It is almost time for our children to return to school! I know that this is a sensitive topic to talk about as every family is in their own unique position and is choosing to do what is best for their family, but I thought that as all children will have to return to school after a long break at some point I would put together a post of things to remember and things that we are finding helpful to prepare us for this change to our routine that we have become so used to for the past few months at home. Both of our children had a least a few days / weeks at school in July so we did get into a bit of a routine that we will continue. The main areas that we will focus on are being prepared, having good hygiene, keeping healthy and being kind to those around us (and ourselves) through this difficult time.
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Reminders about social distancing for returning to school:
I have come across some nice resources to help remind children about social distancing as a way of preparing them to go back. It won't be easy to see their friends but not hug them and play closely with them, but it is so important, so we will have a few talks about this before they go to school. I also have a few books about worries and positivity to read them and reassure them that everything will be ok, even with all of the changes.
- social distancing posters and resources
- social distancing videos
- books about worries
- Ruby's Worry
- Sometimes I am Worried (*gifted for review)
- The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Back to School Shopping:
- Uniforms
- check information sent from the school to see if there are any uniform / dress code changes (eg. at our school one child should now wear sports shoes every day and does not require a PE kit as they will not be changing for PE, while the other just needs one set of PE clothes to wear into school for the whole day once a week.)
- washable uniforms / school clothes (some schools are advising against wearing blazers and other items that require occasional dry cleaning instead of regular washing)
- masks (if necessary for your school / child's age)
- School Supplies
Wearing masks:
At our school masks will not be worn by the children (as they are both under 11), however I do have a few tips as we have been wearing them to go out to other places.
- try out different styles of masks in advance to see which ones they find the most comfortable
- disposable masks (not the best choice from an eco standpoint, but they often seem the thinest and most comfortable, and of course don't require washing or replacing if lost)
- reusable cloth masks (our personal favourite choice, can be chosen in favourite colours or characters that the children like to encourage wearing)
- folded style
- arched over nose style
- adjustable ear strap style
- ear protectors / strap extenders for any style of masks to make them more comfortable
- prepare a bag to put dirty masks in as soon as the children can take them off
- wash masks in a mesh bag at a high heat to sanitise them regularly
- send in a spare mask in a bag in case the first one gets lost / dirty
- consider using a mask lanyard to keep the mask clean when not in use (eating / drinking)
- colour code / label masks for different family members for easy sorting after being washed
Hand washing and other cleanliness:
We are back to our extra efficient hand washing routines and reminding the children how important it is to wash hands for at least 20 seconds each time (and not to touch their faces so much!)
- making hand washing fun
- hand washing is more important than ever, so it's a good idea to reinforce those hand washing rules before the children go back to school
- use Childs Farm hand wash and hand moisturiser at home to keep hands from getting too dry from all the washing at school
- Childs Farm have recently sent us a back to school pack including a full size hand wash and moisturiser for home as well as a travel sized hand wash and hand cream to bring with us on the go. This is so good for children with sensitive skin and hopefully will prevent their hands from getting too dry and cracked with the frequent washing and sanitiser use. (gifted products)
- hand sanitiser in school bag
- I like the refillable bottles that can clip to the school bag
- hand wipes in school bag
- wash school uniforms / school clothes after each wear
- we use Dettol Laundry in the wash as well as our regular laundry detergent
- for non washable items (shoes and coats) we use Dettol Spray and Wear
New additions to our daily routine:
There are a few things that we'll now be doing and carrying with us each day that are different to how they were, I have got my bag ready already!
- take multi vitamins and immune boosting supplements daily
- eat foods to help boost immunity / keep healthy
- citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, Greek yogurt, etc
- avoid sending in extra items to school (send in just a water bottle and other essentials that can be easily cleaned)
- send in an easily washable sun hat and rain coat each day (wash these at the end of each week, spray daily)
- if sending in a packed lunch,
- choose a washable lunch bag / box
- choose containers that can go in the dishwasher for easy daily sanitising
- include these lunchbox notes from Eats Amazing
- bring hand sanitiser and / or anti bacterial hand wipes to pick up (I carry these in a big bag that I can throw all of their end of the day things into and wash weekly as well)
- clean hands throughly before having an after school snack
- get changed out of school clothes as soon as we're home
- bath / shower straight away if possible
Keeping up with some of the good parts of staying home:
We have picked up a lot of good habits whilst we've been at home together and we do want to keep these going as much as possible, especially if school isn't quite how they remember it, I think that it will be comforting to have home as their familiar place for family time.
- writing in journals
- playing family board games
- going on family walks
For more fun, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest and sign up to receive our newsletter for regular updates!
Follow Play & Learn Everyday's board Play & Learn Everyday - Crafts and Activities from the Blog on Pinterest.
* This post contains affiliate links, I receive a small percentage of the cost when items are purchased through these links at no extra cost to you.*
