Home For Grown-ups

Emilia's First Day of Preschool

On YouTube October 12

Emilia's Big Firsts · Story 4

About “Emilia's First Day of Preschool”

Emilia's first day of preschool starts with nervous butterflies. A goodbye routine, kind Miss Giraffe, and a new classmate named Ellie help her learn that grown-ups always come back.

Drop-off sits at the heart of this story. Emilia feels fluttery before she even leaves home, settles a little when she finds a cubby with her own name on it, and then reaches the hard part: saying goodbye. Her family has a short routine for that moment, one tight hug, one high-five and a wave through the window, and Miss Giraffe kneels down to remind her that grown-ups always come back. Then the story turns outward. Emilia spots Ellie sitting alone, just as nervous, and helping her becomes the start of a friendship. Pickup closes the loop when Mommy walks in, exactly as promised.

This story comes out on YouTube on October 12. You can read it below and print its coloring page now.

The three big words

nervous
A fluttery feeling when something is new.
cubby
A little space just for your things.
classmate
A friend in your class.

Tips for grown-ups

  • Make up your own goodbye routine and keep it short, like Emilia's hug, high-five and window wave. Zero to Three and the AAP both recommend a goodbye ritual, and Zero to Three advises against sneaking away.
  • Rehearse before the first day. The AAP suggests practicing the trip to school and your goodbye ritual before you actually have to part.
  • Tell your child when you'll be back in terms of the day, such as 'after snack and outside time,' and then come at that time. Keeping that promise builds trust, the AAP notes.
  • Use the story's word nervous for the fluttery feeling, and remind your child that Ellie felt it too. Noticing someone else's feelings, the way Emilia does, can be a way into play.
  • Ask whether your child will have a cubby, and talk about what goes in it. If the school allows it, a small reminder of home, like Pip peeking out of Emilia's backpack, can come along.

Talk about it

After watching, ask:

  • How did Emilia's tummy feel before school?
  • What was on Emilia's cubby?
  • How did Emilia and Mommy say goodbye?
  • Who was sitting all alone?
  • What did Emilia and Ellie paint?
  • Who came back at the end of the day?

Try this together

Play a pretend school day with stuffed animals: circle time, snack and outside play. Do your family's goodbye routine at the 'classroom door,' then come back through it and celebrate the return.

Free coloring page

Coloring page: Emilia with her new backpack beside her, Pip peeking out of it, and Ellie the little elephant, her new classmate

Emilia's First Day of Preschool: print it (US Letter or A4) or color it on screen.

Read the story

A brand-new red backpack, with pockets galore,
was waiting for Emilia, right by the door.
Today was the day! Her first day of preschool!
With paint, and with play! Now, isn't that cool?

But Emilia's tummy felt fluttery and funny,
like butterflies dancing in a flippity tummy.
That feeling is called nervous, and that's okay.
Lots of people feel nervous on a brand-new day.

Hand in hand, they walked down the street,
with Pip in her backpack and shoes on her feet.

The school had a door and a garden of flowers,
a slide, and a castle with two little towers!

And there was Miss Giraffe, so tall and so kind.
She bent down, down, down, way down, to find...
Good morning, Emilia! she said. Hello!
Come see your own cubby! Come on, let's go!

A cubby is a little space, just for your things.
Emilia's had her name, and a butterfly with wings!
In went her backpack. In went her coat.
And Pip peeked out... like a bunny in a boat!

Then came the hard part. It was time to say bye.
Emilia felt nervous. She wanted to cry.
So they did their goodbye: one hug, nice and tight,
a high-five, and a window wave. Just right!

Miss Giraffe knelt down. Do you know what I know?
Grown-ups always come back! Here we go!

Then Emilia saw someone sitting alone:
a little gray elephant, missing her home.
Her name was Ellie. She was nervous too.
And Emilia knew just what to do!

She took Ellie's trunk and gave it a squeeze.
Let's paint! said her smile. And Ellie said, Please.

They painted together, a sun and a tree.
A classmate is a friend in your class, you see!
Emilia and Ellie, classmates, side by side,
built a block tower, and zoomed down the slide!

Circle time! Snack time! Then outside to play!
Preschool was turning out to be a GREAT day!

Then the classroom door opened. Guess who came back?
Mommy! Hooray! Big hug! Smackity-smack!
Grown-ups always come back. Yes, it's true.
Emilia knew it. And now, so do you!

Her very first school day! She did it! Let's sing,
and clap, and dance, and do the She-Did-It thing!

Then home to her chart, for spot number four:
a red backpack sticker! She smiled more and more.
Four big firsts, done! Is she proud? Oh, yes!
Five spots to go! What's next? Can you guess?

Big words today! Say them with me!
Nervous!
A fluttery feeling when something is new.
Cubby!
A little space just for your things.
Classmate!
A friend in your class.

Every big first starts out wobbly and new,
then one day you do it! Hooray! Look at you!
Next time, Emilia becomes a big sister! Bye-bye!

Questions parents ask

Should I slip out so my child doesn't see me leave?

Zero to Three advises against it: sneaking away can make a child worry that you might leave at any time. A short, warm goodbye ritual is the better choice, and teachers are used to helping with big feelings.

How long do drop-off tears last?

It varies from child to child. Zero to Three reassures parents that separation anxiety won't last forever; if it worries you, the teacher and your pediatrician can both help.

Sources

Our tips follow these pages. They are general information, not medical advice: ask your child's doctor or dentist about your child.