3 Things To Do Before School Starts

1. Have a day of fun.

One last hoorah is a great way to end the summer and bring in the school year. Have the kids write down 3 things they want to do. Pick at least one thing from each and HAVE FUN. Take a day off work if you can! (And take lots of pictures.)

Some ideas?

• Go to the movie theater late at night (kids think this is so cool)
• Go for ice cream and order a flavor you’ve never tried
• Shop at the local thrift shop for under $5 or $10 and see what crazy outfit you can make up. Make sure to photograph your creations!
• Play mini golf, but face away from the hole … or with your eyes closed… or after spinning five times (but make sure no one is near the swinging player!)
• Make lunch cards with special messages – the kids decorate the cards, and you fill them in (either now or the night before you put them in the lunch box)

2. Fill out a summer questionnaire.

Have the kids fill out a summer questionnaire, so they won’t forget the good times they had. (Fill one out yourself, too.)

Make your own, or download this one!

2014 Summer Questionnaire – Free Download

3. Make a ‘first day of school’ sign.

Print any combination of school grade/teacher’s name/school name. I find a horizontal page is perfect for holding. And I use white cardstock since it’s sturdy. And I print two copies of each, in case one gets dropped/dirty – it’s saved me more than once. I like using gray because it’s subtle and doesn’t take too much attention from the subject – my cute little student. (It’s a good idea to be ready for school at least 20 minutes early, so you won’t be rushed. I know, easier said than done.) I also take photos of them with lunch bag + backpack in front of the car. You can take these before the first day of school, but there is something about the excitement of ‘day one’ that’s hard to reproduce. Too lazy or busy to make a sign? Have the kids make one – that should keep them busy for at least 10 minutes! Bonus: handmade signs infuse their personality/talent into the photos.

2012 2013

He LITERALLY let me take two photographs in 2013. Two. 2012 2013

2012

By the next year, it was impossible to get more than 2 shots of Ryan, so I couldn’t get a shot of them together. Crossing my fingers he is more cooperative this year, but I never push it!