or two themselves.
    • Follow-up activity: Have students compile a list of rules that will help their teacher have the best year ever.

  • First Day Jitters First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach at the prospect of being the newbie. Sarah Hartwell is scared and doesn’t want to start over at a new school. Kids will love the delightful surprise ending of this charming story!
    • Follow-up activity: Have students write about a time they were scared and how their situation turned out! Or have students partner with a friend and tell their stories to each other.

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SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) BOOKS

As school approaches some children may feel anxious and uncertain about the upcoming changes to their summertime routines. Children’s behaviour and learning are dependent on their social and emotional development. Social development is a child’s ability to interact with others and regulate themselves. Emotional development includes children’s self-perceptions, their empathy with others, and their ability to understand and express their own feelings. In the early years, children are learning to recognize and manage feelings, develop social skills, and practice both in developing new friendships. The stories and images in a good picture book can teach important lessons about all three. But most important of all is the relationship built with a caring adult. Books that feature topics such as kindness, sharing, persistence, and teamwork, assist children to reflect on and learn more about how they can develop these skills. As children settle into their new classroom, it is important to focus on SEL skills so they are better equipped to cope with school life’s challenges. Sharing books addressing a range of social-emotional learning areas helps kids feel accepted and understood. Consider sharing the following books to help children of any age develop empathy, talk about their feelings, and identify with others. 

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Discussing illustrations and the plot assist children to manage and label their feelings, develop social emotional skills, and practice both as they learn how to develop relationships and friendships. Sharing books addressing a range of social-emotional learning areas including anxiety can help kids feel accepted and understood (even older students can learn important lessons from these stories!) The following recommended children’s books about Social Emotional Learning is a great way to introduce children to positive techniques to cope during challenging situations – especially for those uncertain about going back to school.

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  • The Magical Yet by Lorena Alvarez . An inspirational rhyming book that teaches kids the power of “yet.” We all have a lot to learn in life, and sometimes skills we wish we had just aren’t there … yet. A book about perseverance and having faith in yourself. Add this to your list of back-to-school books that teach a growth mindset.
    • Follow-up Activity Ask students to write about something they are hoping to learn or get better at this year.
  • Listening with My Heart: A Story of Kindness & Self-Compassion by Gabi Garcia. As much as it is necessary and important to teach our kids to be friendly to others, it is essential to talk to them about being friends to themselves. This friendly book regards self-acceptance and positive self-talk to be helpful in building a child’s emotional resilience and developing a happy and strong mentality. The book also touches on other universal subjects of empathy, friendship, and kindness. As a bonus, mindfulness and self-compassion activities are also included in this small yet beautiful book.
  • A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles by Thich Nhat Hanh. Pebble meditation is a playful and fun activity that parents and educators can do with their children to introduce them to meditation. It is designed to involve children in a hands-on and creative way that touches on their interconnection with nature. Practicing pebble meditation can help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude, and can help children deal with difficult emotions.
  • Meditation is an Open Sky by Whitney Stewart. Kids of any age will learn simple exercises to help manage stress and emotions, find focus, and face challenges. They’ll discover how to feel safe when scared, relax when anxious, spread kindness, and calm anger when frustrated.
  • Master of Mindfulness by Laurie Grossman. This book is a unique and empowering book written for kids by kids, with cool illustrations and tips that show how to be confident, get focused, stay calm, and tap into your own inner strength so that you can be your own superhero—no matter what life throws your way!
  • Puppy Mind by Andrew Nance. Zen monks call it a monkey mind but I think kids can really understand puppy mind better or also explains the ADHD “squirrel” brain.  Like a puppy who is always wandering off, our brains can do that, too. To keep our brains focused on the present, we can breathe. Lovely illustrations throughout this simple book gives kids a powerful metaphor.
  •  Have you Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud. This classic book is all about encouraging acts of kindness towards others by imagining everyone has an invisible bucket that holds good feelings and thoughts. Teaching kids about being kind to others, this story illustrates how easy it can be to make someone’s day a little bit better. This is a good introduction to the idea of emotional bank accounts.
  • Train Your Angry Dragon by Steve Herman. With amusing illustrations, this book helps children to manage their anger and frustrations when things don’t go the way they want. Having a pet dragon is very fun but what do you do if he gets angry or upset? What do you do when your dragon lost his cool and wants to burn everything to the ground? A must have book for children and parents to teach kids about emotions and anger management. Fun and entertaining with beautiful illustrations, this playful book will teach kids how to handle when things don’t go their way.
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  •  My Body Sends Signals by Natalia Maguire. How to teach kids about emotions and feelings is like teaching them everything else – using clear words, familiar situations, exciting pictures and a lot of hands-on activities. This book is an excellent educational source that  includes a relatable story, beautiful illustrations that capture children’s attention, calming-down activities for kids, instructions to adults on the follow-up activities, emotions cards, feelings cards, coloring pages and related short stories to teach kids empathy.

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  • The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. The award-winning book is about a colorful and beautiful fish who finds true friendship and happiness when he learns to give. Rainbow Fish has beautiful glittering scales like no other in the ocean. While at first he refuses to share his most prized scales, he learns that when he does, he creates invaluable friendships.
  •  The Way I Feel by Janan Cain. The message here is that no feeling lasts forever and things are always changing. This book gives names to feelings and invites the reader to talk about what makes him or her feel that way. Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. This book uses strong, colorful and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word and the emotion. Children learn useful words and you will have many chances to open conversations about what’s going on in their life. Recommended by parents, teachers and mental health professionals, This book is helpful for young children with autism. 
  •  The Unbudgeable Curmudgeon by Matthew Burgess. Everyone has bad days, but many students don’t know how to get out of their funk once something doesn’t go quite right. How does one contend with a curmudgeon? This delightful picture book is filled with fun phrasing and engaging illustrations.  It’s the perfect read-aloud when someone is having a cranky day! This playful story depicting  bad moods and sibling rivalry has perfectly matched  illustrations.
  •  I am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde. Being human means we are full of possibility. We learn, we dream, we wonder at the world around us. But we also make mistakes and can feel fearful or sad. This book affirms that we can make good choices by acting with compassion and having empathy for others and ourselves. When we find common ground, we can feel connected to the great world around us and mindfully strive to be our best selves. Includes a guided meditation.
  • Tomorrow I’ll be Kind by Jessica Hische. Sometimes the smallest gesture of kindness goes a long way. This book teaches young ones the importance of kindness and how to be good friends and classmates. 
    • Follow-up activity: Ask students to share what is the most important thing about being a good friend.

  • Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, PhD. Having a growth mindset rather than a fixed one makes learning easier.  This book shows children that making mistakes, trying something new, and practicing difficult skills are excellent ways to help the brain to learn.  Engaging illustrations and diagrams help the reader to understand the inner workings of the brain. Educator and psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak offers a fun and engaging introduction to the anatomy and functions of the brain that will empower each young reader to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow their fantastic, elastic brain!
  • After the Fall by Dan Santat. What fun when traditional storybook characters become multi-dimensional! In this lovely story, we catch up with Humpty Dumpty after his famous mishap.  What happens next? Well, getting up from a fall, whether literal or metaphorical, can be tricky.  Humpty recovers outwardly but still has trauma on the inside. A great book for addressing emotional resiliency. Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after? Caldecott Medalist Santat’s poignant tale follows Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most. Will he summon the courage to face his fear? After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) is a masterful picture book that will remind readers of all ages that life begins when you get back up.
  • The Memory String by Eve Bunting. Laura sits with memories of her mother while trying somehow to tolerate her new stepmother. Each button on the memory string represents a piece of her family history, and when the string breaks, her heart breaks with it. When her new stepmother genuinely tries to help, Laura’s opinion of her changes. Bunting’s moving story of grief through the eyes of a child will resonate with readers of all ages.
  •  My Mouth is a Volcano! By Julia Cook. Louis has a bad habit – interrupting! This story shows the struggle going on in Louis’ body. His words are fighting to escape his brain, jump onto his tongue, and burst right out his mouth. Louis realizes what a problem it is when others begin interrupting HIM. This book is great for talking about taking turns and giving everyone a chance to share their thoughts.

SONGS:

PREPARING FOR SCHOOL: Children will enjoy singing these songs as they begin to get into the mindset of going back to school.

SIGHT WORDS – Reviewing sight words over the summer can build confidence in young readers and make them more able readers. They won’t have to put so much energy into understanding more difficult words as they build a foundation for reading new and more complex words. 

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING:  Music and movement support social-emotional development in young children. The research proves that singing, dancing, and using hand motions in a group increases cooperation and creates greater empathy for each other. So keep children singing, moving, clapping and stomping to the following songs and videos!

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2. Create together: Puzzles, Games, Drawing and Constructing 🧩 

SIGHT WORDS AND WORD BANKS: Sight Words or Word Banks are part of the early reading and writing process. They make reading easier and can help children become more fluent readers. They help children gain confidence as they read, and often increase a child’s reading speed and comprehension.  Many of the over 200 “sight words” do not follow the basic phonics principles, thus they cannot be “sounded out.” Beginning readers need an effective strategy for decoding unknown words, and being familiar with sight words is such a strategy. The following activities are fun and playful ideas for children to enjoy when they are ready to read and write. But be warned –  If children are not ready, it can have the opposite effect. If your child is ready, read more about the benefits of teaching sight words: What Are Sight Words and Why Are They Important? (speechbuddy.com)

  • Playing bingo is a great way to work on listening skills and also help to focus on simple sight words or word banks. Consider downloading the following:
  • The following play-based strategies support children as they begin to learn to read:
  • Word Scavenger Hunt. Write two sets of sight words or word banks. Print one set on the sidewalk and have the kids match them up with the second set of cards.  Add some fun and have them jump on the word as you call out the word.
  • Summer Sidewalk Chalk Reading Game to play at home. (Theresjustonemommy.com) The game is simple but fun: Print 3 letter words with a vowel in the middle in the driveway. For older children increase the number of letters. With three letters, here are some different reading games to play. Game 1:  Children sound out the word and then find other rhyming words. Game 2:  Toss a small rock onto the words and read whichever word the rock lands on. Game 3:  Call out a word and children run to find it to stand on the word. Game 4:  Read a word correctly and squirt it with a squirt gun. No doubt this will be children’s favorite option!
  • Sentence Fun. Use Playdough and a clothespin to have more fun with word banks or sight words. Work those fine motor skills to pinch and pull little bits of play dough from a big lump and then place a sight word in the clothespin. With two sets of the words children can match the word in the clothespin to the second set of cards OR for even more fun – move the cards around to make crazy sentences using the words.

3. Explore, Engage & Interact together 🌍

SUMMER FUN

  • Make time for day trips to your local museums, zoo, aquarium, concerts, events and parks that your child does not get to attend during the school year.  You may wish to have them keep a journal of their activities and experiences – but only if it doesn’t spoil the experience!

BACK TO SCHOOL EMOTIONAL PREPARATION:

  • Share the video with children about the Power of Yet and then share the book The Magical Yet by Lorena Alvarez. Encourage a class discussion about how we may not have learned how to do things but that is okay because we just haven’t learned something YET. Ask children to think about how you can improve the phrase “I can’t do this.” by adding YET. Discuss why the word “yet” so powerful?

SIGHT WORDS & WORD BANK ACTIVITIES: PREPARING TO READ

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4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭

NUTRITION – BRAIN FOODS: The foods young children eat are important as they are critical for brain development. Research informs us that the food children eat can affect their focus and cognitive skills. There are many foods that can help kids stay sharp and affect how their brains develop well into the future. As we begin to think about going back to school and making lunches, the following are some “brain foods” you may wish to consider incorporating into your child’s lunchtime diet.

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EGGS & AVOCADOS: Eggs are  a source of protein and contain vitamin A, B Iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium. The egg yolks are packed with choline, which helps memory development. Studies show that eggs promote brain development and improve motor function and memory. Avocados are a source of monounsaturated fatty acids and studies show they protect nerve cells in the brain called astrocytes. Avocados assist in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and lower cholesterol. 

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SALMON: is a good source of protein, vitamin D and omega-3s, which protects the brain from declining mental skills, memory loss and can also stabilize mood changes.  Salmon, tuna, and sardines are all rich in omega-3s. Studies show that the more omega-3s we can get to the brain, the better it will function and the better children will be able to focus. For a balanced lunch with the sandwich include some favorite fruits and vegetables.

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OATS & WALNUTS: Oat, a good source of protein that is fiber-rich helps keep the heart and brain arteries clear. In one study, kids who ate sweetened oatmeal did better on memory-related school tasks than those who ate a sugary cereal. Oats provide excellent energy or fuel for the brain and the fiber in oats keeps a child’s brain fed all morning at school. Oats are also good sources of vitamin E & B, potassium and zinc — which make our bodies and brains function at full capacity. Walnuts are a great source of carbohydrates, protein, unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. Studies show they improve reaction to stress, help people think more clearly and benefit memory and other cognitive functions.

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BERRIES such as strawberries, cherries, blueberries, or blackberries are great to include in small containers in children’s lunches. In general, the more intense the color, the more nutrition in the berries. Berries boast high levels of antioxidants, especially vitamins, which may help prevent cancer. Blueberries are a great source of vitamin C & K, manganese and fiber. Studies show that it minimizes stroke-related brain damage, improves memory, reduces the risk of inflammation and cancer, controls blood pressure and lowers cholesterol.

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame
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MOVEMENT: It is important to energize children and keep them moving. Consider the following:

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5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning 💭

BRAIN FOODS:

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IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

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BACK TO SCHOOL: REMINDERS ABOUT ANXIETY:

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