Transitioning your preschooler to school or daycare for the first time is always scary! We have been more than blessed over the years with wonderful at home childcare providers to care for our kids. But this year we knew our oldest needed a more structured preschool program. 

 

Don’t get me wrong the sitter we had for him we definitely adored and he did too! But he’s 3 now. My husband and I both knew we would want a preschool setting for him around this time. 

   

Add a pandemic into the mix and I was a straight up nervous wreck! I secretly think I needed these tips more than my son did (shhhh… don’t tell him)! 

 

He’s been there for a few weeks now and he’s doing so well! I want to share *some* of the things we did to help him make the transition as smooth as possible. Especially because if you are struggling momma- you can bet your kids are noticing! 

 

5 Tips to Help Transition Preschoolers to School 

 

1. Familiarize the Area or People:

 

So we are walking through uncharted territory right now to say the least! The protocols for meeting his teacher, seeing the school, and dropping off supplies changed multiple times. Ultimately my husband and I knew that it wasn’t going to fly with my 3 year old (and 1 year old) to drop them off to a new place they hadn’t ever been to.

 

We decided to take them to the school and let them play on their playground. Some preschools and daycare’s have closed or fenced in playgrounds. In this case you could ask the school if there’s a good time that you could bring your child in to play or even have a walk around the school with a child.

 

During this time I would talk to them about where they’re going to go to school and have them look at the school with you. We even went to get ice cream afterwards! The boys had a blast and it really helped them get more familiar with the area! 

 

2. Keep them Involved in Shopping for Supplies:  

 

If the school doesn’t give you a school supply list email them and ask them what your child will need. Most likely they’ll need a book bag, blankets and/or a small pillow for nap time, cleaning supplies for the classroom, water bottle, or even a lunchbox.

 

If the school says your child doesn’t need to take anything you could get them a fun new shirt for their first day picture or have them help you pick out a small gift to take the teacher. I took my 3 year old with me to shop for his school supplies.

 

We made a fun time of it! I let him pick out his book bag, blanket, and school box! He was getting so excited about what he needed for school. 

 

3. Talk About it Positively:

 

Your child is always looking at you to determine how they are going to feel about a situation. This is no different!

 

If they hear you speaking negatively about the school or their teacher to your husband or a friend on the phone- they are not going to want to go there. You need to make it seem like it’s the best place for them to be! This will really lift their spirits too!

 

4. Create a Visual Calendar:

 

Our 3 year old needed a visual calendar to see if tomorrow would be “a school day or a home day”. It helps him know exactly how many more days until he’ll be home and what to expect in the morning. It has improved our morning routines since starting the calendar with him!

 

I kept it super simple by printing off a blank calendar. Then I let my 3 year old decide what color would represent home (green-his favorite- duh!) and which color he wanted to represent school. Next I wrote home in green at the top and drew a quick picture of a house and then wrote school in blue at the top.

 

Finally we colored all of the days either green for home or blue for school. It’s the first thing he checks each morning to determine if it’s a “school day or home day”. He is even practicing his math skills by counting “how many more school days” for the week.

 

5. Read Books About Children going to School:

 

My boys love books! If you are looking for books perfect 3 year olds, check the link below!

   

To prepare for school I pulled out some books that talk about going to school. Some of my favorites are Mrs. Bindergarten goes to Kindergarten, Miss. Mingo and the First Days of School, and The Night Before Kindergarten. Even though he wasn’t starting kindergarten it helped him to have an idea of what school would be like.

 

Another thing that helped is CoCoMelon. If you aren’t sure what Cocomelon is, it is a cartoon of music and nursery rhymes on YouTube and Netflix. Both of my boys love it! I will admit for a parent it’s not the easiest thing to listen to. But there is a song about it being the first day of school. The boy is excited and nervous. He discusses needing his backpack, shoes, and lunch. 

 

These are the best tips I have for helping young children make a transition to childcare or school. 

 

How did you transition your toddler or preschoolers to school or daycare? Tell me your best tips in the comments below! 

 

Don’t forget to share these tips with a mom looking to transition their young child to school or daycare.

   

Love, Ashley E

 

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