FREE Back to School Worksheet for Children and Teens - Get Emotionally Ready to Head Back to School!

A printable wellbeing worksheet to help children and teens feel calm, confident, and emotionally ready for the new school year.

The return to school after a long break can bring up a wide mix of feelings for children and young people. Some may be counting down the days to see their friends and dive back into routine, while others may feel nervous, uncertain, or overwhelmed by the transition. This one-page printable resource, Back to School Boost: My Feel-Good Back to School Plan, is designed to gently support young people as they prepare for the new term. It offers a creative, accessible, and thoughtful space for self-reflection, emotional awareness, and confidence-building.

Whether used at home, in a classroom, or as part of a therapy session, this tool helps children explore their feelings, name their worries, and focus on the things that make them feel safe, happy, and prepared. It's a small but powerful way to help kids and teens begin the school year with intention, calm, and a sense of control.

About This Resource:

Our Back to School Boost worksheet is an engaging one-page printable activity that supports emotional wellbeing during times of transition. It's ideal for children and young people aged 6 to 16, though it can easily be adapted for a wider range of ages and abilities.

The worksheet includes a variety of short, open-ended prompts that gently guide users to reflect on their feelings, explore coping strategies, and plan ahead for a positive start to the school term. It also provides creative space for doodling or decorating with uplifting thoughts, people, places, and things that bring joy and reassurance.

This printable can be completed in one sitting or returned to over several days. It can be used independently or alongside a parent, teacher, carer, or counsellor.

• One-page printable worksheet (A4, high-resolution PDF).
• Calming and simple, organised layout.
• Designed for both primary and secondary age groups.
• Prompts include reflections on worries, goals, calm-down strategies, reminders, and positive thinking.
• Creative space for self-expression through drawing or doodling.
• Easy to use in classrooms, youth groups, home settings, or 1:1 support work.
• Ideal for neurodivergent and neurotypical children alike.

• Encourages emotional literacy and self-awareness.
• Builds confidence before the school transition.
• Helps reduce back-to-school anxiety through gentle reflection.
• Promotes positive mental health habits.
• Creates space for conversation and emotional check-ins.
• Strengthens routines that support wellbeing.
• Fun and engaging way to help children feel heard, understood, and prepared.
• Can be revisited at key points throughout the term as a grounding tool.

1. Print the worksheet in black-and-white (children can colour it in themselves).
2. Choose a calm and quiet time to sit with your child or student to complete the sheet, or let them work on it independently.
3. Encourage honest, thoughtful answers – there are no right or wrong responses.
4. Use the sheet as a conversation starter to open up about emotions, goals, and worries.
5. Hang the completed sheet somewhere visible (like a fridge or noticeboard) as a positive reminder.
6. Revisit the worksheet after the first week or month of school to reflect on progress and adjust goals if needed.

Preparing for Back to School

This resource is perfect for:

• Teachers doing PSHE or transition activities.
• Parents supporting a child with school-related anxiety.
• Therapists and youth workers doing 1:1 wellbeing check-ins.
• Homeschooling families looking to create positive structure.
• SEN support work and emotional literacy development.

Whether a child is starting a new school, returning after a break, or simply adjusting to a new year group, this printable helps create emotional stability and empowers children to feel ready, brave, and seen.

Download and print now for FREE!