Fun Ways to Support Your Kid Through Back to School Chaos
Back to school season can bring a mix of excitement, anticipation, and big feelings for kiddos and their families. New teachers, new classrooms, new routines, and increased expectations can feel overwhelming. While some children may be excited to return to school, others may feel nervous, frustrated, or unsure about what the new school year will bring.
Even children who are excited about school can experience stress as they adjust to a new routine. You may notice changes in your child’s behavior, sleep, appetite, or mood as the first day of school approaches. They may become more clingy, have more meltdowns, or seem more irritable than usual. These behaviors can be a child’s way of communicating that they are feeling overwhelmed by all the changes around them.
But great news! Parents and caregivers can help this transition feel more manageable and fun! Bud to Bloom Play Therapy is excited to share some of our go-to playful activities to support children in times of transition, like going back to school. Keep reading to check out our tips!
Practice the New Routine Through Play
Children often feel more comfortable with new experiences when they have the opportunity to practice beforehand. Try acting out parts of the school day together using stuffed animals, dolls, action figures, or even yourselves! Your child can practice getting ready in the morning, walking into the classroom, meeting a teacher, making friends, or asking for help.
Let your child take the lead, and see what they come up with. You may be surprised by the scenarios they act out or the questions that come up during play.Therapeutic play can provide children with a safe way to explore their feelings, practice new skills, and gain a sense of control over unfamiliar situations.
You can also use play to work through potential challenges:
What happens if they forget something at home?
What can they do if they feel nervous at school?
Who can they ask for help?
Practicing these situations in a playful way can help children feel more prepared to handle them in real life.
Create a Back to School Countdown
Anticipation can be challenging for children who are unsure about what is coming next. We can work with anticipation and anxiety though to create more curiosity, hope, or excitement.
One way to do this is to create an interactive countdown. You can use a paper chain, calendar, or colorful sticky note to talk about one thing your child is looking forward to or one question they have about the upcoming school year, every day leading up to the first day.
This can help make the transition feel more predictable while giving your child opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings. If your child’s feeling nervous, you might add a “worry check-in” to your count down. You can ask, “Is there anything about school that feels a little scary or confusing?” Remind them that they can always talk to you about their worries.
Make Preparing for School Fun
Back to school preparation doesn’t have to feel like a chore! Giving children small choices can help them feel more involved and in control during a time when many things are changing. Here are some ideas:
Let your child participate in choosing school supplies
Support your kid in organizing their backpack
Encourage them to choose their first day outfit
You might even create a fun “school morning practice,” where your family tries out the new morning routine before the first day. Turn it into a game and see if your child can get dressed, eat breakfast, and pack their backpack before the timer goes off!
Remember to keep it playful rather than making it another source of pressure.
Make Space for Big Feelings
Often, kiddos communicate their worries through behavior rather than words. Wondering if your kid is overwhelmed by the upcoming changes in routine? They might display:
Increased irritability
More clinginess or separation anxiety
Difficulty sleeping
Instead of immediately trying to fix the feelings, start by acknowledging them.
You might say, “It makes sense that you’re feeling nervous. Starting something new can feel scary.”
Let your child know that they can feel excited and nervous at the same time.
Try to avoid dismissing worries with phrases like, “There’s nothing to be scared of.”
While your intention may be to reassure your kiddo, they may hear this as a message that their feelings are not important. Instead, help them feel understood before moving toward problem solving.
Create a Goodbye Ritual
Transitions can be especially difficult at drop off. Creating a predictable goodbye ritual can help your child know what to expect. This might include a special handshake, a hug, a phrase you say to each other, or a small heart drawn on their hand to remind them you’re thinking about them.
Keep goodbyes warm, confident, and consistent. Your child may still have big feelings, and that’s okay! The goal isn’t to eliminate feelings but to help your child know they can handle them.
Build a Coping Skills Toolbox
Before school starts, help your child identify a few strategies they can use when they feel worried, frustrated, or overwhelmed.
You might create a physical toolbox together and fill it with ideas like:
Taking deep breaths
Asking a trusted adult for help
Taking a break
Drawing
Using positive self-talk
Thinking about a safe and happy memory
Make sure your child knows that coping skills are not about making big, uncomfortable feelings disappear. Instead, they’re tools that can help us manage our feelings and get through tricky moments.
Create Connection After a Big Day
After spending the day navigating new routines, social interactions and expectations, your child may need extra connection when they get home. Rather than immediately asking a lot of questions about their day, consider starting with a snack, some playtime, or a few quiet minutes together.
After they’re a little more regulated, you might ask questions such as, “What was one good thing about today?” or “Was there anything that felt tricky?”
If your child doesn’t want to talk, that’s okay too! Let them know you’re available whenever they are ready,
Remember: Connection Comes First
The back to school season can be busy, but children often need connection more than ever during times of transition. Make time for small moments of connection throughout the day like reading together, playing a game, talking during dinner, taking a walk, or snuggling before bed.
You don’t have to make every moment a teaching opportunity. Sometimes, simply being present and reminding your child that they are loved and supported is the most helpful thing you can do.
As the school year begins, remember that adjustment takes time. Your child may need extra patience, reassurance, and opportunities to express their feelings. By combining structure with connection and making room for play, you can help your child feel more confident and supported as they navigate the exciting and sometimes chaotic transition back to school.
And remember, you don’t need a perfect back to school season. They need a safe, supportive adult who can help them navigate the ups and downs along the way. When children know they have someone in their corner, they can begin to approach new challenges with greater confidence, curiosity, and resilience.
If you think your kiddo needs more support through the back to school transition, our St. Louis play therapy offers a developmentally appropriate way for children to build confidence, learn coping skills, and feel understood. Our play-based child therapists and intake coordinators are ready to help you get started with play therapy for your child today.
Meet the Author
Madison Damann is a Blooming Therapist at Bud to Bloom Play Therapy. Through child-centered, trauma-informed play therapy, she helps children:
Express feelings in healthy ways
Build coping skills for anxiety, anger or sadness
Process family changes like divorce or separation
Strengthen attachment and connection with caregivers
Grow resilience at their own pace
