A new school year comes with so many new things.

New teachers.

New classrooms.

New school supplies.

New routines.

New things to learn.

But before we rush into everything a child needs to do this school year, it can be meaningful to spend a little time thinking about who they are right now.

What do they love?

What are they already good at?

What would they like to learn?

What feels difficult?

Who can they turn to when they need help?

And what is one goal they’d like to work toward this year?

The beginning of a new school year gives children a natural opportunity to stop, reflect, and say:

“This is where I am today. Let’s see where this year takes me.”

That’s why I created a simple New School Year – Fresh Start printable for kids.

More Than a “Getting to Know You” Worksheet

Getting-to-know-you activities are wonderful during the first days of school.

Teachers get to learn a little more about their students, and children get an opportunity to share things about themselves.

But I wanted this activity to go a little further.

Instead of only asking questions such as What’s your favorite color? or What’s your favorite food?, this printable encourages children to think about their strengths, goals, challenges, support system, and growth.

It asks children to think about things like:

Things I love

Something I’m good at

This year I want to learn…

A new habit I want to practice

When something feels hard, I can…

People who can help me

My goal for this school year

And finally:

My word for this school year

There is no perfect answer.

The goal is simply to help a child think about the year ahead.

Give Little Writers Plenty of Room

Young children don’t write like adults.

Their letters may be big.

They may need extra space between words.

They may decide that drawing something is easier than explaining it in a sentence.

That’s okay.

The printable includes large writing spaces so children don’t have to squeeze their thoughts into tiny boxes.

Parents and teachers can also help younger children by reading the questions aloud and writing down their answers if necessary.

This isn’t a handwriting test.

It’s their reflection.

Start With What They Already Love About Themselves

I especially like beginning with:

Things I Love

and

Something I’m Good At

Before asking children what they need to improve, give them an opportunity to recognize what’s already good.

Maybe a child says:

“I’m good at reading.”

Or:

“I’m good at helping my little brother.”

Maybe it’s:

“I can ride my bike.”

“I’m a good friend.”

“I can draw really good dinosaurs.”

Adults may see some answers as little things.

To the child, they can be big things.

Let them be proud of what they can already do.

Then Look Forward

Next comes:

This Year I Want to Learn…

This doesn’t have to be strictly academic.

A child might want to:

Read a chapter book.

Learn multiplication.

Write better stories.

Learn to tie their shoes.

Make a new friend.

Learn more about Jesus.

Join an activity.

Become better at drawing.

The answer belongs to the child.

You may even discover something they are interested in that you’ve never heard them talk about before.

Choose One New Habit

The beginning of the school year is also a natural time to talk about habits.

Ask:

“What’s one thing you’d like to get better at doing regularly?”

Maybe it’s:

Packing my backpack.

Reading every night.

Putting my shoes away.

Making my bed.

Doing homework before playing games.

Praying before bed.

Keep it simple.

One small habit practiced consistently can mean much more than a long list of things a child is expected to change.

What Can I Do When Something Feels Hard?

I really wanted this question in the printable:

When something feels hard, I can…

Because something will feel hard this school year.

Maybe it’s math.

Maybe it’s reading aloud.

Maybe it’s making friends.

Maybe it’s sitting still.

Maybe it’s trying something and not getting it right the first time.

Children can think ahead about what they can do:

Ask for help.

Take a break and try again.

Take a deep breath.

Talk to my teacher.

Talk to Mom or Dad.

Pray.

Keep practicing.

We’re not promising children that everything will be easy.

We’re reminding them that they have choices when something isn’t easy.

Remind Them They Don’t Have to Do It Alone

Another part of the activity asks:

People Who Can Help Me

This can be such a comforting little section.

A child might write:

Mom.

Dad.

Grandma.

My teacher.

My brother.

My friend.

My coach.

My priest.

The names will be different for every child.

The important message is:

There are people I can go to when I need help.

Pick a Word for the School Year

Older children especially might enjoy choosing one word for their new school year.

It could be:

Brave

Kind

Try

Learn

Grow

Faith

Patience

Confidence

Friendship

Courage

Then talk about why they chose it.

That one little word can become a reminder throughout the year.

Take a Beginning-of-the-Year Photo 📷

Instead of asking children to draw themselves, I decided to include a large space for an actual back-to-school photograph.

Take a picture at the beginning of the school year.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate.

It could be the traditional first-day-of-school picture, a photo with their backpack, or simply a picture that captures who they are right now.

Print it and attach it to the page.

Now the activity becomes more than a worksheet.

It becomes a keepsake.

Hang It Somewhere They Can See It

Once the activity is complete, don’t necessarily tuck it away.

Hang it on your child’s:

Bedroom wall

Bedroom door

Homework area

Bulletin board

Or place it in their school-year or routine binder.

Throughout the year, they can see the goal they chose and the things they wanted to work toward.

For a classroom, teachers could also create a beginning-of-the-year display with students’ completed pages, depending on which portions children are comfortable sharing.

Bring It Back at the End of the School Year

This might be my favorite part of the activity.

Save it.

When May arrives, pull it back out.

Look at that beginning-of-the-year picture.

Read what your child wrote.

What did they want to learn?

What did they think they were good at?

What habit did they want to practice?

What was their goal?

Then ask:

“How have you grown?”

Maybe the book that looked impossible in August is easy now.

Maybe handwriting changed.

Maybe they made the friend they were hoping for.

Maybe math is still difficult—but now they know how to ask for help.

Growth isn’t always something we notice while it’s happening.

Sometimes we need to look back to see just how far we’ve come.

Use It at Home or in the Classroom

One reason I like this activity is that there isn’t only one way to use it.

Teachers can use it as a first-week-of-school activity.

Homeschool families can use it to mark the beginning of their school year.

Parents can complete it at home with their child and hang it in the bedroom.

It can be a classroom activity, a family conversation, a goal-setting exercise, or a keepsake.

Make it work for your child.

Download the Free New School Year – Fresh Start Printable

I’ve created a free 3-page New School Year – Fresh Start printable with extra-large writing spaces for younger writers.

Your child will have room to reflect on:

• Things they love
• Something they’re good at
• Something they want to learn
• A new habit they want to practice
• What they can do when something feels hard
• People who can help them
• Their goal for the school year
• Their word for the year
• A large space for their beginning-of-the-year photograph

[Download the FREE New School Year – Fresh Start Printable →]

Let your child write big.

Let them draw if they need to.

Help them spell a word if they ask.

Listen to their answers.

Take the picture.

And then save the pages.

Because when the end of the school year arrives, you might both be surprised by just how much has changed.

New school year. Fresh start. A whole year to learn, grow, and discover what’s possible. ❤️