Some children are anxious and upset during their first week at preschool as they miss their parents or familiar caregivers. “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn is a picture book story about a raccoon called Chester who is scared of leaving his mom and going to school. By reading this story to children and using it as one of their first week activities, staff members enable anxious children to identify with the feelings of the raccoon. Children realize that their moms still love them, even though they are not there with them.
First week activities should include some name games. A simple one is for children to sit in a circle with a staff member, who rolls a large soft ball to each child in turn, saying “good morning” to each child, followed by his or her name. The child then rolls the ball back to the adult, saying “good morning,” followed by the staff member’s name. This fun preschool activity also teaches children social skills such as the importance of taking turns and politeness, while giving them the opportunity to practice physical coordination skills.
Young children learn by doing, including learning about appropriate behavior during their first week in a preschool setting. Instead of focusing on negative behavior, staff members should identify positive behavior that children show, such as sharing, or careful use of resources. A technique recommended by teachers at “Teaching Heart” is to award “Caught You Being Good” papers to children who, for example, pick up books dropped on the floor, or happily share equipment for their preschool activities. Staff members write these children’s names on pieces of paper and place the papers in a jar. At the end of the session, during circle time, staff members take out the papers from the jar, telling the group why each of these children will receive a reward (such as a sticker).