The First Day of School and The Impact On Children and Parents

It’s almost September, which means a new school year, and a whole new wave of fresh-faced children ready to start the next step in their educational journey. Parents waving their little cherubs off with handkerchiefs and tears in their eyes as they think about how much quieter the house will be now. Hey, we never said they were all sad tears!

Jokes aside, the first day of a new school is a pretty important step, and it can have a huge impact on the parents and the children. So here’s our two cents on what that looks like, and how schools can make the whole thing a bit less scary.

The Emotional Impact Of Firsts

When a child first starts school, it’s a special day for their parents. Something they nervously anticipate for weeks, and when the time finally comes, they probably experience a lot of emotions. Pride, fear, anxiety, worry, and maybe even sadness, especially if it’s their oldest or youngest child. They may be worried their child won’t make friends, won’t enjoy school or will just be unhappy with the new environment.

We know as a school your first and primary focus is the children in your care. But it’s important to understand what parents are feeling on that first day too.

Making The First Day A Positive Experience

Of course, it’s not just the parents who are a bit emotional about sending their babies off to a new school for the first time. The children themselves will be full of nerves, excitement and anticipation at their next big adventure. Whether they’re taking the first real step into education by going to infant or primary school, or if they’re moving up to secondary school or even starting college, it’s a big lead into the unknown.

In the past, the first day of school would generally involve a lot of wandering from place to place and being told the rules of each thing. How to behave in class, what you weren’t allowed to do at lunch, how to act in the cafeteria. It was such a boring event and a great way to stamp out any excitement the kids might have to actually want to learn some stuff.

So now, rather than inundating the kids with rules and information, a lot of schools are now taking the approach of making the first day of school a positive experience. Instead of teaching kids how to put their project folders together, teachers are talking about what books they read over the holidays and what kinds of things they want to write. Instead of learning lab rules, they’re showing off their coolest science demonstrations, and they’re letting the kids run around and actually meet each other. After all, the social aspect of school is important too, so allowing students to just get to know one another is usually a good place to start!

Celebrating The First Day Of School

The first day of school is a big milestone, no matter what year you’re in. It’s a fresh start, a new chapter, and a whole new road laid out ahead. But if it’s your first year in a new school, it’s the little bit more special. That’s why we believe that the first day should be reserved for celebrating this transition, and making students feel welcome.

We’ve been honoured to be a little part of helping schools make their children’s first days something special for over 13 years! Here are a few ideas we’ve been involved with to help make those first few days amazing.

Preparing to be a Part of Your Family
Yes, children will be required to wear a uniform at school, but it’s worth offering little extras before day 1. Branded school merchandise, such as personalised book bags, pencil cases, water bottles are a great example. Every new item is an exciting gift for the kids, making them feel welcome and of course is an opportunity to marketing your school plus raise some school funds too.

Everyone loves a medal
What better way to celebrate your new arrivals than with a medal! My First Day of School medals are a fantastic little gift to give each child as a keepsake, and a reward for ‘making it through’ what can be a very scary experience. Schools can have them personalised with their school’s name and logo, and present them to children at the end of the first week as a way to welcome them into the school.

A Welcoming Entrance
As parents queue with their children outside reception, why not arrange a fun welcome display. Think balloons, as selfie frame for the whole family to capture the moment, even fun photo props too! It takes their mind off waiting for those doors to open. We can help you design and print your selfie frame of course…

Game On
Another great way to celebrate and foster some camaraderie between students is to play some games and run little competitions. Get them working in teams or pairs, and generally mixing with other children. Every time something is ‘won’, take photos, share with parents at home and celebrate their victory. It’s a little silly, but children of all ages love to show off, and it’s a great way to help them bond and feel more at ease in the school environment. Plus parents get to see how much fun their little one has had on their first days, reducing their anxiety too!

In case you hadn’t realised by now, we’re all about creating smiles, giggles and grins at Smiles at School, (and then capturing them on camera!) We’re adept at making new starters feel at ease for the first school photos and ensuring photo day runs as smoothly as possible for the school, children and parents. We also love helping schools make the first day of school really special, and we always have ideas to share – all you need to do is ask.