10 Important back to school tips to get you and your kids ready for the new school year.

Can you believe summer is already coming to an end? I feel like we just blinked and suddenly the school year is right around the corner. And if your house has been anything like mine, summer has meant later bedtimes, slower mornings, kids snacking all day long, and very laid back/ non-existent routines.

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As summer comes to an end, we need to switch gears and be ready for early mornings, packed lunches, homework, and after-school activities. Not exactly the easiest transition, especially for busy moms or working parents.

So in this post I’m sharing 10 practical back-to-school prep tips. These tips will make the transition a little smoother for you and your kids. 

10 Back to school prep tips for busy parents

Here are the 10 important tips for parents to help you and your kids get prepared for the school year. 

TIP 1: Shift sleep schedules early

This is one of the most important things to do. During summer, most kids have been staying up way later than usual, sometimes even past nine or ten, because when it’s still light outside, who feels like going to bed? But once school hits, that late bedtime turns into a nightmare the next morning.

So instead of shocking their little systems with a sudden 7:30 bedtime the night before school, start easing into it. Move bedtime earlier by about 15 minutes every couple of nights. Same with wake-up time, get them out of bed a little earlier so their bodies start adjusting. It makes those first few mornings so much less dramatic. And yes, they’ll complain at first, but trust me it’s better to hear the whining now than deal with full-blown meltdowns at 6:30 a.m. on the first day.

TIP 2: Do a practice morning

Do a trial run of the school morning before the big day. Literally pretend it’s a school day: set the alarm, wake everyone up, have them get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, pack bags, and get out the door.

It sounds silly, but it’s eye-opening. You quickly realize things how long it really takes your family to get ready versus how long you think it takes. And hey, if it all goes smoothly, that’s a huge confidence boost for the kids too.

TIP 3: Shop smart for supplies

There are quite a few things you need to go shopping for before school starts

• Books
• Stationery
• School uniform (for those outside US and Canada)
• School bags
• Shoes
• School appropriate clothes
• Water bottles
• Lunch boxes

But before you head out shopping, take a few minutes to check what you already have. Dig through drawers, bins, even last year’s backpacks. You’ll probably find half-used notebooks, barely-touched packs of crayons, or folders that can definitely survive another year.

Then, when you do shop, look for bargains. Amazon has some of the best back to school deals and for busy parents, online shopping with next day delivery using Amazon prime has been a big life saver for me. 

Also buy extras of the things that always vanish like pencils, glue sticks, erasers. Having a stash at home saves you from those mid-night supply panic moments.

TIP 4: Stock the pantry with school snacks

So a week before school starts, stock up on easy grab-and-go options. Things like granola bars, apple slices, string cheese, crackers, or yogurt tubes. I even like to have a dedicated ‘school snacks’ shelf or bin in the pantry so the kids know what’s off-limits for after-dinner grazing. That way, when you’re packing lunches in the morning, it’s all in one spot and way less stressful.

TIP 5: Closet reset

Now moving on to clothes and shoes. I live in Europe and my kids wear school uniforms so back to school uniform shopping is a must because somehow kids grow three sizes over the summer. In countries we’re kids wear home clothes to school, it can be easy to assume your kids have clothes to wear and not notice until the first day of school when they come downstairs wearing jeans that hit the ankle.

So take an afternoon and go through their closets. Pull out the stuff that doesn’t fit, looks worn out, or is too stained for school. Donate what you can, toss what you can’t, and make a mental note of what you actually need to buy. If you need back to school outfit ideas, here is a post that can help.

TIP 6: Create a command zone

You know the panic: it’s five minutes until you need to leave, and someone’s backpack is missing. Or their shoes. Or their lunchbox. And you’re all running around the house.

The easiest fix? A command zone. One spot near the door where everything lives backpacks, shoes, jackets. One cupboard or counter top in the kitchen where lunchboxes live. You command zone can be created using hooks on the wall, a basket, or even just a corner by the door. The key is, everyone knows that’s where their stuff goes.

It saves so much stress, and it also teaches the kids a bit of responsibility. 

TIP 7: Homework station

You can make getting homework done a little smoother by setting up a designated spot for it. Doesn’t need to be Pinterest-perfect, but a space with some pencils, paper, scissors, glue, and a quiet surface will help.

Having everything in one place cuts down on the constant, ‘Mom, I can’t find a pencil!’ interruptions. And when kids know this is the spot for homework, it takes away the daily debate about where they’re supposed to sit.

TIP 8: Plan easy dinners

Meal planning will help you a ton. The first few weeks of school are exhausting for kids and for us. Between sports, activities, and everyone just adjusting, dinner time can feel like the last straw.

Do yourself a favour and have a list of go-to meals that you can whip up without much thought. Things like tacos, pasta, sheet pan chicken and veggies, or even breakfast-for-dinner. Keep it simple. The goal is to feed everyone nutritious meals without losing your mind.

TIP 9: Use a family calendar

Once school starts, the schedule fills up fast: practices, games, picture day, field trips, birthday parties. It’s a lot to keep track of.

Having one central calendar family will save you from forgetting or remembering things at the last minute. You can go old-school with a big wall calendar in the kitchen, or use a shared digital calendar that hangs on the wall if that works better for your family. I like to color code each kid so at a glance I can see who has what.

It takes a little effort to keep up, but it prevents so many mix-ups and last-minute scrambles.

TIP 10: Make it special

Finally, don’t forget to add something fun! Back-to-school can feel stressful, but it’s also exciting. Create a little tradition to mark the occasion. Maybe a special breakfast on the first day, ice cream after school, or a little note tucked into their lunchbox.

It’s those small, sweet moments that make kids feel excited and loved and honestly, they’ll remember those for a long long time.

Final thoughts on back to school tips for busy parents

So there you go, ten real-life tips to make back-to-school prep a little smoother. Remember, it’s not about perfection. None of us are nailing this 100% of the time. It’s about making small changes that help you and your kids get prepared and take a little bit of stress off your plate.

If you found this helpful, hit that like button, sign up for more mom hacks, and let me know in the comments—what’s your number one back-to-school survival tip? I’d love to hear it.