Back to school season is such a super exciting and fun time for children of all ages. It may be their 10th time heading back to school, or it may be their 1st. Either way, you can use many great books in the classroom to invite reflection and conversation around the feelings that may arise from going back to school.

Our preschoolers may feel excited, anxious, sad or all those feelings at once as the new school year approaches. Having an arsenal of books ready and at hand will help you connect with your preschoolers during this time. Here are a list of the best back to school books for preschoolers!

Before I jump right into the list of back to school books for preschoolers, I wanted to make sure you grab my FREE Guide to Bring Social Emotional Learning into the heart Your Preschool Classroom. Click on the image below to grab my secret sauce to easily integrating SEL into your day! Sometimes it can be hard to think about yet another thing to do in your classroom. With all the ‘have to dos’ in your programming, trying to also include daily opportunities for social emotional learning can be daunting. This step-by-step guide will show you how to easily sprinkle meaningful social emotional learning into your days!

Back To School Books For Preschoolers

It can be challenging to find preschool books focused on back to school! But, it’s so important to share books with our littlest learners. Here are some great first day stories to share with your little learners. These books are perfect for students who may be feeling anxious, excited, sad and everything in between. Show students that it’s okay to feel unsure about preschool and still be happy to walk into the classroom! 

1. Preschool, Here I Come! By D.J. Steinberg

This book touches on all of the best events in preschool, from saying goodbye to their parents to releasing butterflies in spring. The perfect book to let your little learners know how much fun they will have in preschool! Let them share some of the things they are excited about and what fun activities they hope to do. 

2. I Am Too Absolutely Small For School By Lauren Child

Lola is not sure about going to school. She would have to learn how to count higher than ten and other “big kid” things. Her older brother Charlie persuades Lola that school is worthwhile and that her invisible friend Soren Lorensen will be welcome at school too! 

3. Llama Llama Misses Mama By Anna Dewdney 

It’s Llama Llama’s first day of preschool! He gets ready. He meets his new teacher and some new friends. But when it’s time for mama to leave, Llama isn’t very excited anymore. He worries mama won’t come back. Before she does, Llama learns from his friends how much fun preschool is. 

4. The Night Before Preschool By Natasha Wang

It’s the night before preschool, and a little boy named Billy was so nervous he couldn’t fall asleep. The next day he makes new friends, and he can’t fall asleep that night either. He is just so excited to go back. The book contains simple rhymes and cute illustrations to help students overcome their fear of school. 

5. Little Owl’s First Day By Debi Gliori

It’s Little Owl’s first day at school, and although he would rather have a day at home with mama owl, at school, he gets to build a sandcastle, learn to fly, and so much more! He ends up making a tiny new friend and realizes this big day wasn’t so bad. 

6. The Kissing Hand By Audrey Penn

School is starting, and Chester Racoon does not want to go. Mrs. Racoon shares a family secret called the kissing hand and gives him the reassurance he needed to make school a little less scary. A great book to share with children on their first day of daycare or preschool. It shows that you are with them no matter how far you are. 

7. First Day Jitters By Julie Danneburg

Sarah Jane Hartwell is very nervous about starting school this year. It is a new school where she doesn’t know anyone, and nobody knows her. She knows it is going to be absolutely awful. But, she eats breakfast, gets in the car, and walks into her classroom. But, when she gets there the reader is in for a surprise!

8. Our Class Is A Family By Shannon Olsen

Teachers do more than just teach. They work hard to build a community and create a home away from home for their students. In this book, the kids learn their classroom is a place for them to be themselves, make mistakes, and be a family. 

9. A Letter From Your Teacher By Shannon Olsen

Another great book from Shannon Olsen, this book helps teachers to welcome their new students at the beginning of the year. This book is written as a letter from the teacher’s point of view. It shows how teachers help students academically and emotionally and provide a safe and caring environment for them to learn in. 

10. The Wild Guide To Starting School By Laura Bunting

This super easy guide helps the little learners in your life get ready for the school year. From new friends and nervous feelings. This guide helps get ready for everything the school year has to offer! 

More Back to School Books for Preschoolers

There are so many ways to use these books in your classroom. Whether you share them during circle time, create beautiful friendship craft activities to go along with each book, or add them into a lesson about first day feelings. These back to school books for preschoolers are the perfect edition, and your students will absolutely love them!

Looking for more back to school ideas? Check these blog posts out ????????:

1. 8 Simply Fun First Day of School Activities for Your Preschool Classroom
2. 9 Important Class Mottos for the Start of the School Year
3. How to Build Relationships with Preschoolers from Day One