With ‘Back to School’ in full swing, we’ve been getting a lot of questions from volunteers about how to encourage their Little in school without sounding too “naggy” or missing out on the fun. So we put together a list of five things that you can do to help encourage their love of learning while doing something that’s different and FUN. Test these out and let us know what you think!

1. Create a Vision Board

Creating a thorough vision board might be exactly what your Little needs to start the new school year off on the right foot. The law of attraction states that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts a person brings positive or negative experiences into their life. Simply visualizing success in school, making new friends, or getting into their dream school isn’t going to happen without acting on those desires, but a vision board will surely help them to reach the right mindset to accomplish anything they set their minds to.

2. Participate in a Reading Challenge

The cool thing about reading challenges is you aren’t just trying to ‘read more’—something we all know we should be doing, but rarely make the time to do—you’re trying to check things off of a list. Reading challenges also help the reader step out of their comfort zone by diversifying their book selection. Chances are your Little is going to be assigned books to read for their classes and borrowing the same book from your local library and reading along could open the door for you and your Little to discuss what they’re learning in school.

3. Make Brain-Boosting Breakfast Smoothies

Your Little’s brain will likely be on overload while they’re getting back in the swing of school, so it’s super important that their bodies and brains are getting the proper nourishment to perform at their full potential. You may have picked up some not-so-healthy eating habits in college, but the right foods can give both you and your Little the upper hand when faced with tough tasks. Your Little might not be interested in your lstest quinoa and kale creation, but these tasty smoothies will surely have them hooked on the right stuff!

4. Listen and Encourage, but Don’t Lecture

Although you may be tempted to lecture your little about the importance of school and use your outings as a reward for good performance, DON’T! It isn’t always clear why your Little might be struggling in school and if they are the last thing you want to do is associate yourself with something they aren’t very excited about. Instead, have a conversation with your Little and assure them that you merely want to understand how they’re feeling. It’s normal for you to want your Little to do well in school, but you don’t want to become yet another adult figure in their life that’s trying make them do something they might not want to do. Instead, use your relationship to help your Little work through their problems and be their to support them through it.

5. Make Learning Fun!

Show your Little that learning isn’t contained to the classroom and do these easy science experiments from the comfort of your home, with materials you already have lying around your apartment. Is your Little too advanced for homemade volcanoes and tornadoes in a bottle? Step it up a notch and build a homemade clock or catapult. Museum visits are also a fun option, especially when there’s a new exhibit!

Any of these activities could make a big difference in your Little’s back to school experience this year and you’ll surely benefit from them as well! Have any back to school tips or tricks that you think other Bigs could learn from? Share them in the comment section below!