School Kids

Return To School - Supporting kids to manage the transition

January 26, 20242 min read

RETURN TO SCHOOL - Supporting kids to manage the transition


The Christmas holidays are often a time when rules are relaxed as everyone values a breather. Now that it’s less than a week before kids return to school its time to help children get back into a school ready routine.

Calender - make a calender for kids to cross off the days, to count down to the transition. Before & after school activities – “We go back to OOSH, sport, music on Wednesday”

Sleep routine – start to pull back bedtime & waking time so they feel ready for getting up in the morning.

Morning routine – introduce eating and dressing routines that suit a school morning, introduce these patterns a couple days out, getting them up and dressed in enough time, to give everyone the best chance of starting off the school year with as little stress as possible.

Talk with your child about what they hope to do before they return to school.

Is there anything you need to get done before you go back to school?

What activity is most important to have done before going back to school?

So the night before school goes back, they are less likely to say “I was going to building this, or I wanted to do that”

School readiness - Get them to try it on their school clothes – kids often grow over the holidays! This also gives them a reminder that ‘we are going to be back in these clothes soon’ to help the transition. Buying school shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, drink bottles – giving them some visual cues to signal this change and show they are ready for it.

Friends - If they have a friend at school that you have contact with their parents, it’s a good idea to see if they can connect before the first day back or tee up where to meet on the first morning. Having some predictable and planned experiences throughout a challenging day can help lower anxiety levels.

Transitions - so many happening all in one day – I’m back to school after a long break, who is in my new class, who is my class teacher, where is my classroom, what am I going to be doing?’

Be aware of naming these changes and acknowledging it may be nerve-raking and exciting for them. Give warnings of any other changes in routine – changes in work routine for parents, changes for other siblings – X is at high school now, they will be taking a different bus, getting home at a different time.

Check in – how do they feel about going back to school? Even though you likely know what they are going to miss it is important to get even one positive for returning to school, while acknowledging that like us all, they will miss the holidays.

School KidsManaging TransitionsNeurodivergenceParents
blog author image

Karen Forrest

With over 30 years experience of working with children and families, Karen is passionate about supporting children’s social emotional development as well as building parents’ confidence so they and their family thrive.

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JumpStart's Lending Library

We've launched our very own library offering books & resources forParents/Carers and children connected with us. Books that promote children's strengths and abilities and celebrate diversity.


If there is a book you would like to borrow please email us. We will let you know when it is ready for pick up from Ochre Medical Centre Bathurst.


If you have recommendations for upcoming books to review, we'd love to hear from you!

School Kids

Return To School - Supporting kids to manage the transition

January 26, 20242 min read

RETURN TO SCHOOL - Supporting kids to manage the transition


The Christmas holidays are often a time when rules are relaxed as everyone values a breather. Now that it’s less than a week before kids return to school its time to help children get back into a school ready routine.

Calender - make a calender for kids to cross off the days, to count down to the transition. Before & after school activities – “We go back to OOSH, sport, music on Wednesday”

Sleep routine – start to pull back bedtime & waking time so they feel ready for getting up in the morning.

Morning routine – introduce eating and dressing routines that suit a school morning, introduce these patterns a couple days out, getting them up and dressed in enough time, to give everyone the best chance of starting off the school year with as little stress as possible.

Talk with your child about what they hope to do before they return to school.

Is there anything you need to get done before you go back to school?

What activity is most important to have done before going back to school?

So the night before school goes back, they are less likely to say “I was going to building this, or I wanted to do that”

School readiness - Get them to try it on their school clothes – kids often grow over the holidays! This also gives them a reminder that ‘we are going to be back in these clothes soon’ to help the transition. Buying school shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, drink bottles – giving them some visual cues to signal this change and show they are ready for it.

Friends - If they have a friend at school that you have contact with their parents, it’s a good idea to see if they can connect before the first day back or tee up where to meet on the first morning. Having some predictable and planned experiences throughout a challenging day can help lower anxiety levels.

Transitions - so many happening all in one day – I’m back to school after a long break, who is in my new class, who is my class teacher, where is my classroom, what am I going to be doing?’

Be aware of naming these changes and acknowledging it may be nerve-raking and exciting for them. Give warnings of any other changes in routine – changes in work routine for parents, changes for other siblings – X is at high school now, they will be taking a different bus, getting home at a different time.

Check in – how do they feel about going back to school? Even though you likely know what they are going to miss it is important to get even one positive for returning to school, while acknowledging that like us all, they will miss the holidays.

School KidsManaging TransitionsNeurodivergenceParents
blog author image

Karen Forrest

With over 30 years experience of working with children and families, Karen is passionate about supporting children’s social emotional development as well as building parents’ confidence so they and their family thrive.

Back to Blog
School Kids

Return To School - Supporting kids to manage the transition

January 26, 20242 min read

RETURN TO SCHOOL - Supporting kids to manage the transition


The Christmas holidays are often a time when rules are relaxed as everyone values a breather. Now that it’s less than a week before kids return to school its time to help children get back into a school ready routine.

Calender - make a calender for kids to cross off the days, to count down to the transition. Before & after school activities – “We go back to OOSH, sport, music on Wednesday”

Sleep routine – start to pull back bedtime & waking time so they feel ready for getting up in the morning.

Morning routine – introduce eating and dressing routines that suit a school morning, introduce these patterns a couple days out, getting them up and dressed in enough time, to give everyone the best chance of starting off the school year with as little stress as possible.

Talk with your child about what they hope to do before they return to school.

Is there anything you need to get done before you go back to school?

What activity is most important to have done before going back to school?

So the night before school goes back, they are less likely to say “I was going to building this, or I wanted to do that”

School readiness - Get them to try it on their school clothes – kids often grow over the holidays! This also gives them a reminder that ‘we are going to be back in these clothes soon’ to help the transition. Buying school shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, drink bottles – giving them some visual cues to signal this change and show they are ready for it.

Friends - If they have a friend at school that you have contact with their parents, it’s a good idea to see if they can connect before the first day back or tee up where to meet on the first morning. Having some predictable and planned experiences throughout a challenging day can help lower anxiety levels.

Transitions - so many happening all in one day – I’m back to school after a long break, who is in my new class, who is my class teacher, where is my classroom, what am I going to be doing?’

Be aware of naming these changes and acknowledging it may be nerve-raking and exciting for them. Give warnings of any other changes in routine – changes in work routine for parents, changes for other siblings – X is at high school now, they will be taking a different bus, getting home at a different time.

Check in – how do they feel about going back to school? Even though you likely know what they are going to miss it is important to get even one positive for returning to school, while acknowledging that like us all, they will miss the holidays.

School KidsManaging TransitionsNeurodivergenceParents
blog author image

Karen Forrest

With over 30 years experience of working with children and families, Karen is passionate about supporting children’s social emotional development as well as building parents’ confidence so they and their family thrive.

Back to Blog

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