If you’ve spent any time around toddlers, you know they love things on repeat. That annoying song? You could sing it in your sleep. Favorite movie? I could quote it word for word.

Parenting experts say repeating things gives kids a sense of order and predictability in the world. And spoiler alert: that need doesn’t go away when your kids outgrow the toddler stage. Traditions give us roots and what better time to celebrate traditions than back-to-school, a time that’s exciting but also a little uncertain and maybe scary?

Those traditions don’t have to be huge. One of our moms celebrates heading back to school with an ice cream outing in our neighborhood. A second makes sure to have fresh haircuts before starting. Another takes a photo in the same t-shirt every year, marking the growth from the first day of kindergarten all the way up until … gulp … senior year of high school.

In one family, an annual “Yes Day” is quite possibly the kids’ favorite day of the year. It’s planned for a few days before school starts. There is a budget and a few rules like, “nothing that lasts past this one day,” “nothing alive,” and,“nothing dangerous,” but otherwise, the parents do say yes to everything.

The common thread from all of these is that it’s not the activity—it’s the predictability. These things are going to happen every year, and they’re going to happen around the time we head back into the classroom.

You can start with something small: a special handshake to say goodbye, a signal when they turn for one last look, a dinner that you make together with all of their favorite foods. Then pick which of these work best for your family and you want to stick with you over the years. Giving kids traditions as an anchor may be one of the best learning experiences over time.