Tips for a Smooth Back-to-School Transition
It’s that time of year again! Pencils are being sharpened and backpacks are being packed. It’s normal for kids to have a range of emotions about going back to school—excitement to see friends and move to a new grade, disappointment that summer days are coming to an end, anxiety about challenges and new situations ahead.
Many kids will quickly ease into their new school schedule. For some kids though, change can be very difficult. Here are five tips to help make the back to school transition smoother for kids who struggle with schedule changes!
- Talk it up. Talk about the exciting things your kid will get to do in school this year. Talk about your own favorite school memories. Talk about friends from last year they haven’t seen all summer. Talk about how nice their new teacher seems to be. Build up the positives!
- Get a head start. If school days will mean waking up earlier, start getting up at the new time a few days in advance. If lunch will be at a different time than your child is used to, start serving lunch at the school time. There will be so many changes on the first day of school—help your child adjust a little at a time.
- Discuss the school schedule, or create a visual schedule. Many children who struggle with transitions do not like unexpected demands. Talk about what the school day will look like before it starts. For some kids, it may be helpful to create a visual schedule that illustrates how they will move through their day.
- Bring a piece of home. Find something small and comforting to place in your child’s backpack, like a family picture, a picture of a pet, or a drawing you created together.
- Encourage open communication at home. It’s great to talk about the best part of your kid’s day, and you should. But make sure they are also comfortable telling you about their concerns. You can encourage this behavior by modeling it yourself! Talk about the things that went well in your work day and also about things that were challenging or that you would like to handle differently in the future.
We’re cheering all of our friends on as they go back to school! Here’s to a great 2025-2026 school year!
By Amy Wolcott, M.S., CCC-SLP