Are you a little too familiar with the "lost and found" box at your child’s school? If so, you're not alone—lots and lots of parents find that their kids' school materials seem to disappear into the most mysterious places, only to reappear weeks or months later. This is an ongoing struggle, of course, but it's never too late to start working it through.
One simple, fun way to ensure your second grader hangs on to her stuff this school year—or at least gets it back quickly—is to have her create “business cards” to use as labels. You'll love them because they'll keep your child organized. Your child will love them because she can pass them out to all of her friends. (Psst: she'll get in some writing practise, too!)
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What You Need:
- 3" x 5" index cards
- Fine-tipped markers
- Stickers, stamps, and stamp pads
- Thick paper (optional)
What You Do:
- If you or a family member has a business card, show it to your child. Talk about how and why the cards are used. Then break out the craft supplies! Tell your child that she'll be creating her OwnSet of “business cards” for school. She will use them to label all of her materials, including her backpack, folders, notebooks and binders. She can also hand them out to her friends and teachers, so they'll know how to contact her.
- Ask your child how many cards she'd like. Cut 3x5 index cards in half to make a set of cards.
- On each card, your child should write all of her pertinent information with a fine-tipped marker. Brainstorm what sort of things she'd like to put on her cards. Important information may include name, school, grade, teacher, bus number, phone number and email address. When she's finished with the writing, encourage her to personalize her business cards with stickers, stamps, or hand-drawn designs.
- Assist your child in labeling all of her school materials, by attaching one business card to each item. Put the extras in a small plastic bag inside her backpack to pass out at school.
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See this activity in a set:
10 Useful Crafts for Back to School Supplies