A Gentle Guide For Blowing Away Back To School Blues

Why Do Children Struggle With Going Back To School?

The Summer holidays are pretty full on - yay for children who’ve been tapping pencils, counting down the days for freedom and fun. And fun is certainly had - by the end of which the idea of going back to school can be daunting. So why do children dread that first morning back? These are some of the most common culprits.

They Enjoy Being At Home

Simple, innocent and kind of sweet - many children really do enjoy being at home with you. Having all that time off to be in their element can develop an attachment to that comfort and the idea of giving it up all over again can be a lot. No school uniform, getting up early or school lunches they get to give up routine and relish in freedom. Having Mum and Dad around everyday becomes the norm and now they have to swap you again for school friends and teachers. While as soon as they settle back into the swing of things, they forgot all about you (sad but true)  the change can be unsettling. If you hear the words “I want to stay home” the night before or over breakfast in the morning - rest assured this is common and soon passes.

Out of Touch With Friends

While some little ones see a lot of their friends during the Summer holidays, your family may have gone away or spent time doing other things. This can create a feeling of being a bit out of touch with friends and like they have to make them all over again. Children’s friendships can feel intense and emotional, they may feel left out or nervous that they will not be accepted into their old friend groups. As soon as they get back to the playground things usually return to normal, this may not be something they say out loud however can create background noise and come out as general apprehensiveness about returning. 

Worrying About Schoolwork

With all the time away from having lessons, learning and homework - their brains have had a good rest. This can create a little anxiety about having to be switched back on. Even those children who love school work and learning can be nervous about readjusting back to a teacher and assessment based environment. They may feel they will not keep up or have forgotten everything. This is natural and simply takes a bit of time to get back into the swing of things. 

What Can You Do To Prevent Holiday Blues?

School holidays are a long break and to a certain degree - some kind of moan about going back is inevitable. However, there are a few things you can do throughout the break to make the idea of returning easier. 

Arrange Activities With Friends

Going too long without seeing their friends can create a little distance that becomes bigger in their head the close they get to returning. In children's time even a week can feel like months. Simply arranging a few days out or having friends over for tea during the holidays can maintain fluidity and consistency in their friendships which makes them feel more connected and positive about returning, 

Keep Their Brains Learning

While setting homework in the school holidays is never going to go down well - there are plenty of ways you can encourage learning that feels more fun. From baking, swimming lessons to reading, getting creative about learning is a great investment for their future. Crafting is a magic way to encourage learning through play. My Mini Maker craft kits are highly recommended by early learning practitioners for developing key skills from coordination, planning to story telling. The best bit is they can be done anywhere - from the living room table, holidays to the garden. Explore our monthly themed kits from space to the jungle and let them get stuck into fun-packed, guided activities. No screens required, just pure imagination. And while they are having fun - pop the kettle on and enjoy a hot cuppa, peace and quiet - grown-up brains need recharging too. 

Make The Return To School More Fun

There is more than going back to school than alarms and homework - what about the fun bits? Like choosing a new rucksack, pens and pencils and getting excited about the old routine. Try and encourage conversations about what they are looking forward to and plan some fun things to do after school. From having friends round to play, surprises in their lunchbox to having fun crafting after school there are lots of ways to get them excited about going back and making that first morning something you can all look forward to. 

Final Thoughts

Returning to school after the Summer holidays can be a challenge for many children. Feeling emotional about leaving home, seeing their friends again and taking learning back on can be overwhelming. Still there are ways to prevent the build up of the blues and prepare for that first big morning back to make things a little easier. Keep in touch with school friends throughout the holidays. Even the occasional play date or having them over for tea can help maintain consistency in their relationships. Explore ways of learning outside of school, from baking to crafting - there are plenty of ways to encourage learning more creatively. Crafting is a simple way to get stuck into screen-free fun, learning through play and hands on fun. My Mini Maker craft kits can be delivered straight to your door to discover their new favourite home adventure. Each month provides a different theme to learn about the world while developing key skills with four guided activities. Finally try and focus on the fun and excitement around going back to school, from a new rucksack to talking about what they are looking forward to. Within a few days, they will be back to jumping out of bed, telling you about their days on the drive home and you will forget what all the fuss was about.