[~*SugarMama*~]

What are some things that you do to celebrate your children "not going" or "not going back" to school? Since everyone in our family is making a huge fuss over my nephew starting first grade in another few weeks, I would love to have an idea over something that I could do to celebrate my two NOT going to school.

 

[nakagain]

The dollar store has some GREAT "school" decor that I only spent $12 and today we had fun decorating the area in the house where we do our school stuff. THey had fun unwrappping the alphabet and # poster boards and the alphabet borders...etc... It was our way of getting ready for school to start.

 

[AuntLavender]

This year we went to Steak N Shake and had milkshakes! (Actually I had a Frozen Yogurt milkshake and it was very good!)

There is a sign in my front yard that says "End School Zone" (since we're next door to the crosswalk) and each year we have the children stand in front of it in their pajamas on the first day of school and I take a photo!

Sincerely,
Debra, homeschooling mom of 4 ages 9 1/2, 8 1/2, 6 1/2, and 38 mos

 

[frogguruami]

We planned a field trip for the first day of Public School. We planned it for a week or so ahead of time. The boys knew that when their friends went back to school we were "starting" school also. So we planned a field trip to the zoo. It went well and they didn't feel left out. In fact one of his friends was very jealous that he had a field trip on the first day of school.

 

[~*SugarMama*~]

Cool! Thanks for the input! I wish that we had that sign here, it sounds like such a cute idea! Right now, I think that we are going to try hitting one of local museums but nothing wrote in stone yet.

 

[saphire]

I like the idea of doing things that kids going to school can't. Sleep in, stay in pj's, or go to a favorite place, or visit family. Many hs groups get together at this time to celebrate "not back to school". Anyhow, have fun and enjoy your freedom.

 

[sahli29]

Last year we did Geauga lake(during their annual homeschool week pricing).Unfortunately there were still a lot of kids NOT in school at that date,so it was still crowded.This year we will still do that,but here(in our new town) school starts on 9-6,so on that day we are going to spend the day at the local zoo/petting zoo.I know some hs groups have a no-going-back-to-school beach party/picnic,but the one I know of is too far.

 

[onlyzombiecat]

We are not formally doing anything as a celebration of not going to school. We are doing a zoo trip/picnic and getting some new things to start off our school year.

 

[Kari_mom]

We do a field trip on the first day of their school (we start later, actually, with the book stuff). We also like to drive by the schools where their friends attend and we stick our tongues out and "nana nana neener" them.

But we do that all year long.

 

[wonderactivist]

Well, we celebrate what we will be doing - going on "voyages" of discovery.

We go to a river or stream early in the morning (on the day after Labor Day). We sit on the bank, eat breakfast on a blanket and make paper boats. Then we "launch" them very ceremoniously with speeches about the voyages to the lands of Geometry, Rome, Reading - or whatever we have decided to learn about that fall.

Then we just play for a while.

One year, we were by a calm river and the boats just floated out of sight. Then we moved to a place where the only launch site was really a pond with a streamlet. I was so concerned about how the kids would respond to seeing their boats sink eventually, but it didn't bother them, it became quite a game to play in the streamlet, and they always ended up IN the water and swimming. But still, if the child is very young, perhaps leave shortly after the launch. The older kids "get" the ceremonial nature of the launch.

I got this idea from a mom on the Waldorf discussion list several years ago - they did it at the beach!

Best wishes,

Lucie

P.S. I guess I don't feel the need to celebrate not going to school since my kids have never been in school.

 

[jessielove]

How about a little end of the summer party? You could bake cookies or make fruit tarts or something summery together, sip lemonade and splash around in the pool. Take pictures {of course

}. Maybe you could sit down together and make a little storybook about their expectations for the coming year, what kind of things they think they'll learn about and what things they're interested in learning. You could take them out again in a few months and see how far you've come together

 

[simple living mama]

We'll be going to the Live and Learn Unschooling Conference. There are a million and one fun things for kids to do there.

 

[Irish_Blue]

What a fun thread!

I've been thinking about how were going to start our school year, I want to make it really fun esp. for the twins who would be starting kindergarden b/c they remember the big deal we made w/ our first prior to pulling him and hs'ing.

I think going to the zoo is a really fun idea ~ or having a party. Or perhaps even both, why not! lol

 

[nicole lisa]

There's a Not Back to School picnic at a local beach the first day of school so we'll be attending that. We also do a lot of beach days on our own in September because the weather is just so great and we get the beach to ourselves.

We have a concert we're going to mid-September that we're excited about - one we have to travel for - so we'll also celebrate the fact that we can do this and not worry about missing school right at the beginning of the year.

 

[~*SugarMama*~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessielove How about a little end of the summer party? You could bake cookies or make fruit tarts or something summery together, sip lemonade and splash around in the pool. Take pictures {of course }. Maybe you could sit down together and make a little storybook about their expectations for the coming year, what kind of things they think they'll learn about and what things they're interested in learning. You could take them out again in a few months and see how far you've come together

Whatever I do, you KNOW that there will be pics involved.

 

[~*SugarMama*~]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Dh is going to try to arrange having the day off from work when our local hs'ing group does their annual picnic. No guarntee there though. But.....our local children's museum has a bat conservatory! DS is really into bats (has been since he saw them at our local park) so we are going to hit the museum in Sept and allow him to adopt a bat as his "not going back to school" gift.

After this year, DH really likes the idea of taking the kids camping for the weekend. Just have to start a "we need camping equipment" fund.

 

[Fieryfly]

I do home daycare so we've had our share of the "back to school" celebrations/dreads from the daycare families.

My kids have chosen which day they want to start, knowing we'll be doing some fun "schoolish" activities. I'm going to let them pick a place to go out to lunch.

We also try to hit the back to school sales to stock up on school supplies, get a new backpack and lunch box. Of course we use the backpacks for sleepovers and long trips. The lunch boxes come with us on field trips and park days.