Every year my kids and I get that old fashioned panicky feeling about heading back to school.  Here are some tips we've tried the past few years, that might help you out if your house is as crazy as ours!

* Find a friend-- whether you're new to school or a returning student-- have a friend or two over. Reconnecting with old friends or making new ones will allow your child a friendly face to look forward to on their first day.

* Play games-- role play classroom activities-- make yourselves some funny name tags, practice letters, reading, writing, or arithmetic-- you'll be amazed at what's been forgotten over the summer. Don't let lessons get frustrating though-- keep it fun and funny (whatever they've forgotten will be covered again, it's too late to worry about it now!)

* Read books about going to school. Some of our favorites?

My First Day of Nursery School, Becky Edwards
I am NOT Going to School Today, Robbie Harris
The Kissing Hand, Audrey Penn
Owen, Kevin Henkes
Kindergarten Rocks!, Katie Davis
Harry Gets Ready for School, Harriet Ziefert
Morris Goes to School, B. Wiseman
The First Graders from Mars series, Shana Corey
The Junie B. Jones series, Barbara Park
Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth, Alison McGhee
Ramona the Pest, Beverly Cleary
and of course,
If You Take a Mouse to School, Laura Numeroff.

* Sneak into the school if you can. Seeing their classroom, finding their name on their desk, and finding the bathroom closest to his/her classroom are all of great interest and comfort to little people!