7 Tips And Tricks To Help Ease Your Child Back Into School

1. Get Organised

First things first, when it comes to how to prepare for the new school year, it pays to be organised. Get your stationery and tech lists ready so you know exactly what your child is going to need for classes. If you’re wondering when to go back to school shopping, get in early – that way your child can get familiar with any tech or programs well before the first day of school.

To get you started, explore our great range of back to school items for students of all ages. From headphones to USB and hard drives and more, we’ll help you get those essential study items sorted in no time!

Shop Noise-Cancelling Headphones

JBL Wired On Ear Headphones

Sony Wireless Headphones

Beats Solo3 On Ear Wireless Headphones

2. Create A Good Routine

One of the most powerful back to school tips is to create a good routine for your child. When is the best time for them to do their homework? What other tasks do they need to do around the house? Routines can be flexible to accommodate everyone’s schedule day to day, but it’s important to build in those good habits from the start so they stick throughout the school year.

3. Set Up A Designated Study Space

To help your child get ‘in the zone’, set up a designated study space that’s distraction free and quiet. You might like to also set up a smart home automation hub. This can come in handy for your child when they’re researching an assignment as they can use a voice assistant to ask questions or even set reminders to take study breaks.

A Google Nest Hub gives you access to linked calendars, Google Assistant and more, with great integrations across other Google devices and accounts, TVs and even smart home lighting.

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Google Nest Hub Max

Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen

4. Make it Easy For Your Child To Contact You

Most kids these days will use a device at school, whether that’s for taking notes, doing assignments or even getting creative. When it comes to effective back to school tips and tricks, one of the most impactful is being present and available to your child’s needs. Make it easy for them to contact you through their device, either via text, email or messaging. Keeping the lines of communication open during the school year has been shown to help reduce a child’s stress levels, which makes for a much happier home. Alternatively, if your child does not have a device, the SpaceTalk Kids Watch with Phone and GPS is the perfect gadget to keep kids aged 5-12 connected with you without the need for a smartphone/ device. Kids get a smart watch with access to call and text the contacts you have pre-set. Plus, the built-in GPS tracker allows you to feel comfortable giving your child the first steps of freedom knowing that they are safe and well. It’s a win-win!

5. Use An iPad Or Tablet For Learning At Home

Your child’s school might have a bring your own device (BYOD) policy when it comes to technology, but you can arrange the device of your choice for at home learning. If you’re looking to get an iPad or tablet, check out how to choose the best iPads and tablets for students. You also have the option of a desktop or laptop, so here are some ideas to get you thinking.

Apple iPad 10.2” 64GB WiFi- Space Grey

The iPad is another good option for at home learning especially if your child is familiar with using Apple devices already. 

Apple iMac 24” 4.5K Display 256BG- Blue

If you’re looking for a desktop, the Apple iMac offers a beautiful widescreen display and has a powerful tenth-generation Intel Core processor. You and your child can both watch movies, do amazing work and shop online using this versatile desktop computer. It makes a great addition to any designated study space or home office.

6. Keep Active During The Holidays

Kids can get a little uneasy about the new school year approaching if they don’t have activities to look forward to. This is one of our back to school tips for parents: keep your child active during the school break.

One way to make things fun is to invest in a fitness tracker. The Fitbit Inspire 3 Morning Glow/ Black has a variety of ways to keep track of daily activity goals. This Fitbit also includes reminders to move, so if your child is busy studying it can nudge them to get up and stretch regularly (so you don’t have to!). 

7. Set Goals And Rewards For The School Term

To keep your child on track throughout the school year, it’s helpful to get them to set goals. You might like to try the S.M.A.R.T. goals framework, which is an acronym for:

• Specific: Get detailed and together, brainstorm everything they need to do to reach their goal.
• Measurable: Set milestones and track your child’s progress along the way.
• Attainable: This step is about your child’s energy, time and ability to reach the goal – do they have everything they need already? If not, is it possible to get them what they’ll need?
• Realistic: Is the goal achievable for what your child can do right now?
• Time-based: Define a time limit to the goal. For example, “I will learn to run 5km in the next two months”.

During the goal setting process, work with your child to set appropriate rewards for when they reach their goals. Rewards can be tangible things, like toys or technology, or something more experiential, like a holiday or special meal. Regardless of whether or not they reach their goal, it’s important to celebrate their achievements and commitment to their own personal progress.

Get Your Back To School List Sorted At The Good Guys

We hope you’ve enjoyed our smart back to school shopping tips and tricks. A new school year is exciting and a great opportunity to reset your child’s habits and make sure they’re set up for success. We’ve got a wide range of back to school supplies in store or online – it’s never too early to get organised!