It’s shocking how fast those sweet babies grow up to be little humans, ready to begin their educational journey with preschool. Families have helped their children with everything up until this point. And now, their little ones are about to venture out and start learning all on their own.

The transition of sending a child to preschool for the first time can feel anxiety-ridden and strange for both parents and kids. “First days can be a little scary and sometimes difficult,” says Holly Bryski, early childhood educator and junior account executive atHiMama。“This is a transition for everyone. But understanding the children’s interests can make their first day a blast!”

The more ‘first days’ you navigate as an ECE teacher, the better you’ll get at helping families adjust. But experience doesn’t have to be your only teacher. We asked some expert educators to help us craft this survival guide to help you assist children and their families on the first day of preschool and beyond.

Tips to help students survive the first day of preschool

As a preschool teacher, you want to make sure your students have an easy transition into your classroom. These tips will help you squash those first-day jitters for the little learners in your care!

1. Focus on necessary skills the first day

“The first day is stressful for teachers too,” says Elizabeth Malson president of theAmslee Institute。有很多变量来抗争，其中一部分是一群神经学龄前儿童。因此，Malson说，最好在第一天优先考虑环境最重要的部分。

“有些老师给了一个学校旅游，教孩子的环境布局让他们可以探索并开始感到舒适，”玛森说。“然而，其他教师留在主课堂上，探索工作站和建立午睡区和浴室政策。”

Whatever your approach, Malson encourages teachers to be very mindful of how overwhelming a new class can be by reducing the number of activities on the first day.

2. Show them the toys!

Lots of activities and shuffling around might get overwhelming—but Bryski encourages teachers to bank on the excitement kids will have about new toys and play areas on the first day. Sometimes the simple redirection of pointing out something exciting can help a child adjust to their new environment.

“The classroom is always full of fun toys to explore,” Bryski says. “If the child loves a certain toy—such as toy cars—showing the child all of our toy cars and tracks can make the first day a bit easier. It can often bring comfort to the child as we are providing them with something familiar.”

3. Post the daily schedule

“I really like having a daily schedule visible, communicated in a method preschoolers understand,” says Crystal Paschal, preschool teacher and owner ofFeminist Books for Kids。

Kids often feel more secure when they understand a routine. “Those first few days, we talk through the schedule at the beginning of the day, and as we move to each new activity, using the ‘Now - Next - Later’ method,” Paschal explains. “For example, I’ll saynow we are reading books, next we will eat lunch, later we will play outside。”

4. Ask the children whether they have questions

蹲下来的逃跑和真正的方法，看着孩子们在眼睛里说话慢慢地说话可以走很长的路要走，你想检查你的年轻学生。“提出关于他们的感受，正常化他们的感受和鼓励积极思考的问题，”积极心理学作者说Amba Brown。

“不要以为他们理解或甚至知道简单的东西，”前学校辅导员和顾问米歇尔白人说Weldon。“They may be concerned about something that you have not thought of. Be open and willing to listen.”

5.给他们一个创造性的方式来表达自己的感受

Some kids will transition into their environment with gusto, but for those who are feeling shy or upset, sitting down to color or make a creative project can help them express how they feel.

“让他们绘制图片并谈谈他们正在图纸的内容，”白人说。“他们可以画学前班或绘制他们的家并分享关于那些有点有形图纸和表达的出口可以有所帮助。”

帮助父母在幼儿园的第一天生存的提示

Parents are often more nervous than their children on the first day of preschool. Pay attention to these tips to help parents make the most out of this transition as well.

1. Communicate throughout the day

If you’ve just left your child sobbing in the classroom, nothing lightens your heart like seeing a picture of them laughing 20 minutes later. “I like to text or email a picture during the day so the parents can see their children having fun,” Paschal says.

“If time allows, I also like to make individual phone calls to parents on the first day, to let them know how things are going and to give the opportunity to ask questions.”

2. Encourage parents to talk about preschool before the first day

Giving kids a heads-up about what’s coming at school will help relieve the nervousness caused by fear of the unknown. Paschal encourages parents to talk to their kids about preschool long before the first day. “Be sure to visit the school with your child, and read books about the first day of preschool.”

Malson甚至鼓励s helping children visualize their environment through photos or videos.

“将第一天活动与熟悉的事件（如图书馆或书籍阅读）联系起来，可以帮助他们了解学校将发生的活动，”Malson说。

3.为父母写一封欢迎信，为学龄前

Before the first day, many schools send important materials to students’ families like allergy questions and school policies. This is a great opportunity to write an introduction letter to preschool parents—or even to the preschoolers themselves.

“Our teachers mail letters to each student telling them how excited they are to meet them in the fall and have them in class,” White says. “They also ask that they draw a picture or bring a lovie with them to share with the teacher on the first day as an icebreaker.”

每个学校都有自己的管理注意的方式ion with parents, but adding a personal touch shows parents you are invested in your work and helps them understand what you are all about.

4.分享您的学龄前的例程

如果父母知道的平均preschool day will look like, they can start to practice routines at home with their children. “Getting up at the correct time, getting dressed, hand washing and eating breakfast will establish a routine which will help reduce stress and anxiety on the first day of school,” Malson says.

5. Provide ideas for quick goodbye rituals

Speaking of consistency, encourage parents to come up with a goodbye routine with their little one. Parents might feel a jumble of emotions on this big day, and it’s easy for children to feed off of any nervousness, Malson explains. “I’ve seen an excited child grow concerned because of a nervous parent, which made the child hesitate instead of embrace the experience.”

Malson says a quick goodbye can curtail the wild emotions both parent and child might feel.

“Long goodbyes can create tears in a parent’s eyes, amplifying their child’s nervousness.” Even if children are crying or upset, a hug and kiss with reassuring words of love is the best medicine, Malson says. “Preschoolers are braver than they realize and are likely ready to conquer preschool.”

6. Comfort the parents too

“父母需要安慰,安慰只是like kids!” Bryski says. “This is a transition for everyone, and understanding the parent’s point of view and feelings is just as important.”

Remind nervous parents that children often re-adjust, calm down and have a blast. “We have amazing and fun activities planned out every day and your child will love meeting new friends in the classroom,” Bryski says. “If anything is out of the ordinary, we will always let you know, and we will always send you great pictures to show how much fun they’re having!”

摇滚学龄前的第一天

Whether you send a preschool welcome letter or post your daily routine on the wall, these tips for the first day of preschool can help you help your students (and their families) fall in love with school.

Curious how to manage what comes after the first day? Check out our article “10 Proven Classroom Management Tips for Preschool Teachers。”