We’KeepBlog post written by: Katie Pistilli.
Going back to school after summer break can be quite the transition! With the sun setting so late, your child probably isn’t used to going to bed when they need to. The routines of school day mornings may feel like a struggle at first. Transitions are hard for us all! If your kids have a hard time with back-to-school routines, try singing some of these songs with them. They can be sung to familiar nursery rhymes; you’ll catch on quick!
Back-to-School
Help your kids learn that September means they go back to school! There are a lot of positives to going back to school like making new friends and learning. This song is a great one to sing while walking to the bus or getting in the car.
Sung to the tune of Over the River and Through the Woods
Late in the summer, before the fall,
It’s back to school we go!
We get on the bus, which carries us,
To a building we all know!
Late in the summer, before the fall,
To class we all return.
Vacation was fun but now it’s done,
And now it’s time to learn!
Getting to Bed
If your kids are old enough to understand time, they can begin to learn that when the clock says it’s bedtime it means they have to start getting ready. Sing this song about bedtime to help them become familiar with the concept. Feel free to change the bedtime below to accommodate your family’s routine!
Sung to the tune of “The Muffin Man”
Do you know what time it is?
What time it is? What time it is?
Do you know what time it is?
When we head to bed.
Yes, we sleep at 8 o’clock, at 8 o’clock, at 8 o’clock
Yes, we sleep at 8 o’clock
It’s time for bed.
Brushing Teeth
Brushing teeth isn’t always the most fun or comfortable experience, but establishing good dental hygiene at a young age is essential! If your child is reluctant to brush their teeth in sleepy early mornings, try singing this song with them. It’s good to be silly and show them that our routines can be fun!
Sung to the tune of Old McDonald
Yes I have a pretty smile
Ee – I – ee – I – Oo
I brush my teeth to keep them bright
Ee – I – ee – I – Oo
With a wiggle, jiggle here, and a wiggle, jiggle there
Here a wiggle, there a jiggle
Everywhere a wiggle jiggle
Oh, what fun to brush our teeth
Ee – I – ee – I – Oo
Getting Dressed (for Bedtime or School)
While it might elongate the process, this song encourages a little bit of dancing and laughing to make getting dressed fly by. You and your child will have a blast the PJ Pokey. Be careful, it’s easy to get tangled up and dizzy with this one!
Sung to the tune of The Hokey Pokey
You put your right sleeve in,
You put your right sleeve out,
You put your right sleeve in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the P.J. pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
(Clap-clap!)
Additional verses: left sleeve, right leg, left leg, socks
Packing a Lunch
An exciting part about going back to school is being able to eat lunch with friends in the cafeteria. Encourage your child to help pack their lunch by substituting their foods into this song. “My Lunch Box” is an ideal tune for older kids in elementary school who will find the humor in splitting words up by syllables.
Sung to the tune of “Yankee Doodle”
My lunch box holds some yummy treats.
Which food is my favorite?
It starts with sand and ends with wich.
A sandwich! I can’t wait to eat it!
My lunchbox holds some yummy drinks.
Which drink is my favorite?
It starts with “m” and ends with ilk.
My milk! I can’t wait to drink it!
My lunch box holds some yummy treats.
Which food is my favorite?
It starts with “ch” and ends with ips.
Some chips! I can’t wait to eat them.
My lunch box holds some yummy treats.
Which food is my favorite?
It starts with cook and ends with ies.
Some cookies! I can’t wait to eat them.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of back-to-school. Thankfully, music has a way of bringing us into the moment, reminding us to enjoy the little things and be present where we are. We hope that some of these songs will ease your family’s back-to-school transition. At the very least, maybe your family will get a laugh or two.
Keep these songs handy, so you can easily add them to your morning and evening routines! We’ve created a free printable of these back-to-school songs for you to hang up somewhere in your home.
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