Be a Part of Your Child’s School Year
This
year as your child heads off to school, plan to be a more significant
part of his or her academic life. Your child may disappear for many
hours each week, but with a little thought, and some help from Heritage
Makers, you can be an important presence DURING the school day. Ensure
your child feels loved, make learning more fun, strengthen his or her
bonds with others and preserve as many precious school memories as you
can. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Back to School
If
you took the typical photos of their latest haircuts, this year’s
teacher or their school clothes and backpacks; don’t wait until the end
of the school year to show off your photos. A few weeks to a school
child feels like years. Make scrap pages and smaller projects for your
younger children and celebrate them early and often. More frequent
reinforcement will help them see school as something your family values.
Templates that work well for back-to-school topics include "Pre-School
Girl," and “First Day of Kindergarten,” both by Michelle Bedard; along
with “Maya's Haircut” by Cynthia Coulon, and “1st Day of School” by Gina
Brock.
template 37997 template 92165 template 90466
Be Part of Their Day
Be Part of Their Day
Take
the opportunity to be present in your child’s life every school day by
tucking a personalized playing card into each child’s lunch or backpack.
Tell a joke, affirm their worth or encourage them to do their best by
using “Lunch Box Love Notes,” by Jennifer Stratton; “Lunch Joke Cards,”
by Cynthia Coulon or “Big Kid Lunch Notes,” by Kari Pieratt. It’s like
sending a hug to school with them!
template 92474 template 92285Starring Your Child
Prepare
for spotlight day. Most classes for younger kids feature each child at
least once during the year. Collaborate with your children. Interview
them and have them help select facts and photos for their very own
poster. Cynthia Coulon designed 18 x 24 poster templates for just this
purpose, "School Girl Spotlight Poster," and "School Boy Spotlight
Poster." Or, use other posters in the Template Gallery as a base for
such spotlights. If YOU do YOUR homework, you can showcase your child
with style!
template 91558 template 64530Friends and Classmates
Building
relationships with classmates is a big part of the school experience.
Be sure to take photos of your child with the friends you’ve come to
know as loyal and supportive. This is a subtle but effective tool to
boost the importance of peers that encourage your child to be his or her
best. Use the photos to make meaningful gifts for such friends or make
copies of your scrap pages for them. Good 12 x 12 scrap page templates
to start with include “BFFs,” by Michelle Bedard; “School BFF,” by
Deanna Payne & Shanna Vineyard; “School Friends,” by Cynthia Coulon
and “Sports Day,” also by Michelle Bedard.
Another
way to use photos of those close to your child is to make a “My
Fantastic Friends” 7 x 5 storybook by Lori Mar. This pocket size book
will be loved now and treasured later and makes a wonderful birthday
gift for the featured friends. Including your child’s friends in
preserving memories influences his or her choice of lifelong companions.
Play this important part in building your child’s relationships and you
better fulfill your role as a parent.
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Other Heritage Maker products that facilitate friendships are our “play date cards.” These are made from playing or business card sets. Use the card to start the arrangements for a visit from a friend. Two playing card “play date cards” are shown here. The top one is from Tanya Sadal and called “Boy Dinosaur Play Date Cards.” The one below is “Space Playdate Cards,” by Kristen Melnyk.
Other Heritage Maker products that facilitate friendships are our “play date cards.” These are made from playing or business card sets. Use the card to start the arrangements for a visit from a friend. Two playing card “play date cards” are shown here. The top one is from Tanya Sadal and called “Boy Dinosaur Play Date Cards.” The one below is “Space Playdate Cards,” by Kristen Melnyk.
template 76963 template 20983 template 49500Help with Homework
Boost
your child’s skills and encourage competency by using playing card
decks as learning aids. There are several already in the template
gallery. If you need something different, simply change a template to
fit your child’s needs. “Savannah's Grade 1 Sight Words,” by Heidi
Jackson is a good one, so are “Sight Words,” by Luci Fortune and “HM
Pre-School Flash Cards,” by Roxanne Buchholz.
template 56428 template 56425Fostering Talent
If
your child writes, be sure his or her writing is honored and
encouraged. Roxanne Buchholz has wonderful 11 x 14 print templates that
can be used for writing or poetry. In four colors, designated by season,
the ones shown here are “HM Poetry Poster – Summer” and “HM Poetry
Poster – Fall.” Perhaps a sport or art is where she shines. Reward
perseverance and hard work anywhere you find it by searching the
Template Gallery for ways to document and promote it. We have templates
for nearly every interest.
template 52111 One
of the best ways to foster any kind of talent or achievement is to
acknowledge it often. As your child masters learning tasks at school,
have some playing cards on hand that reward hard work with a treat or
special outing. Heather Benson’s “Super Kid Reward Cards,” is a great
set for a super-hero-loving child. “Totally Girl Coupons,” by Shelley
Pettis takes the same idea in a more feminine direction.
template 78998 template 78934The Holidays
Plan
ahead and you’ll have clever and inexpensive Christmas gifts for
teachers and friends, personalized Valentines and end-of-year thank you
gifts for those who have taught your children. Put “teacher,” “gift” or
“Valentine” in the Template Gallery search field and you’ll find
hundreds of great holiday gift ideas. Use “Math Teacher Tile,” 6 x 4
Invitation by Lynda Angelastro and mount to foam core or floor tile for a
fun gift for a teacher or use a playing card deck, “HM POP-ular Gift
Tags,” by Roxanne Buchholz and customize the front of the card for
different children in the same family. Attach to a bag of fancy popcorn
and you have a wonderful teacher gift.
One
of Heritage Makers most popular children’s products are personalized
valentines made from double-sided business cards. With 50 to a set, they
are economical and lots of fun. Shown above are “School Fish
Valentines,” by Cynthia Coulon; “You're a Hoot,” by Lynda Angelastro; “I
Wheelie Like You,” by Nicole Hutmacher and “You're Outa this World,” by
Michelle Bell. Check the Template Gallery for loads of other themes.
Make School Important
At
the end of the school year, do sum up your child’s experiences in an 8 x
8 storybook. Roxanne Buchholz has an entire series, one for almost
every age. Check out templates Pre-School-25797, K-81118, 1st-56434, 2nd-56433, 3rd-86295, 4th-85577, 5th-76275, 6th-25798, 7th-86192 and HS-25796. A child’s yearbook can become a powerful tradition that underscores the importance of education.
Bottom line, take an active role in your child’s school life today and you contribute significantly to your child’s school success tomorrow and their lives forever after. Get started today, it’s an effort that really pays off. And realistically, if you don’t do it, who else will?
Bottom line, take an active role in your child’s school life today and you contribute significantly to your child’s school success tomorrow and their lives forever after. Get started today, it’s an effort that really pays off. And realistically, if you don’t do it, who else will?
