STEM fun for the first day of school!

Back to School STEM Activities

These Back to School STEM Activities are themed with school supplies like pencils, crayons and more traditional themes like buses and apples for a warm welcome into the school year.

As you kick off the school year start off by building your own DIY Dollar Store STEM kit. Here are some tips for storing STEM activities in a DIY STEM lab.

Plus for back to school fill your bookshelf with these popular STEM books for kids! We’d want to encourage you to make time for STEM activities the rest of the school year with our 50 Stem Activities for Kids!

STEM Activities with Pencils

Pencils are a classic icon for Back to School so we put together a collection of five STEM Activities with Pencils to do with your child.

Can you build a tower with pencils? How tall can your pencil tower go?

Create a pencil catapult! With just a few supplies you’ll be launching tons of back to school fun.

Get ready to build a bridge with pencils! Try your hands at a pencil Da Vinci Bridge.

The magic breaking pencil activity is a fun way to demonstrate how light waves work with kids

Explore the chemistry of polymers by making your very own leakproof bag experiment. Who would have ever thought that a plastic bag, some water, and a few pencils would be so much fun?

STEM Activities with Apples

Apples are the classic first day of school item, so why not have a little STEM fun with apples? Here are five quick and easy STEM Activities with Apples.

Can you pick your apples from the apple tree with the help of a few magnetic tubes? Take this Back to school STEM challenge with our apple STEM activity.

How high can you stack your apples? Try out this apple stacking STEM Game!

Make back to school snack time a STEM challenge too with this fun and easy apple toothpick STEM challenge

Pull out the containers for this easy apple science experiment and discover how different liquids affect apples.

Create an explosive apple volcano with just a few supplies in your cabinet.

STEM Activities with Crayons

A fresh new box of crayons is a sign of a new school year. It also means there might be a few broken crayons looking to become a STEM activity for back to school. These five STEM activities with crayons explore all sorts of ways that properties of matter can change.

How many crayons can you count? This sensory bottle math game with crayons is tons of hands on fun!

Will it sink or float? Try this crayon sensory bottle science experiment!

Explore how crayons can change with heat with this beautiful melted crayon stain glass art project.

Back to school time, you tend to clean out the boxes and find old broken crayons, this hot rock melted crayon art is perfect for those crayons to find new life and explore how properties can change with heat.

Can you make a rainbow crayon? Discover the melting point of crayons, does the color matter?

Bus Themed STEM Activities

For little ones, the school bus is one of the things they are super excited about, even if they walk to school. Take advantage of this interest and see how much fun they’ll have with these five bus themed STEM Activities.

Can you make the wheels on the bus move? This Wheels on the Bus STEM Activity is perfect as we head back to school!

Work on numbers as you head back to school with this delicious school bus math game.

Build your own school bus photo frame with popsicle sticks for a back to school keepsake.

Create your own school bus with watercolors to work on math facts for the school year!

Sometimes it’s all about simplicity and the challenge of building your own version of a bus with a fun challenge inside like this. school bus sensory bottle.

Why do STEM Activities with your child?

STEM activities provide hands-on and minds-on lessons for your child. Making math and science both fun and interesting helps your child to do much more than just learn.

STEM is in every part of our lives. Science is everywhere in the world around us. Technology is continuously expanding into every aspect of our lives. Engineering is the basic design of bridges and buildings. Mathematics is in every profession and family, every activity we do in our lives.

By exposing students to STEM at home and school and giving them opportunities to explore STEM-related concepts, our hope is that they will develop a passion for it and in the future express their interest in a STEM-related job.

We’re excited that you can inspire your child to kick off their first day of school with tons of Back to School STEM Activities!

Which one will you start with as your first STEM Challenge for Back to School?

Your child may also enjoy these Back to School Resources…

They are so easy even the kids can paint them! 

Here’s how to make and play!

Pencil Themed Clothespins

This time of year is always a fun time to spark your child’s love of learning and school. Playing games inspired by back to school supplies help you kick off the school year with a focus on taking good care of all those products you just spent your money on.

Here’s how you can make simple but fun pencil themed clothespins with your child.  You can even make them personalized pencils for a special school work art display to highlight their special work this year.

One way to prep your child for reading success is to start off the year by working on the Dolch Sight Word List.

Disclosure: Affiliate links used to Amazon.  

Materials Needed for Pencil Themed Clothespins and Literacy Game

• Mini Wooden Clothespins 
• Shimmering Silver Acrylic Paint
• Acrylic Paint Canary Yellow
• Acrylic Paint Pink Parfait
• Paint Brush
• Scrapbook Paper 
• Scissors 
• Sharpie Permanent Marker Black
• Handwriting Paper
• wax paper or paper plate

Instructions for Pencil Themed Clothespins

1. Use the yellow paint to create the pencil by painting on both sides of the chunky clothespin covering 3/4 of the wood.  Be sure to also paint the sides too. Get your kids involved in this craft, it’s really easy and a fun memory to do together.

2. Then using the pink paint, it’s time to add the pencil eraser to the end of the pencil.  I made the end where you pinch the eraser portion so I could also paint the inside portion too.  Be sure to paint the edges on this task too pink.

3.  The last step is to use your silver paint to create the metal portion of your pencil.  The Shimmering Silver Acrylic Paint adds a special sparkle to the whole pencil craft which I highly recommend.  You can use it later in the year to create holiday crafts too, instead of using glitter.

4. OPTIONAL: You can paint a little black potion of the end for a pencil point, we left it off to make them easier to make.  Plus, if you really want your pencil painting to last you could also add an Acrylic Paint Sealer

Pencil Themed Sight Word Game

This can be a fun hands-on way to work on those high-frequency words for Kindergarten & First Grade! To create the pencil themed literacy game for sight words take your Scrapbook Paper and cut out with Scissors  24 squares.  They can be the size of around 2 inches by 2 inches for easy handling, you go make them smaller if you’d prefer. Add a few more if you’re planning to do spelling words for those double letters in words like the word “that.”

Write one letter per square with your Permanent Marker Black.  You can do it with your child watching you write the letters and discuss letter formations for younger kids OR I would have my child do it and have an alphabet chart on the table close by so that they can work on proper letter formations with you watching their handwriting skills.

Once you write all of the letters, it’s time to play!  You can start off with letter writing practice by choosing a letter card and putting it onto the Pencil Clothespin as a stand. 

Next, you can move to practice forming word families like choosing the word family -at and then selecting a few letter cards that would go with it like s, c, m, p, f, r.  Then challenge your child to see if they can read those words.

This activity would be ideal for spelling word practice too!  Have your child gather the letter cards and place them onto the Pencil Clothespins and then write them out on their Primary Handwriting Paper for spelling word practice in a hands-on way.

You can have them practice writing down each word that they made with the pencil themed sight word game!

Literacy Game with Pencil Clothespins

• Work on Spelling Word Lists
• Word Families
• Alphabetical Order
• Matching Upper Case to Lower Case Letters

Did you know that sight words make up around 75% of the words used in beginning children’s print materials? Sight words can give your child a better start in learning to read.

If your child is able to quickly recognize sight words then as a beginning reader they will be able to spend more time concentrating on the meaning and comprehension of the words as they read them instead of having to decode every single word.

Learning Materials for Back to School Writing

• My First Pencils Large Round
• #2 Pencils Box of 96
• Primary Handwriting Paper

Learn now Why You Should be Using Beginner Pencils for Handwriting Practice with young children.

Can’t wait to hear how your child’s pencil themed clothespins turn out and how they use them at your house. They would be a cute little teacher gift idea for their teacher too. You could even attach magnets to the back to create pencil themed magnets for their classroom.

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…

More Sight Word Games for Kids

• Sight Words with Glass Gems 
• Sea Shell Sight Word Game 
• Pumpkin Sight Word Game with Sensory Bottle 
• Fish Themed Sight Word Game

Want the best pencil to learn to write? Here’s our favorite!

** LIKE IT? PIN IT!  **

Read together as your child shares in those first day jitters and excitement to help them be prepared for their teacher, school and new classmates.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for easy shopping on Amazon. CLICK ON the images of each book to learn more and BUY.

First Day of School Books for Kids

Grab this back to school book list and get ready for your child’s first day of school.

Here’s our favorite books…

• ABC Ready for School: An Alphabet of Social Skills
• Butterflies on the First Day of School
• David Goes To School
• If You Take a Mouse to School
• Mae’s First Day of School
• Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
• Monsters Love School
• On the First Day of Kindergarten
• Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
• The Day You Begin
• The Night Before Kindergarten
• The Kissing Hand
• The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
• The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School
• This School Year Will Be the BEST!
• We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
• School’s First Day of School

Some of these back to school stories I’ve read with my Kindergarten students for the past 20+ years. However many are new authors and new characters that your kids will grow to love time and time again. This is such a special time in your child’s life and this list highlights the best First Day of School books to prepare for a memorable school year.

Looking for more themed book lists? Visit our Virtual Book Club for Kids

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

It’s the first day of kindergarten and Miss Bindergarten is hard at work getting the classroom ready for her twenty-six new students. Each has a special name and animal that represents the alphabet letters with a colorful and rhyming storybook for all Kindergarten children.

This School Year Will Be the BEST! by Kay Winters

In this story, classmates are asked to share what they would most like to happen in the upcoming year. Some kids’ hopes are familiar while others are off-the-wall. Whether it’s looking good on picture day or skateboarding at school, everyone’s wishes are shown in adorably exaggerated illustrations. As the first day arrives, there can be no doubt—this school year will definitely be the best!

Best Books About Starting School

You can help your child get ready for school by reading a few of these adorable books about the First Day of School. They open up conversations for discussing the classroom, the school, their new routine, the teacher and even their classmates.

On the First Day of Kindergarten by Trish Rabe

There’s so much to do on the first day of kindergarten. From making new friends to jumping rope in gym to riding the bus to school. The stories explore a lot of firsts with your child including saying good-bye to Mom and Dad when the school bus pulls up. Perfect for nervous and excited kids about to go to kindergarten. It’s a pretty cool place to be!

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wig

It’s the first day of school! Join the kids as they prepare for kindergarten, packing school supplies, posing for pictures, and the hardest part of all—saying good-bye to Mom and Dad. Perfect for parents to read as you’re getting ready to start for your special school year off.

David Goes To School by David Shannon

David keeps his teacher busy with her hands full! From running in the halls to chewing gum in class, David’s days at school may have a little bit of trouble in them but they are sure to bring a smile to readers. A great book to take about the rules at school with.

ABC Ready for School: An Alphabet of Social Skills by Celeste Delaney

C is for cooperate. G is for grow. P is for play! This friendly alphabet book helps young children explore a variety of skills related to school readiness. Kids preparing for school will learn social skills from A to Z. The adorable illustrations bring the skills to life with encouraging scenes of fun and learning in the classroom, on the playground, and more.

Books to Ease First Day of School Jitters

At the beginning of school many children and parents experiences some jitters and fears that everything will be ok. The following books are perfect for just this situation and help your child through these anxieties and help easy the first day of school jitters.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

The award winning lyrical text and colorful art carries the story that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. There are many reasons to feel different through this heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone.

Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro

Meet Rosie, a brand-new student who has butterflies in her stomach. She can’t wait to start kindergarten. She’s had her pencils sharpened and her backpack ready for weeks. However on the night before the big day, her tummy hurts. Rosie’s mom reassures her that it’s just butterflies in her belly, and she’ll feel better soon. Much to her surprise, when Rosie says hello to a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flies out of her mouth! As the day goes on, Rosie frees all her butterflies, and even helps another shy student let go of hers, too.

Mae’s First Day of School by Kate Berube

As Mae’s first day of school get closer she decides she is not going! She’s feels that school is scary! She worries about the other kids don’t like her and writing her name. And even what if she misses her mom? Mae’s anxiety only gets worse as she walks to school. But then she meets Rosie and Ms. Pearl as readers see just how powerful friendships can be.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

As school is starting Chester Raccoon does not want to go. Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. This story is especially helpful for children experiencing times of separation and the worries that come along with it.

Back to School Books with Adorable Characters We Love

Head to school with some of your favorite characters in back to school books! From a special If You Give a Mouse to Pete the Cat and even the beloved Pigeon, each will be a special story to read together as you get ready for your first day of school.

If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff

Head to school with this award winning series as you explore the various elements of going to school for the very first time. If you take a mouse to school, he’ll ask you for your lunch box. When you give him your lunch box, he’ll want a sandwich to go in it. Then he’ll need a notebook and some pencils. He’ll probably want to share your backpack, too.

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by James Dean

Pete the Cat discovers the library, the lunch room, the playground, and lots of other cool places at school in his school shoes. No matter where he goes, Pete never stops moving and grooving and singing his classic song…because it’s all good.

Monsters Love School by Mike Austin

Summer is over, and now it’s time for the biggest adventure of all…Monster School! These colorful monsters head to school for the first time as they explorer reading, writing and learning your monster history.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

It’s the first day of school and Penelope Rex can’t wait to meet her classmates. However, it’s hard to make human friends when they’re so darn delicious! That is, until she gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all.

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo Willems

Why does the Pigeon have to go to school? He already knows everything! And what if he doesn’t like it? What if the teacher doesn’t like him? What if he learns TOO MUCH!?! Mo Willems brings to life this beloved character for a special back to school book for kids.

The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen

Mr. Fish is nervously awaiting his first day of school, and he worries about writing his name, drawing shapes, and how to do math. In the story he’s —reassured that school is the perfect place to learn about this new skills.

Here’s a few more First Day of School Book suggestions from our favorite online book Friends:

For more book lists be sure to visit our Virtual Book Club for Kids

DID WE MISS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES? What are your favorite first day of school books? We’d love to hear about them in the comments.

Here are a few more book suggestions as you begin school….

Additional First Day of School Ideas for Kids

• Magic Dust for the First Day of School with (Printable Poem)
• DIY First Day of School Sign
• First Day of School Interview (Printable)
• 9 Tips for First Day of School Success
• Back to School Resources for Parents
• Back to School STEM Activities

As you prepare for your child to go to school for the very first time it can be very exciting but it’s also an anxious time for both parents and your little ones. It’s a great opportunity to talk about feelings and what we do when we feel a certain way.

Here’s one special way to celebrate the first day of school with Magic Dust for your child.  

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

First Day of School Magic Dust Poem

To help make this transition go smoothly my daughter received a special First Day of School Poem from her teacher that was so precious I wanted to share with you. 

She was so excited about putting her magic dust from her teacher under her pillow all week long that we even had to make a special Count Down to School for the First Day of School.

You can use glitter or star sequins to create this magic dust to put under their pillow. Be sure to print out this first day of school poem below to read along with the magic dust.

Here’s a PRINTABLE Version of the available for just $1.50. FREE THIS WEEK!!!!!

First Day of School Tips for Parents

Check out this video for tips about the importance of reading books to help your child get ready for the First Day of School.

At the end of this video, you can take a peek of my daughter reading the Magic Dust poem the night before her first day of Kindergarten. (we were pretty surprised how many words she was able to read in the poem, typically you will want to read it with them to help out.)

Magic Dust Ingredients

• star sequins or extra fine white glitter or white glitter sand
• small glass jar or fairy dust jar
• small ziplock baggy

Just add a little pinch of the magic dust under their pillow in the small ziplock baggy to make the magic happen. We were feeling a little extra anxious so we also sent a little in her lunchbox too.

Here are the options for the Magic Dust Poem to download. They are available in white, gray and rose, when you purchase you will get all three options.

We’re making this download FREE for Back to School 2025. (For this week only)

Book Recommendations for Preparing for the First Day of School

Reading with your child about the first day of school and the things that they can expect in their new classroom can also help with anxieties.

Here are a few of my favorite First Day of School books that I encourage you to read with your child.

The Night Before Kindergarten by Julie Durrell

First Day Jitters (Mrs. Hartwells classroom adventures) by Julie Danneberg

On the First Day of Kindergarten by Tish Rabe

The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing 

Mouse’s First Day of School by Lauren Thompson

 The Kissing Hand (The Kissing Hand Series) by Audrey Penn

Mae’s First Day of School by Kate Berube

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten  by Joseph Slate

Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois

A Letter From Your Teacher: On the First Day of School by Shannon Olsen

Explore even more of my favorite Back to School Books for Kids here!

First Day of School Printable Book

My daughter and I talked about school a lot this summer to help prepare her for her Kindergarten experience.

We made a special “Going to School” Book by writing the text together about different parts of a school day and illustrating it together. She wanted to read it again and again with me as we talked about the various parts of Kindergarten.

PRINT  your own First Day of School Book  {HERE} for $1.50 FREE THIS WEEK !!!!!

Hope this helps your little one feel confident as they begin their school experience. Talking about the experience and sharing it through books and role play can help to make the transition easier for everyone.

Additional First Day of School Resources

• 16 Adorable First Day of School Books
• Back to School STEM Activities
• Back to School Resources for Parents
• First Day of School Quote and Magnet Idea
• Tips for Making Friends at School  
• 100+ Lunch Box Ideas for Back to School 
• Sending a Smart Kid to Kindergarten
• Does Your Child’s Kindergarten List Compare?  
• Preparing for School Brings Emotions for Both Parents and Children 
• 9 Back to School Tips for a Busy Family 

What are you going to do at your house to get ready for the First Day Of School?

Helping children with feelings of anxiety is a part of parenthood and childhood. We hug them in the dark and when they hear scary noises. We hold their hand as we go to new places and while meeting new people. We talk with them about their fears and worries and even show our children there are no monsters in the closet from time to time.

Starting school can bring up some worries in our children. Some worries are about if they will make friends, will they get lost, will the teacher be nice and like them or even will it be too difficult.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes is a great book to read to children to help them with their feelings of anxiety about the world around them and starting school. In the story Wemberly worries about big things and little things and her parents are concerned she worries too much. 

I love how it addresses some common worries of children so that they can relate to her and know that they are not alone in their worries. One of her biggest worries is about starting school. 

In the end, she finds that she’s not the only one who worries through a special friend who somehow makes things a little less worrisome.

Activities for Back to School Worries

Identify your child’s worries with them. Are they big worries or little worries?

OR

We used a board to write down and discuss our worries. You could easily use a sheet of paper too. As we wrote down our worries we put them under Big Worries or Little Worries. Sometimes it helps them to be able to sort out what we should really worry about because it’s dangerous or something that just might happen but it’s not a big deal. 

As you talk about your child’s concerns about School or anything for that matter encourage them to categorize these concerns with you. 

It’s a difficult thing for smaller children to do, just think of how intensely you may have felt when you thought a shadow was a “real monster”. But the more you talk about when it’s not really happening the more they will begin to understand. Have them relocate those worries if they’ve placed them in the incorrect category.  

Some terms to use as you discuss these worries are the likelihood of them happening.

Ask them to sort their worries into groups of just might happen or not likely.

Once you’ve identified some true concerns that just might happen it’s time to talk about them and come up with strategies for them.

Here are some Examples and Strategies

Worry: I will forget my lunch

Truthfully it just might happen…. so make a plan.  Having them come with you to give the food service money might assure them that there is money there waiting for them just in case they leave their lunchbox at home.

Worry: I won’t have any friends

We hope that this never happens to any child but know that it is a big concern and rightly so. Come up with strategies for your child to make new friends. I encouraged my daughter to just remember only 3 names on the first day of school. It can be overwhelming to meet so many people at once. The next day I asked her to remember who she sat by at lunch or who she stood by in the line. Encouraging them to make those connections will help with forming friendships.

Worry: I won’t know the answers

I think it’s human nature to want to know things all the time but encouraging your child to ask questions and know that they are there to learn new things will help with this one. Also encouraging them to speak up and raise their hands when they don’t understand. A teacher is there to help you learn and understand is a great phrase to teach your child.

Worry: I’m going to miss my Mommy & Daddy

This is one of those things that you just never know how your child will react to until they are there at school. You can guess from experience in the past with child care providers but I know as a Mom of a crying child on the first day of Kindergarten I never saw that coming since he had done so well at preschool the year before.

Literally, the teacher had to pry my son off of me so that I could go to teach my classroom for my first day of school too.

Here are some Suggestions for Helping with Back to School Worries

• Create a heart for them to carry in their pocket or backpack. Curly Birds has a great tutorial on how to create them.
• Create First Day of Magic School Dust, we have a printable just for you with ideas.
• Read lots of books about school.  Here’s our list of favorite Back to School Books.
• Read Kevin Henkes collection of Mouse books they address so many social issues that children go through in school.
• Create your own Back to School Book.

We’ve created a printable for you. You can sit with your child and personalize their own book about school to talk about some concerns they may have and to also discuss the rules and procedures at school.

• Visit 6 Ways to a Less Worried Child from Awesomely Awake
• Visit Loving ways to Ease School Separation Anxiety by Imagination Soup
• Read Llama Llama Misses Mama on We Give Books, it’s even online!

• Create your own Wemberly Worried inspired by Mrs. T’s First Grade, she’s included tons of printable activity ideas too!
• Follow our School Pinterest Board for more Resources for Back to School.
• Role Play with Finger Puppets some of the worries your child may have and some of the words that can use in those situations.
• Preparing for School Brings Big Emotions for Kids and Parents too
• Download Kevin Henkes Wemberly Activity Guide. Includes a Maze, Dot to Dot, Coloring Page, Finger Puppets, Word Search, Songs and MORE!

Downloadable Wemberly Activity Guide from Kevin Henkes

If you haven’t read the story here is an online version.

We wish you the best of luck as your child begins school. Even if it’s their second or third year of school don’t forget sometimes their worries might even get more intense as they have memories of years prior. Communicate with your child and communicate with your child’s teacher to create the best environment for your child. I think we all have a little Wemberly in all of us! 

Who knows they just might want to make Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star next!

Here are some additional Back to School Resources to make your school year kick off with success!

In honor of school starting and our recent Bus Tours this summer we wanted to feature Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Has your child discovered the character Pigeon by Mo Willems yet?

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon Books.

We’re excited to welcome you to the Virtual Book Club for Kids featuring Mo Willems!

Each Virtual Book Club for Kids Co-Host will be sharing their own Mo Willems inspired post today!  That’s 16+ Activities to go with his books!

Water Color with Pigeon and the Bus

To start our Mo Willems fun we first drew the bus inspired by Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. Then we printed out coloring pages provided for free on the Mo’s website. Then it was time to paint!  

Using crayons or markers would work too but sometimes it’s that little extra element that makes a project seem special to a child. Once it was dry it make the perfect backdrop for our ABC Game!

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Letter Activity

Finding a match is a fun way to being to learn letters and letter sounds with a child. Use some images to discover which letter starts with that letter. We gather a few sets of letters as most usually have just one of each letters.

You could also very easily print out on paper or on your computer different types and colors of letters to add variety to the sorting game for kids.

Ask your child What Letter can get on this Bus?

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Create Your Own Name Bus 

We used some special letters to practice forming the letters in my daughter’s name, spouse, siblings. Another way we will use it soon it to from Word Families. Words that rhyme like -at -an -op -it will be a fun place to start to learn to read and rhyme. You could make word cards to for your child to copy onto the bus.

Ask your child What letters belong in your name?

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Create Your Own Family Bus

Who’s in your family? Create a special bus for Pigeon to drive with your family inside of it! My 3-year-old had fun using watercolors to paint our hand-drawn bus and including our family members inside too!

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Mo Willems Printables

We printed out a Pigeon from one of Mo Willem’s Websites Pigeon Presents! There are a bunch of resources on the Grown Up’s Section. While you’re there check out the Bus Facts Page. We hand-drew the bus to use for this project.

Here are a few more fun ways to learn to draw with Mo Willems.  

Here’s a quick video of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”

Check out this Knuffle Bunny Costume Idea for Kids

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Printables, Activities and Crafts!

• Handprint Pigeon 
• Paint Chip School Bus 
• Pigeon on a Bus Snack
• Bus Craft 
• Letter B for Bus 
• Pigeon Activity Guide from Mo Willems 
• Pigeon Needs a Bath Activity Ideas and Video
• 50+ Mo Willems Activities  
• Check out Mo’s Interview on the Today Show  and why he feels our kids need to be doodling! 

How to Join the Virtual Book Club for Kids 

We’d love to see the Mo Willems inspired activities that you do with your child or class!   Come share your activity Idea and photos on our VBC Facebook Page or in the Comment Section.

Mo Willems Activities from the Virtual Book Club for Kids Co-Hosts

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Activities 

• Cardboard Box Bus Craft & Number Game for Kids by Toddler Approved
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Activity by Coffee Cups and Crayons 
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: Puppets, Crafts and Storytelling by Playing with Words 365
• Letter B is for Bus Craft by Royal Baloo
• Pigeon Rhyming Race Activity by Growing Book by Book 
• Pigeon Handprint by Mama Miss 

Knuffle Bunny Activities 

• Mo Willems Inspired DIY Bunny Costume Felt Headband by The Educators’ Spin On It 
• Knuffle Bunny Activity Mats by ready-set-read 

The Duckling Gets a Cookie Activities 

• Counting Chocolate Chips – Duckling Get a Cookie by 3 Dinosaurs
• Nut Free Alphabet Cookies by Rainy Day Mum
• Sticky Cookie Craft by The Pleasantest Thing
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie Math Games by Inspiration Laboratories
• The Ducking Gets a Cookie Printable Clothespin Activity by Lalymom 

September Featured Author: Mo Willems

• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
• Knuffle Bunny
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie

You’ll find even more ideas shared for Books and Activities by following along!

Leave a comment below for us if you’re joining the Virtual Book Club for Kids!

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Every day it’s something you have to think about when you have kids and what you’re going to send with them to school or even at home too.

Here are some of our favorite lunch box ideas for kids. We’ve gathered our top lunch box idea PINS just for you!

Don’t forget to pin it for ideas all school year long!

School Lunches can become a little boring at times to make for kids. Day by day we take a peek in the fridge and pantry and try to decide what to put into their lunch box that they might actually eat. Having a plan for what you’re packing each day can be one of the keys to success.

Being organized and creative are two elements that will be a big hit with your kids.

Finding ways to get them involved in the kitchen like in making homemade sushi, alphabet soup or even tuna salad without mayo can be a lot of fun.

Top Lunch Box Ideas on Pinterest

Follow The Educators’ Spin On It’s board Help for Packing School Lunches on Pinterest.

Let’s be honest though sometimes it’s hard to come up with new ideas. Pinterest can be such a great source for finding inspiration for kid’s lunches. I thought it might be fun to feature my top kid’s lunch box ideas for you to get ready for back to school time with your family.  

Be sure to FOLLOW our Pinterest board for the latest Lunch Box Ideas!

Top Lunch Box Ideas for Back to School

We’re sharing our top most pinned and favorite lunchbox ideas for back-to-school that have been featured on our boards. Take a peek and see which one inspired you to pin too so that lunchtime can be a little bit easier this year for school.

Using a Printable Magnetic Lunch Chart from Martha Stewart can make meal planning easier. Getting kids involved can encourage better eaters.

Many of us are looking for budget friendly ideas for lunch. Brown Bag School Lunches on a Budget from Snack Picks.com shares her tips for staying on track with lunches.

Sometimes finding one ingredient your child loves is a way to start sneaking in healthy ingredients.  Here are 13 Ways to use Tortilla for Back to School Lunches from Evolving Motherhood.

Encouraging your child to help pack lunches using Simple Solutions for Healthy School Lunches from The Educators’ Spin On It can be a huge time saver. I’ve even included a list of what to shop for to keep in containers for quick access for snack time too.

These cold lunch ideas for kids will make lunchtime as fun as it is yummy. Fifteen different lunch ideas that can be put together ahead of time so packing your child’s lunch will be a breeze every day.

Finding fun ingredients that kids enjoy can be a challenge.  Here are Lunchbox Ideas that Kids Love from Family Fresh Meals.

25 Best Back to School Lunches from Remodelaholic with her favorites for what to include in these adorable Bento Boxes!

One peek in a school cafeteria and you’ll see it’s getting more difficult to expose your child to healthier items.  Here are 100 Healthy, Delicious and Easy Lunchbox Ideas from Family Fresh Cooking to get you started.

Take moment to print off this Printable Lunch Box Idea List. While you’re there check out the 1000+ Bento Lunch Ideas from the Bento Gallery at Wendolonia.

Here’s an easy way to have a whole month of lunch planned with 30 Days of Lunch Boxes from Peanut Blossom.

Finding new ways to make lunch can be so much easier with these 50 Tips and Tricks for Packing School Lunches from Love from the Oven

A month of school lunches already planned from  you makes the job a no brainer, love this Month of School Kid Approved School Lunches from Mom Endeavors.

Many schools have begun to request peanut free foods for the lunchroom.  Here are 15 Peanut Free Lunch Ideas from Smart School House.

Don’t forget about planning for After School Snacks. Here are 20 On the Go Healthy Snack Ideas from Let’s Lasso the Moon.

Tips for Success for Packing School Lunches

Think about it, we need to pack a school lunch for 180 days, trust me we need resources to turn to! That’s not even counting all the other days we’re just home with our kids on the weekends and summertime. 

My biggest tip as a mom of 3 and a teacher for over 10 years is to make healthy choices with your child for their lunches.

• Get Kids Involved– The more you encourage them to be involved the more they are likely to eat what you packed. Have a few things they can help put into their lunches when you’re packing them. Click here for ideas
• Easy Open Containers– Select containers and items that they can open independently. Sometimes that means practicing at home before hands for a few days.
• Label Lunch Box & Containers– It’s the easiest way to ensure all your costly lunch items are returned to their owner if they get left anywhere.
• Pack Healthy Items– Make healthy choices with the items you’re choosing, it’s brain power for your child as they are learning throughout their school day.
• Avoid Peer Pressure– You will hear all sorts of stories about what each student is allowed to bring to school in their lunches.  Go with your instinct and pack what you know is best for your child’s health.  Many prepackaged items are packed with sodium and ingredients that our kids don’t need to consume.
• Pick a Fun Theme– Sometimes it’s fun to pick a theme for lunch.  Cookie cutters, napkins and toothpicks can be the easiest way to add a little fun.

Pinterest can be an amazing source to come up with new ideas for Lunch for Kids with so many parents pinning new ideas they read on sites and also bloggers pinning their own ideas. It’s a WIN WIN for parents.

To find even more ideas be sure to FOLLOW our Helping for Packing School Lunch Pinterest Board at The Educators’ Spin On It. 

Lunch Box Options for Kids

Here are a few of my favorite lunch products to pack lunch with!

Disclosure: Amazon affiliate links for easy shopping for you. 

Wishing you the best as you begin your school year with happy tummies and growing minds!

Click now for more Back to School Resources for Parents

As a former teacher, and mom to 3 – I’ve gone through more than a few meet the teacher events. 

Here are some of the best Meet the Teacher Tips for parents.

We applied for our daughter to be enrolled at a local charter school with a healthy living focus. Unfortunately, we didn’t “win” the lottery in the spring. They called us the week before school started and with an open spot. We said “Yes!” 

Although I wasn’t excited about a full-day kindergarten, I was happy at the opportunities she will have. 

The school believes in educating the “whole child” and starts the day with Yoga, allows only healthy foods and gives children the opportunity to play.

Needless to say, we were all a little nervous. It was our first kid, first time in school, first time as a parent at a meet-the-teacher event. Luckily, I’ve done quite a few Meet the Teacher events as the teacher, so I knew a little bit of what to expect.

*Amazon Affiliate Link included in this post*

Meet the Teacher Tips: Making the Most of Meet the Teacher

1. Show up a few minutes early.

This will give you and your child a moment to take a deep breath, exchange a hug, and put on your happy faces.

2. Listen and only ask questions pertinent to the whole class.

If you would like to know the school’s daily schedule and the teacher didn’t talk about it – ASK.  If you want to know how the teacher will be able to keep your strong willed child focused and organized – SAVE this question for a private meeting either in-person or by phone.

The meet the teacher is a very general get-to-know you meeting and is NOT for 1:1 conferencing.

3. Sign up to volunteer.

I’ve got 3 kids and it is near impossible for me to volunteer in the classroom.  I always put my contact information on the list and offer to cut and prepare projects at home. I was sent home from Meet the Teacher with a stack of papers and asked to make these stars.

I love that her teacher was willing to welcome me into the classroom community in the capacity that I was able to handle.

4. Ask for the classroom wish list.

If your family is in a financially sound place, ask the teacher if there is a classroom wish list or supplies that need to be purchased for the classroom. Many times teachers purchase items for their classroom with their own pocket money.  

When parents can help out – teachers are able to do more science projects, hands-on art, and maybe even cook with the kids.

5. Take pictures of the classroom.

This may sound silly, but I like to take pictures of the classroom and print them out. We can make a home-made book with them and use the images to prompt discussions. These pictures also come in handy when you ask your child what they did all day.

I just take the class pictures out and ask her to point to the station she went to and have her tell me about it.

6. Take a picture of the class list of students

Take a picture of the class list that the teacher or school has posted. This is a quick way to help learn all the kid’s names as a parent and also be able to help your child begin to make new friends at school.

You can use it for making a Personalized First Day of School Book.

7. Find the Positives

There is NO perfect school. There is NO perfect teacher. I start at Meet the Teacher by looking for the positives and making a mental note of them.

Is your child’s teacher organized?
Did they smile when your child walked in the door?
Do they seem excited about the school year?
Is there something about the curriculum you enjoy?

Take note.

There will be things throughout the school year that are not “perfect.”

For example, I love the way that my daughter’s kindergarten teacher combines Montessori and Traditional Education. She is also the sweetest teacher and I feel like my baby will have many opportunities to learn and grow in a safe and caring environment. 

When I’m frustrated about something that happens in the classroom, then I will make sure to remember these positive attributes.

If you need to you can also Request a Change in Classroom Placement.

7. Talk about “meet the teacher” with your child

After you have the opportunity to attend Meet the Teacher, and talk with your child about it. Ask questions. Point out the positive things you noticed.

In addition to talking to our daughter about her new classroom, we also read stories about starting school. My husband and I have tried to answer her questions and talk to her about what kindergarten is like.

I think the best advice was when she asked her Papa, “What do I do if I miss Mommy and am sad?” His response was, “Cry!” I was a little shocked at his answer, but my daughter busted out laughing.

I don’t think either of us expected him to say cry. But he followed it up with an explanation, “If you are sad, it is OK to cry. Sometimes it may help you feel better and then you will have an awesome day.”

WOW – isn’t that the truth and I don’t think I could have given her any better advice. 

It is ok to be nervous. 

It is o.k. to have questions.  (both parents and kids)

Did I miss any Meet the Teacher Tips? Leave a comment below and let us know how your Meet the Teacher event went!

Are you looking for more back to school resources?  We recommend:

• Kindergarten Supply List
• Open House Tips for Parents
• Morning Routines for School
• First Day of School Books
• First Day of School Poem

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Creating Effective Morning Routine for School Days

Parenting an elementary school child is tons of fun! They crave independence, are helpful (most of the time), and can do many things on their own (like getting dressed, pouring cereal, putting their shoes on). BUT, my elementary school child likes to do things on her own time, which can cause some problems if you’re like us and need to be out of the house by a certain time.

Here are some helpful tips for getting kids ready for school in the mornings:

1. Plan ahead and have a routine. This will help to reduce stress and make the morning go more smoothly.
2. Lay out clothes and pack lunches the night before. This will save time in the morning.
3. Have a healthy breakfast. This will help kids stay focused and alert during the day.
4. Give kids plenty of time to wake up and get ready. This will help them avoid feeling rushed.
5. Be positive and encouraging. This will help kids start their day off on the right foot.

What My Elementary School Child is Like in the Morning

My 2nd grader is an awesomely creative kid, but not the highest functioning in the mornings. Our morning routines consisted of me making breakfast, getting all 3 kids dressed, teeth brushed, fed, and out the door.  I was giving way to many verbal reminders and there was just a feeling of stress all around, which isn’t a great way for anyone to start their day.

I felt like I was nagging.

She felt like I was nagging.

Our tone of our voices were not kind and loving.

Tears were shed.

When she was younger, we used to draw pictures to give her visual clues for expectations, on a whim one night last week, I made this checklist for her and set it on the table.

Using a Checklist for a More Effective Morning Routine

She woke up, trudged to the table, and slumped down by the empty bowl (I set as much out the night before as I can).  I could tell she read it because she moaned, “I need a pen.”  Chuckling to myself (I am a morning person) I handed her one. She set it beside the paper, ate her breakfast, and checked off that part of the list.

Then, she went to the bathroom and brushed her hair and her own teeth, ran to the sheet, and checked off that line. Continuing through the list, she didn’t once need a verbal reminder or fuss about any step.  It was AMAZING! She was ready and waiting at the door at 7:00 while I put her brother’s shoes on.

 In her sweetest voice,  she asked, “Would you please laminate the list so I can use it again tomorrow?”

Admittedly, our list isn’t the prettiest, but I think that is what makes it special!  She has used it consistently for a week with absolutely no complaints.  As we get better in our routines, I believe that she will rely less on the list, but it is laminated for her – just in case.

If your weekdays out-the-door routines are stressful – take time to think about what you can do to make them go smoother this weekend.  You could make a picture list for a non-reader, set clothing choices out the night before, write down a breakfast menu for the week, or even write a special message on your fridge to keep you in a positive mood.

Sometimes a little preparation on parents’ part makes a world of difference.

Now is the time for PARENTING WITH PURPOSE!

UPDATE: We have now used this morning checklist for 2 weeks. I have no idea what I did without it.  Although all of our morning routines are a little different – I made a prettier version to share!

What do YOU do to make your mornings a happy, non-stressful part of your day???

Are you looking for more back to school resources?  We recommend:

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ticonderoga. All opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links included in this post.

Teaching young children to learn to write is one of my most favorite things to do. Giving a child the right writing tools to be successful is an important step. A large size round No. 2 pencil is easy for small hands to hold making them ideal for children in the early stages of their writing development.

Have you bought your Ticonderoga pencils yet for your beginner writer this school year?

Using a Beginner Pencil for Handwriting

In my Kindergarten classroom, I prefer to teach how to properly write using large diameter pencils. This back to school season we’re kicking off our writing with a very special pencil from Ticonderoga Pencils, just for beginning writers ages 7 or younger.

The larger pencil is so much easier for little hands to hold as they develop their fine motor skills and story writing skills. Plus it helps with learning to form the proper way to hold a pencil which can make a huge impact on handwriting in the future.

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

With oversized beginner pencils the thicker core of graphite helps to prevent the frustrations from the graphite breaking, and they stay sharper longer as your child practices writing with a pencil. It gives them time to be creative and write down their thoughts.

If they make a mistake the erasers remove marks easily without smudging. You’d be amazed how distractive little tasks like erasing can be to beginning writers.

Handwriting Skills for Preschoolers and Kindergartners

Handwriting skills start off at an early age as fine motor skills that you learn through hands-on play. If you have a preschooler at home I’d recommend starting off this school year by heading to your favorite store for school supplies and look for the My First Ticonderoga Pencil. These larger pencils come pre-sharpened plus they come with a bonus sharpener too.

If you’ve never seen them before, you need to know that they are much thicker than regular pencils which helps with easily being able to grip. The pencil’s graphite is big enough to withstand even the hardest writers for smooth writing. These pencils are great for beginning writers who would like a substantial size that is easier to hold on to as they work on proper pencil grip.

How to Develop Proper Pencil Grip

You might be wondering how do I teach my child how to hold a pencil?

You start by developing the skills that are required, which requires a lot of hands on play and exploration. Playground time can make a huge impact in your child’s handwriting as they grow up, so go PLAY! Below I’ve listed some of the things your child will develop for their handwriting skills and proper pencil grip.

• Very young children even start by tummy time to build their postural strength through so they can sit up at a desk eventually.
• Develop shoulder and upper arm strength and stability so they can hold their arm steady whilst they write by playing push and pull games and hanging from the monkey bars.
• When writing you’ll need to stabilize their wrists so activities like painting on an easel or using a rolling pin. Even holding onto swings is important in developing these skills.
• One key element to proper pencil grip is the arch of the palm. Invite your child to play with the trigger of spray bottles, tongs, or hole punches to develop hand grip strength.
• To help develop a child’s pincer grip you can encourage them by threading small beads, using pegs, or pinching playdough.

Continue doing these activities while your child is developing their proper pencil grip.

To set your child up for success it’s important to remember that very young children will not be strong enough to hold small pencils. They are working on the ability to control and stabilize their shoulders/wrists. Because of this kids tend to use chunkier writing tools, like My First Ticonderoga Pencils, and write using whole arm movements. As their strength and control develops, the movement of writing will move from the whole arm, to the wrist, and finally to the fingertips.

The goal is around ages 4-6 years old your child will develop a static tripod grip on their pencil.

This is the ideal grip to help move the pencil efficiently, accurately, and at a good speed. Once your child masters these skills they are ready to start practicing and perfecting their letter formations!

Here are some additional tips to improve handwriting for your child.

Pencil Themed Handwriting Activity for Kids

For a playful idea for a handwriting activity you can create fun letter cards together that are inspired by pencils. The pencil clothespins help to develop hand drip strength and focus on letter recognition too. We used some chubby clothespins from a local craft store and some leftover paint to create these pencil clothespins.

Grab some paper and your beginner pencil for writing fun with your child. Or you can use these pencil themed clips to display your child’s handwriting work for the school year!

Head to the store this back to school season and look for the Ticonderoga large diameter pencils (also called primary or beginner size pencils) for young children (7 and under), or differently-abled individuals and start working on your writing skills.

They’ve spent 100 years of helping families tell their story. Ticonderoga focuses on being #1 in quality just for you!

Looking for more ideas for handwriting and fine motor skills with kids? Try these…