First-day-of-school books for preschoolers help prepare your early learners for a new experience. Stories and pictures can help calm the butterflies, and prepare kids for the upcoming school year.
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Start a conversation well before the big event with these first day of school books for preschoolers. Whether your child is starting preschool for the first time, or entering a new class in their second year of kindergarten, there’s probably going to be big emotions around the event.
Start the dialogue early with the help of books about the first day of school. Books can illustrate classroom settings, highlight emotions, and raise questions.
Do they have a swing? Can I take my teddy bear?
Your child may not ask questions in so many words, but may display nervousness or anxiety in body language or in everyday play.
Initiate conversation when doing daily activities.
- Baking – Do you think this would be a good muffin for your school lunch?
- Shopping – Will we buy crayons or markers for your backpack?
- Playing – Let’s build a school with the blocks.
Give kids lots of opportunity to ask questions and express their doubts and fears as they try to navigate this new experience.
You don’t have to answer all their questions, or satisfy their curiosity. But you can share their concerns and challenges by listening to them, acknowledging their feelings, and by reading together.
Reading together helps you and your preschooler explore new experiences – like back to school – and brainstorm strategies for coping with these new events.
Related: Why Traditional Books Are Valuable For Preschoolers
Books about first day of school
This list of books encompasses many of the thoughts and feelings kids have as the first day of school approaches.
- There are books that acknowledge first day jitters, books about kindness and friendship, and books that explain what happens all day at school.
Start reading before the big event to help your preschooler understand what ‘school’ can be like. Support this new adventure by taking away the mystery – and building enthusiasm – for the upcoming school days.
More back-to-school books
Discover the many different ways the animals showed up for the first day of school. What will by your passion on your first day of school?
Lola discovers there are lots of choices at school. Will she read a book? Be a superhero? What choice would you make on your first day of school?
Read the sing-song text just like the 12 Days of Christmas. Countdown from twelve to one as you discover what can happen at your new school.
Off to School!: A Sweet Back to School Adventure with Elmo
This fun, interactive book takes kids along with Elmo as he enjoys his first day of school, even with the jitters! Readers can do all the things for Elmo that make him feel better about first day of school.
Support first day of school with books.
This list of books is just the beginning of your adventure. Find more back to school titles in your local library or book store.
Together you can read the wonder, the little bit scary, and the magic of first day of school! Start ‘listening to’ the body language, and discussing the questions that will make first day of school an awesome adventure.
Visit our Books and Reading Resources board on Pinterest for more reading ideas with preschoolers.
