Connect With Your Child During the School Day With These Three Simple, Playful Ideas

Connect with your child while you are apart during the school day with these simple — yet meaningful — playful ideas.

What if I told you that just 60 seconds – seriously, that’s all – could gift you with a powerful, playful, and meaningful way to connect with your child during those hours apart at school?

I know, I know! It’s back-to-school season – that delightful time when mornings turn into a whirlwind of chaos as parents race to get everyone fed, dressed, and out the door.

And let’s not forget the mad scramble to sign the millions of forms and permission slips at the last minute. Or read the nonstop school emails and add important dates to the calendar.

So I HEAR you if you read this title and thought, “One more thing to do? Yeah, no thanks. Hard pass.”

Just stick with me… this is not fancy, time-consuming stuff. It’s little stuff with a big payoff.

Here are three super-easy, playful ways to connect with your child while they are at school:

1. Lunchtime Jokes – Crafting Heartfelt Connections:

Remember those jokes on popsicle sticks and applesauce pouches? Kids still LOVE finding those!

Slipping a joke into your child’s lunchbox or backpack is an easy way to connect with your child while apart during the school day.

It can be an inside joke or one of these kid-friendly, funny, and cute jokes. I’ve organized them by season to give you some inspiration throughout the school year!

Lunch Note Jokes for Kids:

FALL-THEMED JOKES:

What do you call a scarecrow’s favorite fruit? Straw-berries!
What did one pumpkin say to the other pumpkin? “You’re gourd-geous!”
What do you get when you cross a black cat and a lemon? A sourpuss!
What does a panda ghost eat? Bam-BOO!
Why did the ghost quit studying? Because he was too ghoul for school.
How do ghosts send letters? Through the ghost office.
What do you get when you cross a vampire and a snowman? Frostbite.
Do you know any skeleton jokes? Yes, but you wouldn’t find it very humerus.
What is a skeleton’s favorite instrument? A trom-bone.
How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch!
What animal is always at a baseball game? A bat
Where do ghosts like to boat on vacation? Lake Eerie.

WINTER-THEMED JOKES:

What kind of ball doesn’t bounce? A snowball.
What do you call an old snowman? Water!
What did one snowman say to the other snowman? “Do you smell carrots?”
Why was the math book sad in winter? It had “snowww” many problems!
What do you call a snowman with a six-pack? An abdominal snowman!
What do snowmen eat for lunch? Icebergers.
How does a snowman get around? By riding an “icicle”!
What do you call a snowman temper tantrum? A meltdown.

SPRING-THEMED JOKES:

What does a cloud wear under its raincoat? Thunderwear!
How did the cake get wet? It got sprinkled.
Did you hear about that brand-new broom that just came out? It’s sweeping the nation.
When you clean a vacuum cleaner, you become a vacuum cleaner.
Why did the bee’s hair smell sweet? Because it used a honeycomb.
When do monkeys fall from the sky? During Ape-ril showers!
What facial feature stands out the most during the spring? Your tu-lips!
Where do cows go for spring break? Moo Jersey.
What does an elephant use to pack for spring break? A trunk.
How do brand-new spring flowers greet each other? “Hey, bud!”
Why did the Easter egg hide? It was a little chicken!

SUMMER-THEMED JOKES:

What happens if you throw a red sun hat in the water? It gets wet!
Why did the sun go to school? To get a little brighter!
What did the little corn say to the mama corn? Where is pop corn?
What animal is always at a baseball game? A bat
What did the reporter say to the ice cream? “What’s the scoop?”
What do frogs eat in the summer? Hopsicles!
Why does a seagull fly over the sea? Because if it flew over the bay, it would be a baygull.
What did one ocean say to the other ocean? Nothing, it just waved!

And if those aren’t cutting it, check out these 270 Best Jokes for Kids!

If you’re a planner, you can take a few minutes to print them out, cut them into strips, and have jokes ready for the whole year.

Or, if you want to give it a more personal touch, take a moment before bed to jot down a good one.

I know some consider overly-mushy notes to be a little much, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong or overbearing about a little joke. Quite the opposite. It keeps things light and silly!

Here’s a fun tip – you can even use ChatGPT, the *free* AI app, to whip up jokes tailored to your child’s passions, be it dinosaurs, unicorns, or outer space. Just type in, “Please give me a list of jokes about ______!” and you’ll have some ideas within seconds.

2. Shared Laughter “On the Clock” – Moments of Synchronicity:

Picture this: a certain time of day when you and your child both steal a glance at the clock. It might be recess kicking off or the bell ringing at the end of class.

In that fleeting moment, you’re both thinking about the same funny thought at the exact same time. It could be an inside joke, a funny nickname, or a memory that brings you both to tears – of laughter, of course.

It’s like you get to connect with your child through fun, real-life telepathy, even when you’re miles apart. You’re promising to think of that joyful memory at the exact same time, sharing a synchronized chuckle and sending love across the distance.

Pick that moment out together the night before or in the car on the way to school. You can change it up each day or keep it the same for as long as it’s bringing smiles to your faces!

3. Doodle Magic – Nurturing Creativity and Love:

This one is partly inspired by my husband, who once sketched Queen Elsa on a napkin and slipped it into my stepdaughter’s lunch. It was actually quite impressive!

The other inspiration comes from my doodle-crazy toddler. From morning til night, this little Picasso is always ready to whip out a masterpiece and insists that we draw with him!

You do not have to be a pro artist to have a little fun with this and connect with your child in this creative way. Start with characters or animals your child loves. My son was all about the moon, then the letter Z, ladybugs, flamingoes, and now it’s Bluey.

I remember my first attempt at drawing Bluey – let’s just say it looked more like a cross-eyed cat than our favorite heeler. But thanks to a quick YouTube tutorial, I mastered the art of drawing a *somewhat-recognizable* Bluey in just a few minutes. The look on my son’s face when he saw it? Priceless. Plus, it was a fun challenge for ME!

*Hey… I said “somewhat recognizable” — not perfect!* (Also did this in 20 seconds!)

So, why not have a little fun yourself and take a break from the stressors of life to learn a new skill — drawing your kiddo’s favorite thing. There are drawing tutorials for every character, animal, or object under the sun.

There are also step-by-step images with instructions, if that’s more your pace!

Check out this “How to Draw” page on the I Heart Crafty Things site for inspiration!

If you want to go the tutorial route, sure, it might take a little more than 60 seconds initially, to learn how to draw a character. But it will be so worth it when your child opens up that binder or lunchbox and finds your heartfelt doodle in there just for them.

(Psst! Also… stick figures count!)

Summing it up:

So here’s the thing. Amidst the frenzy of life, these tiny bursts of playfulness MATTER when it comes to your connection with your child. Those lunchtime giggles, shared smiles across the clock, and doodles that speak a language of love – they’re like magic beans, growing a giant beanstalk of a bond that lasts a lifetime, long after the school days are gone.

These little things… they STICK. I still remember the funny little poems my grandpa wrote me and the notes my dad left in my lunch, all the way through my senior year.

So, in the midst of all the craziness, I’m giving you this gentle, guilt-free nudge: take that extra minute. Start a little ritual with your kids.

Show them that even in the midst of your crazy schedules, you can pause to enjoy life together in a playful way. YOU deserve to pause for fun, too, even if it’s brief!

Do you have any memories of playful ways your parents connected with you during your school days as a child?

Playful Heart Parenting

Hi! I’m Mia.
Mom, stepmom, wife, songwriter, performer, and theater educator.
I love sharing ideas, tips, and templates for connecting with kids through low-to-no budget, waste-free, creative play.