How families can get ready for a new school year

Children will soon be trading in the chimes of neighborhood ice cream trucks for the bells of school as summer vacation gives way to the start of a new academic year. August through September is prime back-to-school season, with children all across the country stocking their backpacks and shopping for new school wardrobes.

There is more to getting ready for the start of school than making sure pencils are sharpened and tablets are charged. Parents and children can work together to ensure the transition back to the classroom is as seamless as possible.

Adjust sleep and wake times

Summer vacation often means letting loose of schedules for a while, and that may translate into later-than-normal bedtimes and rising a little later in the morning. Everyone in the household will have to reacquaint themselves with schedules that ensure kids get to school on time. A few weeks before the first day of school, start incrementally going to bed at an earlier time and start waking up earlier each morning. Try to plan out the increments so that by the time the last few days of summer vacation wind down, the family is on target with a waking schedule that mirrors the school schedule.

Acclimate to being around people

Although summer vacation may involve trips that bring children in contact with other people, it may have been some time since they've spent five or more hours per day around 20 to 30 people their age. It may take a transition period to get used to being around a bunch of peers, so families can visit places where there tend to be crowds of kids, such as zoos, aquariums, parks, and trampoline centers. These can be low-pressure locations to dust off social skills.

Know the route or plan for school transportation

Students may be driven independently, ride the school bus, walk or bike, or carpool with others to and from school. Families can establish plans so that getting to and from school is not something kids need to worry about. Practice routes and timing, taking into consideration that when schools open there will be much more traffic. Parents can reassure children that there will be a learning curve, but all of the kinks generally get worked out during the first week.

Avoid "summer slide"

Most students don't want to think about studying, homework and testing while on summer break, but it can be beneficial to stay current on some lessons. Summer slide refers to the loss of some of the learning achieved during the previous school year over the summer break. Some experts say summer slide is overstated, but it can't hurt for students to refresh their memories on some math, science and language arts concepts over break so that they will be ready to hit the books when the new school year begins.

Prep for school lunches

Children and adults can work together to map out healthy eating options for school lunch. Many school districts have lunch plans that can be purchased through an online account. Participating students simply enter a number or swipe a code at checkout. School lunches are built to be nutritionally diverse and have options that even picky eaters will like.

School is right around the corner, and families should get ready for the routine and needs that go with the academic year as the first day draws closer.