Back to school: Prep for parents

Thinking up healthy ideas for packed lunches five days a week is one challenge. But how do you actually get your child to eat them? Get some tips for fussy eaters

These formative years are an exciting time. Your child will become increasingly proficient in every area of basic skills such as reading and counting. You can help to develop her abilities by practising these activities

With a good foundation, these are the years when kids develop a stronger appetite for learning about how things work. You can help encourage this behaviour by practising these activities

Being a parent can be an expensive business and getting ready for the school year ahead can really stretch the family budget. With a few tricks you should be able to stop your spending spiralling skywards

Chips, sweets, biscuits, fizzy drinks - you certainly don't want your kids diving into junk food when they get home from school. We've gathered some suggestions for making after-school snacking as healthy and kid-pleasing as possible

Robert Winston, one of the world's most respected scientists and a pioneer in fertility research, speaks exclusively to iVillage about nurturing a child's interest in science

For many children, reading for pleasure can play second fiddle to computer games or surfing the internet, meaning parents have an increasingly important role in helping encourage their kids to read

This quiz will rank the variety of feelings you have about the important 'back to school' transition and let you know how you feel about seeing the kids off to a new term

Are you a mum trying to get school informs and books on a budget? Or is your little one starting school and you need some support? Join up to chat about any back to school issues