Back to School: Creating, Connecting, and Building Confidence
As summer comes to an end, here are a couple of creative ways to connect with your child with two goals in mind: first, connection and bonding, and second, preparing both your kiddo and yourself for the year ahead.
There are two activities here, so parents have some options, or maybe another activity to try if there’s time!
Activity #1: Intentions Collage
The first activity is called an Intentions Collage and can be used to help you and your kiddo create a vision board for the upcoming school year.
Using magazine clippings, pictures, drawings, or anything else you want, create a board that shows who you are and who you want to be throughout the school year. Maybe it’s reminding yourself to stay confident, including pictures of things you want to try, or covering the board with awards from sports or activities you hope to participate in.
To start, pick out a poster board or even just a piece of paper. Then begin collecting pictures, knickknacks, words, drawings, or anything else you want to glue onto your board to represent you.
When you’re both done, share your boards with each other!
What do the pictures or symbols represent? Why did you choose the colors or design you did? What parts of your board feel most important to you?
Then, think together about when you might want to turn to this board. Maybe it’s during times of loneliness or when going through conflict with friends. When do you think you might need the feelings or reminders from your vision board to help you get through the harder parts of the year?
Activity #2: Celebration of Strengths
The second activity is called Celebration of Strengths. This can be a really awesome activity for a parent to do with their kiddo because it gives parents a chance to validate and strengthen the qualities their child already sees in themselves.
First, you will each grab a piece of paper and put your name in the middle. You can draw your name, decorate it, or type and print it out. Your name is the center point of the project, so do whatever makes you feel good when you see it!
Then, begin adding cutouts, pictures, or words that describe parts of yourself that make you proud. You can even add accomplishments or pictures of big moments. It is meant to be a visual representation of all the strength you have, even during the moments when you might feel weak.
Once you’re both finished, share what you made with each other.
As a parent, spend some time pointing out moments when you have seen your child use these strengths. You can also ask questions to help them think more about what they created.
What words stand out to you? Are you able to use one of these strengths today? How might your day change if you were to use these strengths?
Creating Space for Back-to-School Feelings
Both of these activities can open up conversations about the fears and worries your child may have about going back to school. At the same time, they give kids an opportunity to work through some of those worries, identify their strengths, and think about what they want for the year ahead.
Most importantly, they get to do it alongside one of the adults they love and trust most. A little creativity can create space not only to prepare for another school year, but also to connect, regulate, and remind your kiddo that they don’t have to navigate it alone.