Making the School Run Fun

In collaboration with Proline.

The new term is well and truly upon us, and the novelty of the school run may be wearing off. It’s easy to keep kids entertained on the school run for the first few days of the new school year, but as the days start to drag on they might get a little bored – making it much more of a slog for them and for you.

It’s a great idea to have a few tricks up your sleeve for those difficult days, to help ease the stress and bring the fun back into the school run. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Try a New Route

As the old saying goes a change is as good as a rest, so by varying the route you can avoid the drudge of the same old route. Consider making the most of the seasons when picking your route, for example if it’s Autumn try and walk past a horse chestnut tree and grab a couple of nice shiny conkers to play with.

If it’s spring, maybe take a route with some lovely blossom or daffodils to admire. Don’t be afraid to take a slightly longer route, just make sure you leave enough time to get to school for their morning registration – if you’re concerned about the time maybe save the different route for the trip home.

Take Entertainment

If changing the route isn’t really an option, think about taking some entertainment with you.

This is particularly good if your child is off to school for the first time and is a little anxious, as they’ll find it comforting to bring something familiar from home with them.

Most schools have rules about not bringing in stuff from home though, so if you do this make it clear to your child that you’ll look after the toy once they get to school. For the school run itself a small toy car is a great idea, as they’ll be loads of varied surfaces for your child to run it along and create their own imaginary racetrack.

You could also consider a small pair of binoculars for them to spot wildlife – or a magnifying glass for them to look at insects close up. Exploration is a fantastic way to stimulate your child’s imagination, and will make the school run fly by.

Another great option is to grab some wheels – maybe a scooter, or check out Proline Skates for a great range of heelys that your kids will absolutely love.