Even though the first day of school might feel like a long way off – especially on these long, hot summer days – it is never too early to think about how to prepare your child for back to school. In fact, you can even get the kids involved in planning. The transition from easygoing summer days to the routine of school can always be a bit jarring, so getting the bulk of your preparations out of the way in advance can go a long way toward making that time easier.

Here are 5 top tips to prepare for back to school.

1. Get to work on your list 

If you haven’t already started your list, now is the time! Make a list of what each kid will need for school, and then check to see what you already have so you can (hopefully) have the satisfaction of scratching a few things off your list. With older kids who have multiple teachers, keep in mind that they might come home with a few different lists on the first couple days of school, so set aside some time for those last-minute buys.

2. Order everything online 

You can easily order most school supplies online these days. Some online shops will even cover books for you, which is a great time-saver. If you’re ordering school or lunch bags, you can often get them personalised if you order far enough in advance. Ordering online is a great way to beat the rush and avoid giving up your last days of summer fun to buy supplies. It also means saving lots of time otherwise spent running around in the heat.

3. Buy extra staples right off the bat

There are some things that you just know you’re going to run out of during the year; pencils, rubbers, and pens/pen refills are the big ones at our house. Instead of buying them throughout the year as needed, go ahead and get a few extras now to take advantage of bulk pricing and save yourself future trips to the store. After all, you know your kids probably won’t be mentioning they need these things during the year until they are 100% used up, at which point you’ll have to run around at the last minute and get them – and who wants to do that?

4. Schedule uniform shopping and haircuts

Everyone else is going to be rushing around to get uniforms and shoes in the days before school starts, so go ahead and schedule your shopping now to avoid crowds and low stock. The same goes for haircuts – it may be too early to get that goodbye-to-summer haircut now, but calling to make an appointment these days will mean less waiting around when the time does come, and you’ll get your choice of dates and times.

5. Plan the transition to earlier bedtimes

Later bedtimes are practically a necessity for getting the most out of those long summer days, but it can make the return to school very jarring if you have to abruptly bid those summer morning sleep-ins adieu. The best way to ensure everyone starts school well-rested is by transitioning to earlier bedtimes slowly in the week or two before school starts. This is one of my top tips for preparing your child for school.

Consider what time your child has been going to bed these days and what their bedtime will be when school begins, and start slowly moving toward your target by having them go to bed a bit earlier each night. They might not fall asleep immediately, but they should be in bed with the lights out and screens off trying to unwind.