If you are preparing for back to school, or if your children are getting their feet wet after already spending a few weeks at school, you may be considering how to help them feel more confident in their academics.
Some ways may involve purchasing helpful tools for learning, such as a binder to organize their homework. But before you start opening up your wallet, perhaps consider creating such practical tools yourself.
You may even enlist the help of your kid and make it into a fun, family experience.
The internet is swarming with back-to-school DIY craft projects, ranging from simple affairs such as fabric book covers to the more intricate ideas, including creating journals.
If you can think of anything that your child needs for school, chances are, you can make it with simple resources you may have at your home.
Along with creating arts and crafts, you may also have questions about your or your child’s behaviors. For example, what is attachment parenting? How do you find that perfect balance between spending too much time with your children and not enough? If these are questions you ask yourself, take a look at this article from BetterHelp about attachment parenting. All parents can benefit from learning about their parenting style and the psychological reasons behind their role in their children's lives!
Without further ado, here are five practical DIY crafts you can make alongside your child to better help them prepare for the upcoming school year.
1. Pencil holder craft
You and your child can make use of discarded material, such as construction paper, to create a reliable pencil holder. Furthermore, you can design the paper holder in any way you want, including making it look like a bookworm or including something your child loves from a favorite show or movie.
Moreover, you can use any amount of colors to make the holder stand out, potentially encouraging your child to use it daily. All you need is colorful paint, glue and scissors to put the craft together, along with material such as a paper roll to serve as a base for the project. Then, your kid will have a convenient place to put their pencil and pens.
2. Homework Caddy
A pencil holder craft can also be part of a homemade homework caddy, which is comprised of anything your child needs for their school assignment, including folders and notebooks. A caddy can be as simple as a small, wooden crate, but you can color and design the box to your child’s liking.
The box can be as large or as small as your child needs to fit in all their supplies. For example, a homework caddy can be placed on your child’s desk, within easy reach for them if they need anything during their homework. You may also think about making it portable on the chance that your child wants you to take them to the library for studying.
3. Cereal box notebooks
Along with creating a caddy to store pencil holders, handmade notebooks made of simple materials such as a cereal box can incentivize your child to journal their schooling experience. The tools needed include simple items, such as a hole punch and ruler, and it should take no time to complete the project.
In cutting out portions of the cereal box to create a makeshift journal, you and your child can decorate the journal by using specific tapes, like washi tape, to create a colorful front cover. You may also want to provide your kid with stickers and crayons so they can make their journal their own.
4. Personalized folders and binder labels
With a journal in hand, your children may also benefit from personalized folders and unique binder labels to help organize their assignments. For each folder, consider using blank, printable labels and have your kid write down the subject of a class and apply the label on a folder that will house that class’s materials.
Also, you can help your children color in their binder labels so that they can associate the color with a specific course. You may even think about getting different colored binders to help your children further.
5. DIY backpack
Lastly, you can combine many of the items you and your children worked together on in a backpack made entirely from home. You can create simple backpacks, such as those made out of recycled cloth, or try to create them out of embroidered material.
You may even make themed backpacks, such as a pineapple pack inspired by a certain yellow sponge’s undersea home. Discuss with your kid what kind of knapsack they would feel most happy with carrying around in school and they’re sure to stand out with a design that no one else has.
Just the beginning
These five ideas are only the beginning, as there are plenty of other ways you can help your kid feel more prepared for school.
Moreover, DIY projects can be a good family activity, in which you can spend more time with your children and start conversations with them about anything that they love or issues they have. So long as you spend time with your loved ones, you are doing the best work you can as a parent and supporter of your child’s dreams and ambitions.
About Author:
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.