Create a homey feel at the difficult back to school time. Make a reading area look like a home environment. Create a homey atmosphere with blankets, stuffed animals, dolls, and plenty of room for more than one child. Provide sturdy books for toddlers, yet ones with big bright pictures and fun reading. The kids can explore the books alone, with a friend, or have an adult sit nearby and read to them.
Decorate a box to look like a school bus. Each class time, reach into the box to bring out the letter, number, color, or shape of the week. Keep toys or pictures in the box to illustrate the specific concept, and bring the visuals out as the lesson progresses.
To help toddlers understand the school bus concept, sing a simple song like "The Wheels on the Bus," adding a verse or line that emphasizes the "We come to preschool (daycare)" idea.
Have the children count toy school buses, new shoes, pencils and the toddlers' backpacks. Count the number of children out loud when lining up to move to another area, and have the kids say the number words. Sort crayons by size or color. Sort the children by gender, hair color, type of shoes or clothing, and height. Let the toddlers hear their own names, the name of an activity, names of objects in the room, and the names of toys. Use every opportunity to introduce the classroom and its contents to toddlers as they learn the routines and activities involved in back-to-school.
Introduce an art activity in which the children use any manner of painting that you choose, to decorate a paper plate. When the paint dries, glue a picture of the toddler onto the plate he made. Print his name in bold letters under the picture. Fasten the pictures of the toddlers to the wall at their eye level. Say the names of each child often during class time. Help toddlers find their own pictures and let them trace their name with their fingers. Say often, "These are 'Amy's' friends at preschool (daycare)."
Provide a carpet remnant for each child to sit on, and give each child a paper plate. Show the toddlers how to use the paper plate like a steering wheel. Have kids sit on the carpet pieces and pretend to drive to school. Play some music with car or bus songs, or teach simple songs to the children. Talk often about coming to "their" class or school.