by: jannalabarriePosted on:

8 books to help our kids transition to daycare or preschool

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Transitioning our kids from home to daycare or preschool for the first time is an understandably emotional experience for both us moms and our kids. There may be a lot of difficult feels to contend with; anxiety, guilt, worry, doubt, or even fear.

Those feelings are normal and completely valid. After all, there’s a lot going on. Our kids are going from their familiar home environment into a totally new, strange one; at the same time, we’re navigating return-to-work expectations with taking care of a new baby. It’s a huge transition in the midst of another huge transition.

When I was a brand new mom with a brand new baby, I had no idea what to expect when it came to daycare. I didn’t know how to go about getting him emotionally ready for the transition, what to buy for daycare, or how to even talk about it. I wasn’t born knowing how to be a mom! 

Despite my naivety, we made it through. Now, he loves his daycare friends and teachers. He is learning so much, and some days he even tells me he wants to go to school (this has actually happened even on weekend days, but I don’t take offense). 

If you’re struggling to wrap your head around the daycare transition, I’m here to tell you that it’s going to be okay – even for new moms who have no idea what they’re doing! 

One of the most helpful things I did to prepare for the transition was to read books to my son about daycare and school.  Doing that didn’t just help him – it helped me, too.

How reading helps our kids transition to daycare or preschool

Reading is amazing. We can learn so much about the world and ourselves from books. 

In this age of 10-second videos and shortened attention spans, it’s important now more than ever to encourage a love of reading in our kids. It’s especially helpful when preparing them for a big transition like starting daycare or preschool.

Reading helps develop language and comprehension skills 

Reading books to our kids helps them develop language and sentence structures, comprehension and listening skills, and vocabulary. 

These skills are important to help them understand what is going on around them, communicate their wants and needs, and engage in everyday school activities like group reading and circle time. 

Being read to also helps them develop more general and background knowledge, which translates to an easier time learning new things. 

Reading strengthens bonds 

Reading with our kids – spending quality time together – strengthens our bonds with them. They love to hear our voices and spend time with us. 

It helps our kids develop a secure attachment, which is really important when we’re transitioning to daycare or preschool. When they feel more secure, they can deal with temporary separation better. They are less afraid of being away from us because they know that we’re their safe haven, even when we’re apart. 

Reading broadens their worldview

Reading exposes babies to real-world scenarios in a safe and predictable environment. It’s one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for life.

Broadening their worldview means that we introduce them to different perspectives and personalities. This ultimately makes them more open and adaptable to new experiences, and increases their understanding of the world.

Reading helps kids understand and process their emotions 

One of the biggest things I try to teach my son is how to recognize, communicate, and deal with challenging emotions. Developing that self-awareness and resilience is, I believe, paramount to success in life.  

That’s one of the reasons I try to read so much with my son (when he’ll let me); reading books to kids helps them to recognize the different emotions they might be feeling and provides guidance on how to handle them. Reading gives them tools they can use to deal with their difficult feelings during the transition to daycare.

Reading helps set expectations

Reading books about daycare helps prepare our children for what they might see and do in a normal day.

It helps create a picture in their minds about what daycare or preschool looks like and what their day-to-day routine will be like. Knowing what to expect doesn’t make it a breeze, but it can help make the transition a little easier.

8 books to help our children transition from home to preschool or daycare

1. “Llama Llama Misses Mama” by Anna Dewdney 

This is one of our personal favorites in the Llama Llama series. It’s about a beloved little llama who is faced with separation anxiety on the first day of school. Little Llama is not very happy at first, but he ultimately accepts and deals with his feelings, settles in, and learns that two things can be true – he can miss his mama, but still have fun at school.

Llama Llama Misses Mama (Amazon paid link)

2. “Bye-Bye Time” by Elizabeth Verdick

My son loved reading this book. It tells the story of a little girl who doesn’t want to say goodbye to her caretaker as he leaves for the day. The story goes through the small rituals the girl uses to process her big emotions – like taking a deep breath and finding a quiet place – and ends with the comforting fact that saying goodbye is only temporary. 

Bye-Bye Time (Amazon paid link)

3. “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn  

This is a beloved book that has helped families for decades (since 1993!) when transitioning to a new school or daycare. It’s the story of Chester the raccoon who doesn’t want to go school. After receiving a ‘kissing hand’ from his mother that he can use any time in the day to feel her love, he is comforted and is able to go to school with confidence.  

The Kissing Hand (Amazon paid link)

4. “The Invisible String” by Patrice Karst 

This heartwarming story depicts an invisible, unbreakable string that always connects us to the people we love, no matter where they are. It emphasizes the power of love and connection, reassuring our kids that they are never truly alone. This book has been widely used to help children deal with separation anxiety in many different circumstances. 

The Invisible String (Amazon paid link)

5. “I Love You All Day Long” by Francesca Rusackas

Here’s another adorable book for helping our little ones deal with separation anxiety when they are going off to daycare. This one is short and simple, but it delivers a powerful message – a mother’s love is infinite and constant. No matter what our kids are doing or where they are, we love them all day long. 

I Love You All Day Long (Amazon paid link)

6. “Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes” by James Dean

We love Pete the Cat books – they are always engaging, entertaining, and fun to read. Staying positive and accepting life as it comes – important lessons for kids at any stage of life – are common themes among these stories. This particular book highlights some of the fun aspects of school as Pete’s walking around in his school shoes, characteristically unbothered as usual by life’s little mishaps. 

Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes (Amazon paid link)

7. “Maisy Goes to Preschool” by Lucy Cousins

If you’re looking for a book that focuses more on the good things about daycare and introduces kids to what a classroom environment is like, this book is a great option. It doesn’t tackle the difficult emotions of going to school, but rather gives a look into what a normal day in class is like. 

Maisy Goes to Preschool (Amazon paid link)

8. “Rosie Goes to Preschool” by Karen Katz

Rosie Goes to Preschool is a well-loved book that helps kids understand the day-to-day routines of preschool or daycare. It narrates the daily experience and sets up normal expectations in a clear, simple way, keeping the tone light without mentioning fear, sadness, or difficult emotions. 

Rosie Goes to Preschool (Amazon paid link)

Sending our children to daycare for the first time is an emotional experience for both moms and kids alike. Reading books about daycare can help with emotional and mental preparation, visualization of what a classroom is like, setting expectations of school, and giving children tools to help them deal with difficult emotions.

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