Young children thrive with a predictable routine, but transitioning from the summertime — full of unstructured fun with family — to the school-year schedule can be tricky. Here are some tips and tools for parents to help make the transition smooth and joyful for little ones:

Establish a “Goodbye! Hello!” ritual. Rituals are a wonderful way to help children through all kinds of transitions in life. Say “goodbye” to summer with an end-of-summer picnic, for instance, or a splash party in the backyard with neighborhood kids. Have your child and their friends help you create a banner that bids farewell to summer. You might say “hello” to the new school year by scheduling a special breakfast to celebrate the first day of school with friends.

Talk about the reunions to come. A couple of weeks before the new school year starts, begin reminding your child that they will be seeing all their friends again soon. If you know who their teacher will be, you can start talking about the new teacher and anticipating aloud all the fun things they will do this year in school.

Get sleep back on track. Be sure to return to a consistent nighttime routine and meal schedule a week before school starts to help reset your child’s sleep rhythms. If you’ve drifted away from regular eating times and healthy foods, this is a good time to get back on track. A well-rested, well-fed child will be happier and more adaptive when transitioning back to school.

Start a paper chain. Cutting out strips of construction paper about an inch wide and 6 inches long, create a link for every day, starting with the final days of summer and continuing through Thanksgiving. Encourage your child to draw a little picture of something they loved about their day on one of the strips and add it to the chain each night. By the time Turkey Day arrives, you will have a long, colorful chain you can hang on the holiday tree or along the banister in celebration of fond memories.

Choose special reads. Start reading some special back-to-school books to your child the week before school starts. Some of my favorites are This School Year Will Be the Best!, The Berenstain Bears Go to School, Little Critter: First Day of School and The Kissing Hand.

It’s important to be sensitive to the fact that your child may feel anxiety about the change in their routine. You can ease them in by using the tools above, remembering that young children thrive on predictability and preparation.

For more on supporting your children through changes and new experiences, check out:

• Tips for Helping Your Child Adapt to Change
• Helping Preschoolers with Major Life Change
• 7 Ways to Make Time Change Easier