Back to School 2020: Tips for In Person Learning

It is officially back to school season (gulp!) and this school year is going to look different for everyone. My girls are going to be attending school completely online (at least for the first semester) but I know that a lot of families and school districts have kids heading back into the classroom either full or part time. It is always important to get organized for a new school year but the 2020/2021 school year presents some unique challenges that require some unique organization.

It is no secret that the spring of virtual learning was hard on so many families (raising my hand over here) but the thought of sending our kids back into the classroom can be just as overwhelming. How can I keep my kid and my family safe? How can I make sure my child is successfully learning in this new scenario? This week I am diving into back to school with my tips to prepare your kids for in person learning so your family can succeed in this new normal. And check back next week as I share my tips for getting organized for virtual learning.

2020 Back to School Checklist

• First and foremost, don’t send your kid to school if they are sick! This seems so obvious and I hope that especially now it wouldn’t even cross someone’s mind but it is so important to keep your kid home if you even think they might be sick. Develop a procedure to take your child’s temperature each morning (this touch free thermometer is great for a quick scan at breakfast) and never get their temp down with medicine and send them to school.

• Create a kit for your child’s backpack with all of their COVID-19 essentials. Fill the kit with an extra mask or two, hand sanitizer, wipes, tissues and maybe even a sanitizing spray. For the bag, focus on something that is easy to clean: either a plastic version that you can wipe down (like this here) or a fabric option that you can toss in the wash (like this here).

• As the first day of school approaches, train your kids to wear their masks for a longer period of time. In your everyday life you have probably not been wearing your mask for hours at a time and the adjustment is going to be hard on your kiddo. Practice wearing a mask as a family and build up the amount of time so the first day of school isn’t a shock to their system.

• Depending on the age of your child (kindergarten parents this one’s for you!) have them practice putting on and off their masks. Many teachers have been instructed to keep their distance so having your child as self sufficient as possible is important. Discuss with them that they should remove their mask from the ear straps and not by touching the front of the mask. It is also great to chat through mask etiquette and what you can and can’t do with your masks on or off. Be very literal with your child – you would be surprised how many kids are going to forget to take their masks off to take a drink.

• Reinforce good hand washing skills. It is often easy to forget about hand washing and focus only on hand sanitizer but make sure your child heads into school with fabulous hand washing techniques.

• Label, Label, Label. We have all been trying to instill the concept of sharing into our kids for years but now is the time for them to be a little selfish. Kids are going to need to be much more aware and in charge of their own items this year to limit sharing and touching by other kids. I love Mabel’s Labels for labeling all of your kids’ belongings from their masks to their water bottles and pencil boxes.

• Stock up on that hand sanitizer and make sure it is quickly accessible for your kids. This adorable clip on sanitizer are great for younger kids and these sleek options would slip perfectly in to a middle or high schooler’s pocket.

• Make sure you have a good supply of masks. COVID or not kids are still kids and let’s be honest some masks are going to get lost and you are not going to want to be doing laundry every single day to ensure they have a clean mask for school. Stock up on masks – aim for at least 1 per day – so you always have one close by. These are some of my favorite kid masks (here, here, here and here) – who says masks can’t be fun?

• Discuss a family back from school protocol. This is going to look different for each family and home set up. I suggest having a bin or two outside your home or in your garage that you kiddo can drop their backpack, remove their shoes and possibly even remove their clothes before entering the house. If possible, it would also be great to move up their daily shower to just after they return from school to be extra cautious.

• Create a personal school supply stash for your child. You should, of course, look to your school and teacher for guidance on what they suggest but keeping school supplies separate will be key this year. I love a pencil box like this here or even a larger full kit like this here would be great to keep everything contained.

• Finally, don’t forget that you kids are feeling anxious too. A little positivity will go a long way in calming your kiddos nerves and getting everyone ready for a successful school year.

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