For many of
our children, the first day of school will be here within the next week! You
have probably spent the last few weeks getting the necessary supplies, finding
out which teacher(s) your child has, getting schedules, and talking with your
little ones about how fun a new school year will be while convincing your older
kids that yes, they really do have to go back to school and it will be
fine.
The first
day of school marks the first day of a new experience. Curious about what kids in other countries do, we did a little research
and found a few fun traditions on LittlePassport.com and HerschelSupply.com:
Japan: When a child starts school for the first time, he/she is
given a new backpack called a randoseru. This backpack is carried throughout
all of elementary school and is often handed down one generation to the
next. This backpack has been used by
students for nearly 200 years! Another fun fact: The kids don’t wear outdoor shoes inside, so
they have to bring a pair of slippers with them on the first day.
Germany: On the first day of
school kids are given a Schultuete (pronounced shool-too-teh), or
school cone, that is filled with school supplies, small presents and sweet
things to eat. Sometimes they’re nearly as large as the child!
Russia: To celebrate the
beginning of a brand new year of learning, the first day of school in Russia is
called the “Day of Knowledge.” On this day, children traditionally give
colorful bouquets of fresh flowers to their teachers and receive balloons in
return.
Italy: The country over,
little Italian girls and boys don grembiuli on their first day back, which look like tiny
artist smocks are pinned with a colorful ribbon indicative of their grade year.
And on their graduating year of elementary school, students proudly sport a
ribbon in Italy’s iconic green, white and red color scheme.
Austria: Students traditionally recieve sweets on their first day back, this could even be a large piece of cake!
What fun First Day of School traditions do you have? Share with us in the comments or on our Facebook page.
