Back to School Activities & Easy Recipes

Summer may be in full swing, but before you know it you’re going to be packing lunches and scheduling your day around pick-ups and drop-offs. Yup, mommas – the new school year is around the corner. 

Today we’re going to share some fun activities to get your kids excited about going back to school. We’ll also share some of our favorite (easy) recipes for the end of summer, featuring quick breakfasts for school days and fresh in-season fruit and veg.  

But before we get into all of the back-to-school fun, our adorable Back-To-School collection is out now, in all of your favorite styles for summer! From adorable jammies to cute button-downs, shop today. We also have Back-to-School Care Bears that you can shop here

Help your Birdies ease back into their school routine with these fun and easy activities. 

Fun Back-to-School Activities for Kids

 

Apple Stress Balls

If your little ones are on the side of feeling anxious about going back to school, this ‘Apple Stress Ball’ project is perfect for you. They’re incredibly simple to make, you just need to pick up red and green balloons, brown paint, and green felt. 

Follow along with this perfect back-to-school activity from One Little Project here.

Back to School Coloring Pages

We love printable coloring pages! They save a trip to the store and everyone can pick the page they want to color. They also give you the perfect opportunity to do the 3 Marker Challenge and create some fun pictures together. 

You can download our favorite free coloring pages here. They also have fun activity pages like word scrambles, color by number, and morning or night routines.

 

Make Monster and Unicorn Bookmarks

Help your little ones get excited about their summer reading list with customized bookmarks! There are so many designs out there that you could make, but we really love these Unicorn Bookmarks from Messy Little Monster or these simple Monster Bookmarks from Our Kid Things.  

Fluffy DIY Pencil Case

For older kids, we love this hand-sewn fluffy pencil case craft. Kate from the Craft Train helped her 11-year-old sew this by hand and with the proper supervision we think this could be a great back-to-school craft. It’s very simple (with only 4 steps) and you can easily pick the materials up at your local craft store. 

It turned out so cute – and we know it’ll get your kids excited about school again! Follow along with Kate and her daughter making fluffy pencil cases here.

Apple Stamps

What little kid doesn’t love playing with their food?! Well, these apple stamps are ‘mom-approved’ food play. Apple-themed activities are a classic for back-to-school and One Little Project has done it again with this cute craft. The best part? You probably already have all of the materials at home. 

Attach them to your teacher gifts for a personalized touch! Follow along with the instructions here.

Glittery Graphic Pencil Cases

These adorable pencil cases are easy to make and customize! Plus they’re no-sew which can make them a more kid-friendly craft. While we know it’s normally little girls who love glitter, they’re are plenty of ways that you could customize this craft for your little boys as well! 

Kelly from Studio DIY has shown several ways you could make these pencil cases.  

 

Beaded Backpack Tags

What better way to help the kids get excited about school than with these adorable customized backpack charms? These are too cute! And really easy to make. You can customize them to your kid's favorite things, from fresh fruit to dinosaurs and their initials. Make cute and customized beaded backpack tags here.  

Easy Back-to-School Recipes for the End of Summer

Strawberry Overnight Oats

There’s nothing worse than rushing around before school and missing a good breakfast! There’s a reason they say it’s the most important meal of the day. This simple make-ahead overnight oats recipe is sure to help the whole family feel full and focused for their school day. Grab this easy back-to-school recipe here. And if you want to try another variation – our family loves this mango and Greek yogurt breakfast

Quick Lemon and Broccoli Pasta

Ready in less than 20 minutes, this bright and colorful meal is about to become a favorite in your house! Even with picky eaters, this broccoli pasta tastes so good they won’t be able to resist it. We really love that you only need 5 ingredients as well. It’s easy to customize for your kids and the produce that’s fresh for the season. Whip up this easy summer recipe for a quick lunch or dinner this week. 

And for more toddler-friendly recipes, make sure to check out Amy from Yummy Toddler Food.

Cornflake Air-Fryer Chicken Nuggets

For a healthy alternative to most kids' favorite food – try these cornflake chicken nuggets cooked in the air fryer. You can have this quick lunch on the table in around 20 minutes, all without turning on the oven. Jan from Eating Well has shared the recipe here

Frozen Banana Cereal Pops

Hot summer days call for cool, sweet treats! But filling the kids with sugar is never a good idea… that’s why we’re always looking for healthy (but delicious) alternatives for our kids. All you need is your favorite cereal, yogurt, and bananas. Steal the perfect summer treat here

Lime and Mango Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is such a super food and can help you put together some fun summer salads (that are actually filling!) Full of light and refreshing food, this salad helps you take advantage of in-season fruits and veggies in a way that your kids will love. Easily swap out any ingredients for your family’s favorites. 

Follow along and make this easy back-to-school recipe with Sarah from Bucket List Tummy

Before you know it, summer is going to be over and you’ll be sending the kids back to school! That means it’s just about time to get your back-to-school shopping list together. Don’t forget to shop your favorites from Birdie Bean. We just launched two adorable Back-To-School Collections in all our classic styles. 

You can shop our Care Bears Back-to-School or Classic Back-to-School here

Make sure to follow us on Instagram (@birdiebeanbaby) for more inspiration and to know when our new collections are live. Thanks for letting us be a part of your family’s special moments.