6 Back to School Tips for Kids
[Updated 8/12/24]
Back to School Tips for Children
It never fails. You’re enjoying picnics and vacations and lots of melty popsicles during the lazy days of August… And then BAM! You realize that all of your child’s pants are too short, last Spring’s cleats are too small and there is a large Target cart full of school supplies with your name on it needing to be purchased…But more importantly, your child’s schedule is way off and he’ll never make it to school on time unless you make some changes! If your child’s bedtime has pushed later this summer, here are 6 tips to help make the transition from leisurely August to full-steam-ahead September easier!
1. Gradual adjustment
Hopefully school isn’t starting tomorrow, and you have a week or two to prepare and get back on track!
On average, here is the amount of time you’ll need to reset bed times:
If you only have a few days, split the difference between the summer bedtime and the school bedtime the first two nights and then get on the right bedtime after that.
2. Work backwards
Unfortunately, many schools start really early, so to make sure your child is getting the recommended number of hours of sleep for his age, you’ll have to work backwards to set his bedtime. Keep in mind that the range for school children is a 3-hour range for 6-12 year olds. 6 years olds need more sleep than 12 year olds, so keep that in mind when figuring out how much sleep your child needs.
Notice that the latest school bedtime I have listed in that chart is 8pm. That’s because the majority of schools start in the 8-8:30am range and in order for your kiddo to get enough sleep to be able to wake up by 7-7:30am, they need to go to bed by 8pm. If your child needs to be up by 6:30am, then a 7pm bedtime would be preferable!
You’ll need to work backwards…How long does it take for a shower (if that’s part of the morning routine), get dressed, eat breakfast and collect all of the school “gear”? If he has to catch the bus or be ready for carpool pickup especially, you’ll want to add a few minutes of buffer. Then knowing the number of hours of sleep he should be getting, you can appropriately set bedtime.
3. Build this into the bedtime routine…but don’t make this one mistake!
I know many early elementary kids practice reading skills during the summer and then one day, the light bulb goes off and they just want to read all the time.
So for 1st and 2nd graders and up – reading is often either a requirement for homework or (hopefully!) something your child enjoys to do as part of his bedtime routine. If he’s reading 30 minutes each night, that should be built into the time before he needs to be asleep!
And here’s some bonus advice regarding reading…Harry Potter (or any other page-turner) is NOT a great bedtime book. I had a hard time putting those down when I read them (and I’m an old mom!), and it’s next to impossible to get an elementary aged kid to read only one chapter before bed…so keep that for afternoon reading and choose something a little less exciting for bedtime reading!
4. Set the bedroom up for success
If your child was used to going to bed when it was dark, having a 7 or 7:30pm bedtime, when it’s still light out, will be tough. Your best bet to ease the transition is to get some blackout shades and eliminate the light factor at bedtime.
And while you’re at it, make sure the room is a good temperature too – 68-70° is ideal.
5. Reinstate the bedtime routine
Did the bedtime routine get pushed to the side this summer – or disappear altogether? Did you carry sleeping kids in from the car after a long day at the beach? Time to bring it back!
This is especially important since you’re moving bedtime earlier and your child won’t be so exhausted. He needs time to settle down and get ready for sleep!
6. Use light and food to help the body adjust
To help get back on track with the schedule, make sure to expose your child to bright light first thing in the morning and dim the lights (including limiting technology!) in the evening. This will help stimulate the cortisol production in the morning (to help him wake up) and the melatonin production in the evening (to help him get sleepy).
And you can use bedtime snacks to help promote sleep too - check out this blog post on what bedtime snacks are beneficial and what to watch for if you offer them!
Bonus Tip - Do a mental health check in
If your child is pushing back at bedtime or something seems a little “off” especially when you say things about starting a new school year, your child may have some anxiety about summer ending and having to adjust to a new teacher, classroom and/or school.
I recommend building in conversation to the bedtime routine for older preschool kids and older. This is a great blog post with some tips for 3 questions to ask so your child ends each day on a positive note!
So whether you’ve got a couple of weeks to prepare for the start of school or – yikes! – it’s in a couple of days, once you get back into the routine, it won’t take very long to settle back into the old habit of a having a bedtime routine and earlier bedtime.
Back to School Tips for Children’s Sleep
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This post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you, your child and/or your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your child’s physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.