Going back to school after the summer is always exciting as kids prepare for their new classroom and meeting new friends. However, keeping that excitement and energy alive a couple months into the school year can be difficult. It’s important to keep up that motivation throughout the year, so we came up with some simple ways parents can help keep the enthusiasm up all year long:

1. Write a pick me up note in your child’s lunchbox or backpack (or both)! If you don’t have time to write your own, we’ve got some fun temples to download here.
2. Read funny bedtime stories to get your child excited about what they are currently learning in school.
3. Play fun and upbeat educational music in the car on your way to school. Catchy tunes can help little ones better absorb and remember material.
4. Enroll your child in activities outside of school so they have something special to look forward to each week. Just remember to avoid overscheduling – this can cause burnout even quicker!
5. Give your kiddos frequent positive feedback about the effort they put into their schoolwork. Even if they aren’t happy with their outcome of a project, hearing your praise will motivate them more for the next one!
6. Have designated “family time” at least once a week. This can help kids relax and unwind from the stresses of school so they can go into the classroom the next day on a positive note.
7. Be enthusiastic! If they’re learning about the life cycle of a butterfly, pull up videos on your computer and get excited yourself. When your kids see that, they’ll realize just how fascinating learning is! And who know – you may even learn something new!
8. If your child is disinterested in what they’re currently studying in school, try to find simple, yet creative ways to connect those lessons to something they love. If they loathe math but love art, go to an art museum and talk about the shapes in the paintings, or do more advanced math to calculate the age of certain artifacts.
9. Create a designated homework station in your home. Have fun folders, paperclips, sticky notes, or anything else that will brighten up homework time while ensuring they can stay focused and organized.