4 Tips for Starting Preschool or Daycare
Over the next few weeks, teary eyed parents everywhere will experience their first dreaded school drop off. Whether it’s daycare or preschool, there’s something about dropping your child off in a new environment that will make even the most stoic among us sob on the sidewalk and spiral into existential angst (just me?). Here, we’ve pulled together tips to make starting preschool or transitioning childcare easier (but still, you should probably bring Kleenex).
1. Schedule a School Playdate
The day before my twins (18 months) started daycare, their school had us come by for a half-hour playdate. (Since it’s daycare and not preschool, the calendar is year-round meaning it was only the first day for my kids, so this would be trickier for, say, a first day of kindergarten.) We arrived to find their new “friends” playing in the yard and my kids quickly integrated and raced to all the new-to-them toys.
I stepped inside to chat with a teacher and they didn’t even look for me, which made me feel about 100 times better about leaving them the next day. I do think they had an easier time as twins because they had a familiar face, but seeing them get excited about the activities and play with kids their age made me feel much calmer and like the timing was right for them and our family.
If a school playdate isn’t an option, consider arranging a playdate with other kids who will be in your child’s class. Our school sent a directory with parents’ email addresses, so it would’ve been easy to organize a park meetup or playdate before starting preschool or daycare. It may also be helpful for your child to meet his or her teacher before school starts, which should be easy to arrange as teachers typically have a prep week before the first day.
2. establish routine
We know kids feel safe and supported when they know what to expect, and starting a new routine is no different. While it may feel surprising at first, we can minimize the unexpectedness by talking them through what their new routine will look like — and then trying our best to actually stick to it. Depending on your child’s age, you may want to bring up the new routine days or weeks before it starts, reminding them that they’ll start school soon and what that will look like.
3. Keep Happy School Reminders Around the House
If your child is in daycare or preschool in 2024, you likely have access to a shared photo app like Cluster or Brightwheel. (And if not, ask a teacher to take some photos next time your child is doing an activity they love!) This makes it easy to access photos of them playing with friends, trying new things, eating yummy snacks, etc.
One helpful tip a fellow mom shared was printing some particularly happy photos of her child at school and keeping them around the house. When her child is less than enthusiastic about going to school, she has tangible evidence she can point to and remind them of how much fun they have at school.
4. Read Books and Talk About School
It may also be helpful to find and read books about starting school, which you can integrate into your conversations about your child’s first day. Here are some ideas:
Time For School, Little Blue Truck: A Back to School Book For Kids
Off to School! (Sesame Street)
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (Are we ever too old to read this one?)
TL;DR
Schedule a playdate or meet-and-greet with your child’s classmates and teachers.
Establish a consistent routine and talk through it.
Remind your child of fun times they will have/have had at school. Bonus if you print pictures for “proof”!
Read books about school and talk about the transition.
What tips do you have for transitioning to daycare or preschool? We’d love to hear!