Soon a new school year will begin, and as parents, caregivers, teachers and coaches navigate a flurry of backpacks, lesson plans and sports equipment, they can easily get overwhelmed.
But they’re not the only ones.
Back-to-school can impact children’s mental health, regardless of whether they view school with excitement or uncertainty.
For grown-ups wondering how to cope with back-to-school anxiety, get kids into back-to-school routines and much more, The Kids Mental Health Foundation has created a wide array of free, clinician-created resources to help teach kids mental health skills and coach them through their school-day challenges.
Resources like the “Back-to-School Mental Health Checklist” help busy parents and caregivers set expectations with kids and ease anxiety before the first day of school.
According to a 2025 Ipsos survey of more than 1,500 adults commissioned by The Kids Mental Health Foundation, most adults recognize the importance of kids’ mental health but don’t know how to help. Only about one-third of parents and less than half of teachers and coaches feel they know the daily habits they should use to boost children’s mental wellness.
“Kids’ mental health starts with us,” said Ariana Hoet, PhD, executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation. “Each of us has the power to help kids build critical mental health and wellness skills. The back-to-school time is especially important, as so many changes are happening during that time.”
Building mental health and wellness skills is the goal of The Kids Mental Health Foundation. Anchored in the expertise of behavioral health clinicians at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, their mission is to make mental health a vital part of every child’s upbringing.
“We encourage every person who cares for kids to make mental health conversations a daily habit,” said Whitney Raglin Bignall, PhD, associate clinical director and leader of community impact of The Kids Mental Health Foundation. “These conversations are important during back-to-school time, but they should continue all year round.”
The Foundation has also designed kids’ mental health materials specifically for educators and athletic coaches. To date, three million classrooms have used The Kids Mental Health Foundation’s lesson plans and videos.
“Kids’ mental health happens everywhere – at home, in the classroom and at practice,” said Dr. Hoet. “When teachers and coaches incorporate mental health activities into the school day or team practice, kids learn to regulate their own emotions and handle challenging situations more effectively.”
Resources like “Classroom Conversation Starters” and “Helping Youth Athletes Focus on Mental Health,” among many others, are ideal for the first day of school or the beginning of an athletic season.
The Kids Mental Health Foundation began in 2018 as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health and became The Kids Mental Health Foundation in 2024. To achieve its vision of building a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise that power the Foundation’s free educational videos, guides and curricula.
The Foundation has impacted over 24 million lives in the United States. All resources are freely available at The Kids Mental Health Foundation.
Members of the editorial and news staff of USA TODAY Network were not involved in the creation of this content.
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