There will come a time when you’ll find yourself standing outside an elementary school on the first day of the school year. Children running around, laughing, meeting up with their friends. And you’ll be there with your son or daughter as they cling to your leg, both of you a little bit nervous to start kindergarten. Or maybe not — maybe your son will run headfirst into the crowd, a huge smile on his face, excitement in his step, while you slink back behind a tree and ugly-cry that your baby is not a baby anymore.
Not that this really happened to me or anything.
At a Glance: Our Top 7 Picks for Books for the First Day of Kindergarten:
- The Night Before Kindergarten – Our Top Pick
- Planet Kindergarten
- Kindergarten, Here I Come
- Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
- On the First Day of Kindergarten
- Clifford Goes to Kindergarten
- Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
The point is, it is inevitable that your child will one day be off to kindergarten. And whether your son or daughter is excited or nervous, or a little bit of both, you can help him or her prepare accordingly. After all, this is new to your child, and maybe even to you as a parent! One of the best ways to prep is to read some great age-appropriate books. And there are some good ones out in bookstores and available online to help with these first-day jitters/excitement.
No matter what you do to prepare, there will be tears – both happy and sad – at the loss of babyhood and the realization that time is passing by way too quickly. But it’s also a wonderful beginning for your child, one that is exciting and new and just a little bit scary. And in the end, it will be okay — for both of you.
Fun Reads to Get Your Kids Ready for School
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
 | Our Top Pick The Night Before Kindergarten
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Planet Kindergarten
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Kindergarten, Here I Come
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | On the First Day of Kindergarten
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Clifford Goes to Kindergarten
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
 | Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
| VIEW ON AMAZON →READ REVIEWS → |
The Night Before Kindergarten
by Natasha Wing; illustrated by Julie Durrell
Join the kids as they prepare for kindergarten, packing school supplies, posing for pictures, and the hardest part of all–saying goodbye to Mom and Dad. But maybe it won’t be so hard once they discover just how much fun kindergarten really is!
Planet Kindergarten
by Sue Ganz-Schmitt; illustrated by Shane Prigmore
An outer-space take on the adventure of going to kindergarten, complete with missions, spaceships, and aliens! Suit up for a daring adventure as our hero navigates the unknown reaches and alien inhabitants of this strange new world. Hilarious and confidence-boosting, this exciting story will have new kindergarteners ready for liftoff!
Kindergarten, Here I Come
by D.J. Steinberg; illustrated by Mark Chambers
Follow kids through an entire year of kindergarten, from the first day through the last, highlighting the friendships, fun, and memorable moments experienced along the way.
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
by Joseph Slate; illustrated by Ashley Wolff
It’s the first day of kindergarten, and Miss Bindergarten is hard at work getting the classroom ready for 26 new students. She puts the finishing touches on the room just in time, and now the fun can begin! A great way to practice the alphabet while you introduce your child to a kindergarten class.
On the First Day of Kindergarten
by Tish Rabe; illustrated by Laura Hughes
On the first day of kindergarten, there’s so much to do! From making new friends to jumping rope in gym to riding the bus to school, there are lots of exciting firsts to look forward to. Even though saying goodbye to Mom and Dad is hard, when the school bus pulls up, it’s time to begin kindergarten fun.
Clifford Goes to Kindergarten
by Norman Bridwell
Emily Elizabeth is starting kindergarten, and she’s a little nervous. Good thing the teacher sent a note home that says each child can bring something from home to make the transition a little easier. But the teacher didn’t expect a child to bring something – or someone – as big as Clifford!
Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
by Nancy Carlson
The first day of kindergarten is finally here, and Henry can’t wait to paint pictures, sing songs, and practice counting. When he gets to school, though, he’s not so sure he’s ready. But before long, Henry discovers that the only thing he’s not ready for is how much fun he’s going to have!
Great list of books! I LOVE books about Clifford. They’re just so cute!
I used to teach pre-k and we read books about kindergarten quite often!
When I was a preschool teacher I used to read to kids about kindergarten…to get them excited about the idea of the new classroom. Some of the books in your list I don’t know! Good list! 😉 I like how you write about each book.