But while all that practical preparation definitely helps, getting children ready to go back to school isn't only about finding the book bag and gradually moving bedtime in the right direction.

There are lots of other skills that make school life easier, from having the confidence to ask for help to sorting out a disagreement with a friend. And the good news is that children practise many of them all the time, often while they're far too busy playing to realise they're learning anything at all.

So, if you're wondering how to help your child get ready for going back to school, here are a few things worth encouraging. No worksheets required.

 

What skills do children need when they go back to school?

Think about everything a child has to navigate during an average school day.

They need to listen to instructions, remember where they've put things, take turns, join in, cope when something doesn't go their way, make decisions, communicate what they need and manage an increasing number of things for themselves.

That's before they've even opened a book.

Of course, nobody expects children to have mastered all of this. We're fairly sure lost jumpers will remain a feature of school life for generations to come. But giving children opportunities to practise these everyday skills can help them feel more confident and independent when they're back in the classroom.

 

How can I encourage my child to be more independent before school starts?

One of the simplest things you can do is give them a little more responsibility for the things they're capable of doing themselves.

Depending on their age, that could mean getting dressed, filling their water bottle, packing something into their school bag, choosing what they need for an activity or remembering to bring their own belongings home.

The important bit is giving them the opportunity to try rather than automatically stepping in because, frankly, you can do it approximately 400% faster.

You don't need to suddenly hand over responsibility for the entire morning routine on 1st September. Pick one or two manageable things and let them take ownership of them. They may forget, but remembering the next time is part of the learning too.

At Holiday Club, we see this independence developing all the time. Children are responsible for their belongings, make choices about activities and learn to navigate parts of their day without a parent immediately on hand to solve every little problem.

They might not describe that as "developing independence", obviously. They're far more likely to tell you that they remembered to bring home at least one welly...

 

How can play help children get ready for school?

Play is incredibly good practice for school life.

Take building a den. To a child, the objective is obvious: create the greatest den known to humankind and defend it from whoever is occupying the den next door.

But look at what's actually happening. They're sharing ideas, solving problems, negotiating, communicating and working together.

The same happens during a football match or team game. Children are listening to instructions, following rules, taking turns, dealing with winning and losing and working alongside other people.

Craft activities encourage them to make decisions, find the things they need, concentrate on a task and work through the inevitable moment when what they've created looks absolutely nothing like the picture they had in their head.

Even something as simple as an obstacle course gives children opportunities to persevere, take sensible risks and have another go when they don't quite manage something first time.

None of it feels remotely like school preparation to them, which is the point.

 

How can I help my child feel more confident socially?

After six weeks away, some children will skip through the school gates desperate to see everyone again. Others might feel a little unsure about friendships, a new class or being around a big group of children again.

You don't need to manufacture lots of social situations before September, but opportunities to spend time with other children can help them get back into the swing of things.

The useful skills here aren't necessarily about being the most outgoing child in the room. Knowing how to ask if you can join a game, suggest an idea, listen to somebody else's, sort out a small disagreement or ask an adult for help are all important.

Holiday Clubs can be particularly good environments for this because children are often mixing with different ages and friendship groups. We regularly see children arrive knowing nobody and, a short while later, they're halfway through an elaborate game with someone whose name they didn't know that morning.

That's a pretty useful reminder that children are often more capable of navigating new situations than we give them credit for.

What can I do if my child finds losing or getting things wrong difficult?

Ah, losing.

There aren't many things capable of turning a perfectly pleasant family afternoon quite as quickly as somebody else's counter reaching the end of the board first.

Being able to cope when things don't go according to plan is a skill children develop gradually, and games are a brilliant, low-stakes way to practise it.

Play board games, set family challenges or play games in the garden. Sometimes they'll win and sometimes they won't. Sometimes their tower will collapse, their team will lose or their younger sibling will beat them at something they've spent the past hour boasting about being brilliant at.

You don't need to rush in and make everything better. Give them a chance to experience the disappointment, recover from it and have another go.

How can I help my child remember things for themselves?

If you've spent the school year delivering forgotten water bottles, PE kits and reading books, September is a good opportunity for a small reset.

Instead of repeatedly reminding them, try building simple routines that help them remember for themselves.

Younger children might use a little picture checklist by the door. Older children can start checking what they need for the following day or packing parts of their own bag.

You can also get them into the habit of stopping and asking themselves, "What do I need?" before leaving somewhere.

Will this guarantee that every jumper purchased in September is still in your possession by October? We make no such promises…

But learning to think about their own belongings and responsibilities is another small step towards independence.

Does getting ready for school have to mean getting back into 'school mode'?

Not completely.

It's helpful to start nudging sleep and mealtimes towards your usual school routine, particularly if summer has involved late nights, lazy mornings and breakfast happening suspiciously close to lunchtime.

But we wouldn't rush to make the final days of the holidays feel like a rehearsal for school.

Keep playing. Keep going outside. Keep seeing friends. Keep building, creating, exploring, running around and doing the things that make the summer holidays feel like the summer holidays.

Because while children are doing all of that, they're also practising many of the skills they'll take back into the classroom with them.

Can Holiday Club help children prepare for going back to school?

For us at Practically Family, Holiday Club should feel like their holiday.

But one of the lovely side effects of all that playing, creating, exploring and generally having fun is that children are constantly practising useful skills.

With us, they're making their own choices, meeting different children, listening to our Crew, joining team activities, trying new things, solving problems and managing their own belongings.

They get structure and routine, but without it feeling like school. They spend time with other children, but they also have opportunities to choose what interests them. They get plenty of activity, plenty of fresh air and plenty of chances to simply play.

So those last few days at Holiday Club can actually provide a rather nice bridge between the freedom of the summer holidays and heading back into the classroom.

Ready for September? Nearly...

There will probably still be a frantic search for a missing shoe on the first morning back. Somebody will remember at 8.23am that they were supposed to take something into school. And that beautifully organised new water bottle may well disappear before the end of the first week.

That's life with kids!

Rather than worrying about getting your child perfectly "school ready", concentrate on giving them opportunities to do a little more for themselves, solve a few problems, spend time with other children, cope when things don't go their way and ask for help when they need it.

And, most importantly, let the whole family enjoy what's left of their summer.

There's plenty of learning happening amongst all that playing.