5 Fun Ways To Get Your Kid Involved In Back-To-School Prep 

Back-to-school season can be a mix of emotions. There's eagerness to get back into a routine for parents. Kids may feel a growing sense of excitement about seeing friends. There may even be a bit of sadness that can come with saying goodbye to the fun, breezy ease of summer—which is true for family members of any age. 

There are also the classic back-to-school jitters. Many parents may find themselves ruminating on a variety of unanswered questions as they gear up for this annual transition: What will the new school year bring? How can they fit in everything that needs to be done during this busy time? How can they help their kids navigate new challenges and help them learn to take on new responsibilities? Where has the time gone?

Take one thing off your morning to-do list: let your kids help pack their own lunches, or at least help with it if they're a little too young to take over entirely. Giving kids a sense of autonomy over their chores is important for development and growth—and letting them have some control of their lunch choices can be a fun way to help them learn about fueling their body. 

To make lunch prep easier for both of you, give them parameters to follow: Give them a checklist of foods they can include. This should ideally be broken down into categories, so you can still make sure they're getting the right balance of foods to keep them sustained all day. 

Have them pick an item or two from each category: protein, vegetables, fruits, complex carbs, and treats (we love UNREAL Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups or Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, which contain 36% less sugar than the leading brands and contain protein from the nut butters). 

Ask any parent and they'll tell you: One of the biggest adjustments to the back-to-school season is the morning and bedtime routines. There's no secret routine that works universally for every family, but one way to help make sure the family is working together is to find simple mindfulness routines everyone can practice—even amid hectic schedules. 

In the morning, maybe it's something as quick as saying a daily affirmation. Affirmations can be an easy way to encourage positive thinking, improve confidence, and even help kids foster better inner dialogue. Doing affirmations in the morning can help kids navigate challenges they may face at school, whether that's tackling a school subject they don't enjoy or nerves about starting a new extra curricular activity. 

In the evening, have the family do a shared gratitude practice. This can be as straightforward as everyone saying one thing they were grateful for that day. Taking time to reflect on what you're thankful for as a family can have loads of benefits: Research shows that gratitude can help reduce stress and anxiety1, foster empathy, and strengthen relationships2.

Part of the reason that back-to-school transition can be a challenge for kids (especially kids that are active) is that they're spending much more of their time indoors, in seats, and in front of screens. It's important that the family still finds time to get out and enjoy nature—as research links outdoor time to improved attention, mental health, memory, and more. 

These moments can be as simple as walks around the neighborhood or quick bike rides to the local park. Having after-school breaks exposes children to natural light and fresh air, which can give kids a mood boost and even help them sleep better at night.3 Plus, these walks are time away from the overstimulation of screens that will benefit the whole family.

You can also plan bigger weekend excursions—like hikes, scavenger hunts, or picnics. These moments help cultivate an appreciation for nature and being outdoors, which is important to foster early.

Sure, parents need to tackle the grocery shopping itself—but kids can absolutely help with planning. Keep a running list of items that need restocking in the kitchen, and when a family member notices one's running low, they can easily add it to the list. 

Take it a step further by getting kids involved with meal planning: Come up with a weekly calendar of meals and talk through what you might need to purchase. Have kids help you check the kitchen for what you already have (so you don't repeat purchase), brainstorm meal ideas, and talk through necessary items (like produce, breakfast foods, and so on). 

Of course, you'll want to include a few snacks and treats that the whole family can enjoy, like UNREAL's Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels, which are a sweet-and-salty snack that are grain-free and use 40% less sugar.

The start of a new school year can mean lots of change, which kids (and families) may find disorienting. To help make sure some of these new routines are things your kid looks forward to, commit to fun weekly traditions the entire family gets involved in. 

Make these traditions easy to plan and execute: Not only is this better for the parents, but it means the kids can get involved too.