It’s Back to School Time
COMMENTS FOR THIS GIVEAWAY ARE NOW CLOSED.
Thank you to all who shared their back-to-school memories! I read every one of them and was touched by hearing both memories of your own school experience and your childrens’ experiences.
Congratulations to Kate who blogs at Seeking Small who is the winner of our Back-to-School Basket!
Enter to Win this Basket of Art Supplies!
Bella Luna Toys is pleased to offer a giveaway for a basket full of children’s art supplies for a creative school year.
This exciting basket includes one of each of the following:
⭐️ eco-art™ Drawing Paper Pad from eco-kids®
⭐️ Stockmar Opaque Watercolor Paints
⭐️ Set of 3 Bamboo Paintbrushes
⭐️ Set of 12 Oil Pastel Crayons
⭐️ One Pair of Kids Scissors
⭐️ Set of 24 Easy Grip Eco Colored Pencils
⭐️ Dual Size Pencil Sharpener
⭐️ Child’s Bolga Basket
Total value of over $100!
Win a Back-to-School Gift Basket from Bella Luna Toys
TO ENTER
Earn one entry for each of the following actions:
- SHARE A FIRST-DAY-OF-SCHOOL MEMORY: Receive one entry by sharing a memory of your first day of school as a comment in the Comments section below this blog post.
- FOLLOW + LIKE TO WIN: Follow Bella Luna Toys on Instagram, like our Back-to-School Giveaway photo by double-clicking on it, and leaving a comment on Instagram.
- TAG FRIENDS: Receive one additional entry for each friend that you tag in the comments section of our Instagram Back-to-School Giveaway photo.
Entries must be received by midnight PDT on Thursday, August 31, 2017. One winner will be selected at random and announced on Friday, September 1, 2017. By entering, you confirm that you are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of all responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. Giveaway open to all, but a winner outside the United States will be responsible for shipping fee.
Happy New School Year and Good Luck!
Enter our giveaway by sharing a memory of your first day of school as a comment below!
119 Comments
My favorite back-to-school memory is that of my first ever day of school. I had been longing to go (my older sister was always so excited to put on her backpack). Finally, the time for Kindergarten arrived, and the first day of school just so happened to be my fifth birthday! I woke up to a large handmade bear- Papa Bear for my family of bears from the local craft gallery, and he was nearly my size! I got to bring him to school, wearing my backpack of course. And we even had cupcakes to celebrate my birthday that very first day. I have never forgotten!
Best first day of school memories was my first day of kindergarten in a town I had just moved to and didn’t know a soul yet…I was playing on the monkey bars in my fanciest dress (think Laura Ingalls meets Sound of Music), white tights and ankle strap Mary Jane woven leather sandals and a girl walked up to me and asked if I wanted to be friends. That was 25 years ago and she still is, and has always been my dearest friend.❤️
I remember my son’s first day of preschool. I was terrified (and ecstatic!), and he was so proud of himself – walking tall with his water bottle in his little bolga basket. It broke my heart he was so cute! And it broke my heart that he was getting so big!
I remember meticulously curated a new outfit for my first day of school each year and my mom making fresh, warm, sweet, buttery halwah (a punjabi porridge) as a special breakfast.
My first day of school I thought I was so BIG. I got on the bus all by myself and sat in the front seat. This other little girl was a little nervous and sat with me. She threw up all over my new school shoes and ruffly socks. It didn’t dampen my spirit, however, I just took my socks off. Happy Day!9
My favorite memory of the first day of school is a sensory one- it was second grade, and the first time I realized I loved the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, and the way my brand new eraser felt when I squished it between my fingers.
I went to so many different schools, but I don’t remember a single first day. I do remember being a new kid at a rural school in 7th grade. It was nice to have students show me around the school they had attended most of their lives and to be a bit of a novelty. And I remember by first art class at that school, my favorite class with a wonderful teacher.
My first day of school, favorite memory is my Mother and I making Gingerbread Boys & Girls
for me to take to school for my class for our first day of school.
It somehow made the transition back to school, a little easier and everyone enjoyed them including me.
I now make gf Gingerbread People for the children who attend my own Waldorf inspired Dayschool, for their first day of school, after summer vacations. They have come to love Gingerbread so much we actually make the cookies & cake throughout the year!
P.S. Cookie Tips:
Decorate the cookies with raisins,chopped dried fruit, pecans & sliced almonds and
to make give the cookies people a smile, use the tip of a spoon!
My very first day of Kindergarten was amazing. I was in a French immersion school and my teacher was from Belgium and one of the sweetest people ever. In fact, now as an adult with my own children, I keep up with her on Facebook. She was an incredibly welcoming teacher, playing the piano for us and gently teaching us French basics. It created the basis for a love of learning within me.
I always enjoyed back to school shopping with my mom. She was always so organized and wanted to send me off to school with the best supplies (and she thought of everything).
She gave me the confidence to face each new school year.
I remember zipping myself into my new jordache jeans that my aunt bought for me…because no way would my parents splurge on that!! And being so thrilled to own a pair
I loved getting a new backpack and school supplies for the first day of school. I remember being excited and nervous but happy to have friends I knew in my class. I went to a school that was kindergarten through eighth grade in the same large building, so it helped me be more comfortable on the first day to be very familiar with the space and teachers.
I still remember being so scared on my first day of kindergarten and another girl coming over and taking my hand. We were best friends all through elementary and still know each other now. 🙂
I remembered, in California, we would buy warm, nice autumn clothes and then it would always be too hot to wear them on the first day back to school! It was always such a disappointment.
Today was my daughter’s first day of PK2 and she was so cool and chill! She tried clinging to me when I left the classroom, but she was okay when the teacher picked her up. It does feel kind of good when they are just a little upset you are leaving. LOL!
I remember my first day of my freshman year of college. My parents had unloaded me into my dorm room the day before and left to drive 1000 miles back to our home. I cried myself to sleep that night. In the morning, I recall a huge sense of freedom and I was truly excited to start MY life. It was my 18th birthday and although no one wished me happy birthday that day it was one of my best birthdays.
My favorite memory of my first day of school is my first day of middle school, where on the bus I was so excited with my Apple converse and new back pack, I was just overjoyed and I meet a girl who shared my enthusiasm over owls and we are still friends to this day :).
The wonder and smile on my little guys face as he entered his first day or nature school, I will not ever forget!
My favorite back to school memory was this year. We homeschool and for our first day of kindergarten we went out on our boat island hopping and collected seashells. We had a blast!
I have always had a hard time and struggled in school. I was bullied and teased as a kid and was misunderstood. It meant for a lot of discipline because I acted out often. But those days soon passed by and I eventually switched to a new, much smaller, private school. My first day of senior year I was a punk rock kid and had a mohawk that was at least 1 foot tall! and my best friend was a beautiful long haired “hippie”. For the first year ever in my life I was excited to be going to school because I had a best friend (who drove) so she came and picked me up. My mom snapped a photo of us standing on my front porch different as night and day on the outside but so similar on the inside that we were bonded. That memory and photo makes me tear up and smile both at the same time. 🙂
We all gathered around the teacher and read stories.I was so excited to be there!
My favorite first day of school memory is always the same. I loved being able to use all of my new school supplies and beautiful clothing and backpack! I loved the smell of the clean new school and anticipating all the great things to come that year. First days always feel like a fresh start 🙂
My only memory of my first day of school was crying for my mother when she had to leave me at the school! I hope my children will have more pleasant first day of school memories, as I will be homeschooling them! I am starting Kindergarten with my son this year!
I have a terrible memory now as I approach 50, but I do remember that I was always excited to get my new textbooks, flip through them to get a glimpse of what I would be learning about in the coming year, and to take them all home and cover them carefully in brown grocery bags and tape.
I remember as a teacher, my first day of school, many years ago. Nervous and excited the parent’s brought there children into the classroom and eventually left them with me. I felt like I was on an island all alone. Those students soon became a very important part of my life and career.
I was so nervous on my first day of school! I surely wish my community had a Waldorf option back then!
I am starting with my 2nd grade class this year. On the 1st day of school, my older daughter in 8th grade gave a rose to a sweet 1st grader. It was a lovely rose ceremony full of singing, joy and excitement. I am enthusiastic about this new school year.
I remember my brother’s first day of kindergarten (I was in third grade) — I stopped his teacher in the hall to check on him and was so proud that she said he was doing great.
I cried the entire first week of kindergarten. I could not understand at all why my mother left me every day, I was inconsolable. My older sister had to come to my class and comfort me. But I loved school once I got used to it. Every year on the first day and then once a month, the 8th graders would come around with the school supply cart and you could buy anything you needed. I still love buying school supplies! And the best first day was when you were in 8th grade and you got picked to take the cart around. For someone who cried her whole first week, I kinda became a school geek! In a good way!
I remember the sights, sounds and smells the most. The smell of new books, paper and pencils. The excitement was always amazing. Such sweet times. Full of great expectations!
My son was so proud on his first day of kindergarten – carrying his back pack and his supplies, and I was so proud of how brave he was. I dropped him off on his first day, and he walked in the door and I lingered outside the door just in case he came back out for anything, but he didn’t, he was off!
My favorite first day of school memory is the first day I started Kindergarten at Turtle River Montessori. I was a shy and quiet child and so scared. My grandmother was dropping me off and by the time she got me into class they were having recess. She was older with arthritis and she had the patience to stand there in the school yard as I kept running back and forth from the sandbox back to her with tears asking her not to leave. Her gentle presence and strength of just standing and not saying much except “go on it’s okay” gave me the courage to finally return to the sandbox and stay and occasionally look up and than to watch her finally walk away knowing everything will be okay. I finished the Montessori school all through my elementary years and I have the most magical childhood memories because of that school and my wonderful grandmother who enrolled me there and her gentle quiet presence that gave me the courage to start my journey of learning there.
I’m 37 years old, but I remember my first day of preschool! I cried a little when my mom left and eventually played on the seesaw with a new friend.
My favorite back to school memories include school shopping with my (older, much cooler) cousins, and the excitement of new subjects, books, and cool fall weather. Thank you for this fantastic giveaway.
I remember tricycles on the playground the first day of kindergarten and a kind, loving teacher. I was excited to be there and don’t remember being afraid.
My first day of middle school I dressed up, because that’s what we always did, and then felt like a fool when I saw that most of the other kids were in t shirts and jeans.
Then another girl wearing a nice dress sat down next to me and we bonded over our differences.
We’ve been friends now for over 20 years now.
We had just moved to Scotland from the US and my daughter was starting Kindergarten. On the first day there was a bagpiper, in full traditional Scottish dress, at the entrance piping everyone into school. It was the most wonderful experience for my daughter and I.
My favorite back to school memory was when I moved to southern Arizona and started at a brand new school. Usually starting a new school for most is so scary but I was so excited. It was my 8th grade year and I was actually an extrovert then. The friends that I made those first few days became the friends I would still have 17 years later! I was not the kid who made lasting friendships nor was I ever the kid who other children wanted to “hang” out with so this school was a new start. I mention friendships because in this stage of my life they are golden!
My first day of school memory was when I went to Kindergarten. I’m a first generation American from Mexico; I didn’t know any English! I remember not understanding anyone, but my ESL teacher grabbed hand and said I would have a great day. I learned how to sing the wheels on the bus and I had such a great day!
My first day of third grade my baby brother was born. I remember that brown corduroy jumper I wore, and was so excited to get to meet him after school!
I remember standing in the front room of my parent’s house bundled up and looking out the front window waiting to see the school bus coming down the road. For some reason I don’t have any clear memories of any of my first days of school, but I remember playing with a huge bin of buttons in preschool, getting ‘married’ to my kindergarten boyfriend at school, and my first grade teacher who was my favorite teacher standing on a desk reading ‘The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles’ to us. I will have to strive to see if I can make the first days of school special enough that my son will actually remember them! 🙂
I remember maple samaras helicoptering to the ground.
My first day of kindergarten, hoping fervently for my locker sticker to be a horse and getting a kangaroo instead. My mother made me a horse with moving joints, it was gorgeous and my fussy teacher made me put it on the inside of my locker because everyone would want a horse too. LOL…welcome to conformity!
My favorite first day of school memories are getting new school supplies. New pencils, blank notebooks, sharp crayons. My excitement the year I actually got a TrapperKeeper. I was always loved opening my desk that first day and putting everything neatly away for the start of the year.
I thought my parents forgot me on my first day! My brother had an accident, and they had him at the doctor to get stitches – I was picked up two hours late.
My first day of school memories are: meeting my friends on the walk to school together. We always had enough time to talk and watch the trees on the way. Mrs. Rose, my first grade teacher, always let me pull the extra ditto copies of classwork that she had thrown away. I would take these home and set up a school for my dolls and stuffed animals. I kept those papers for years before I threw them away. Mrs. House, my second grade teacher, read to us a lot. And Mrs. Etchrim, my third grade teacher, had a wonderful counter in front of a big window with plants and bug viewing boxes. I remember loving to organize my school supplies in my desk on the first day of school. Great memories! I now am Assistant Director of a Montessori school. I credit my wonderful early schooling for providing me a love of learning!
i don’t have a specific memory of my first day of school. i do remember many things about my first grade experience. i remember walking to school on cool crisp fall days, the leaves falling from the tree’s and many rainy days protected by a bubble umbrella. when we got to school we changed out of our wet clothes at our lockers and put on fresh dry shoes. i had a split level first/second grade class. i remember the smells of lunch cooking in the mornings – home made rolls were a staple & they smelled so good !
It’s hard for me to recall one all time favorite memory. But something I loved every year was my Dad taking me school shopping. I’d get the list and we’d head into town. After I carefully curated all the items we would by them then head home. After that every day before school started (I usually got my supply a couple weeks in advance) I would take all my supplies out and look at them and then reorganize them in my backpack :).
On my first day of Kindergarten I rode the bus to school. After several gentle attempts to calm the excited children, the flustered bus driver hollered behind her, “Shut up!” This worked briefly until giggles worked their way through the bus and the noise level rose again. I was shocked at the driver’s yell since I was NOT allowed to say that particular phrase at home. Upon arriving to the school, I saw the principal standing near the Kindergarten entryway. I timidly walked up to him and told him about my bus driver’s foul phrase, covering my own mouth at having to say such awful words. He gently smiled and told me that sometimes bus drivers have to say that. Innocence lost!
I remember my son’s first day of school. He was so proud to ride the school bus. His grandmother had bought him a new book and she read it to him when he got off the bus. As she talked with him, we realized that he thought “going to school” was something he had to do one time…he didn’t realize that was the first day of many! We had many laughs over that.