A green and healthy Back to School season is easier (and in many cases cheaper) than you might think. Here’s an essential roundup of our favorite healthy back to school tips and resources for this upcoming school year:
For many parents, a new school year signifies the passing of time far more powerfully than changing the calendar on January 1st.
Whether it’s our baby starting kindergarten or our teen heading to high school, we tend to prepare ourselves for the big ones. But those smaller leaps can hit us unexpectedly.
Realizing your 3rd grader is halfway through elementary school is enough to send the calmest parent into a panic that time is passing far too quickly.
Add in the tasks of getting back into a routine, meal planning, organizing things that were neglected over the summer, plus nerves about the transition… and you might find the whole family on an emotional rollercoaster.
Every family is different, but what works for us is giving ourselves plenty of grace. So while you’ll find plenty of green back to school tips and advice in this roundup, I hope you’ll also spend some time enjoying the articles on family activities and ways to put simple routines in place for your mornings, packing lunches, and planning dinners.
Most of all, let this list be a guide you come back to when you have time and space. Don’t be overwhelmed. And if you have resources that have made your back to school journey simpler, please share them in the comments!
Back to School Tips for Planning and Routines
The best way to feel in control of a situation is to have a plan in place. These articles offer helpful advice on getting the new school season off to a great start AND maintaining a routine that keeps things running smoothly throughout the year.
How to Create Reassuring Routines for Back to School, Homeschool, or Distance Learning
Getting Back into the School Groove: Routine Success Tips – Kelly Bartlett
10 Tips to Help Your Child Adjust to School – AhaParenting
9 Tips for Homeschooling & Working Full Time – Amity Hook-Sopko
Rhythms, Routines, & Rituals – Amanda Witman
5 Steps to a Simple School Year – Sandy Kreps
Get Organized! Curating School Papers & Artwork
Guided Relaxation Scripts to Help Your Child Sleep – ShambalaKids
Back to School Shopping in Second-hand Style
Our Customizable Personal Planner
Taking Charge of Chaos: Organizing a Family Command Center
Helping Your Child Get a Good Night’s Sleep
How to Capture the Best First-Day-of-School Photos – SmugMug
Meal Planning 101 – Kim Corrigan-Oliver
Green Child’s Free Printable Meal Planner
Learning & Growing
Education should be about the whole child. Encouraging their lifelong love of learning, keeping those curiosity fires burning, and raising caring young people who grow up to make a difference – that’s what these articles focus on.
How to Boost Your Child’s Memory & Attention Span – Michele Smarty
30+ Free Educational, Mindfulness & Arts Resources for Kids
Raising a Motivated Student – AhaParenting
Think it Through: Helping Your Child Develop Critical Thinking Skills – Kelly Bartlett
Is Standardized Testing Worth the Stress? – ScaryMommy
10 Tips to Help Your Child Guard Against Bullying – AhaParenting
Encouraging Your Child’s Natural Love of Learning
Individualized Learning: One Style Doesn’t Fit All
Rain or Shine: Students learning in nature all day, every day – Linda McGurk
Nature-inspired Art Projects + Making Your Own Paints & Brushes – Leah Mebane
Finding an Authentic Montessori School
Rethinking Our Approach to the Notion of “Fitting In” – Dr. Shefali Tsabary
Grace & Courtesy: Helping children learn self-discipline
Healthy Lunch Inspiration
Those lunches don’t pack themselves! But once you get a system going, healthy lunches are so easy you can make them even on the busiest of mornings.
Healthy School Lunch Tips, 21 Days of Lunch Ideas, Sustainable Gear & More!
How to Choose Waste-Free Lunch Supplies
How packing a waste-free lunch could save your family $400 a year
Find our Pinterest board filled with healthy lunch ideas & recipes: Lunchbox Inspiration
Environmental Issues & Green Fundraising
No matter which type of school your child attends, they’ll be fundraising at some point. Our most impactful advice is – just donate money and forego the candles, wrapping paper, or other clutter you probably don’t need. But if you’re motivated to get involved, here are some ways you can encourage a less wasteful perspective when it comes to fundraisers. You’ll also find ways to encourage your child’s school to go green and serve healthier lunches.
School Incentives That Aren’t Junk Food or Junk Toys
School Fundraisers: Giving Kids a Choice
10 Eco-Friendly Fundraising Ideas to Kick Off the School Year – Anna Hackman
Bringing Environmental Issues into the Classroom – Tanyette Colon
Creating a Cleaner & Greener Classroom – Elise Jones
Food Revolution: School Lunch Style – Kia Robertson
Homeschool / Unschool Resources
Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family? – Anne Michelsen
The Beginner’s Guide to Unschooling – ZenHabits
How to Set Up A Homeschool Classroom – Wellness Mama
Think it Through: Helping Your Child Develop Critical Thinking Skills – Kelly Bartlett
Building Critical Thinking Skills Workbooks
Kahn Academy Learning Resources
10 Things Every New Homeschooler Should Know – SimpleHomeschool
Nature-inspired Art Projects + Making Your Own Paints & Brushes – Leah Mebane
Encouraging Your Child’s Natural Love of Learning
Learning at Home – Kerry McDonald
Individualized Learning: One Style Doesn’t Fit All
Find hundreds of homeschool ideas, themes, and projects: Homeschool Resources
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