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Home / Early Learning / Literacy / How to Make Back to School Books Preschoolers Will Love

How to Make Back to School Books Preschoolers Will Love

Shared by Mary Catherine 12 Comments

Make and read back to school books with kids as they get ready to head into a new school year. It will help as they transition to a new classroom or school!

As a pre-k teacher, with a background teaching kindergarten, I’m often asked how to ease transitions between school years.

Whether it’s moving from preschool to kindergarten, or moving up an age group in preschool, I’m always happy to help with back to school tips.

One tip I always stress involves back to school books – reading them, talking about them, and making them!

Make Back to School Books with Kids - Perfect to get them ready for a new school year

Table of Contents

  • Why are Back to School Books Important for Kids?
  • Make Back to School Books with the Kids
    • How to make your own books
    • Possible back to school book topics to make
  • Back to School Books to Read to the Kids
  • More Ideas for Preschool Back to School
  • Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Why are Back to School Books Important for Kids?

Young children don’t have a ton of previous experiences to draw from when it comes to back-to-school time. Some preschoolers don’t start until they’re four years old, while others start earlier. Early elementary kiddos run into those same situations. Either way, that’s not very many back-to-school memories!

Because of this, it’s helpful to provide extra information about the whole back-to-school experience. This way, children can learn more about what’s to come. That’s one way back to school books can help! Visiting the new classroom/school/teacher is another way for children to learn and prepare for the year ahead.

On top of that, children need reassurance as they approach new situations. Each child is different, of course, so some might need more reassurance than others (and that’s okay). Back to school books will give kids an opening to ask questions and share any concerns they might have. This can be helpful for parents, too, as it gives more insight into what is on the child’s mind.

Make Back to School Books with the Kids

I’m a big fan of book-making with children. It gives the kids a hands-on way to learn important early literacy skills, and it makes them excited to read! So, of course, I wanted to share how to make back to school books with kids! I love how it combines a trip to check out the new class with book-making.

First, talk with the child about the important parts of the new school day. Tell him you’re going to make a book together, all about the new school year!  Talk to him about the different parts of his school and what he might do.

Then grab the camera and go on a trip with the kiddo. Pop over to the school – this is even more important if it’s a new school. Take a picture of the child in front of the school, and don’t forget a picture on the school’s playground. If the school is open (and you’re permitted), go inside and grab photos in other important areas (the classroom, the cafeteria, etc.). A picture with the new teacher would be great, if that’s possible (you can always get one at orientation).

Making back to school books with children helps involve them in literacy and ease their back to school transition
Here’s a sample page of a book you might make with your child. Snap a photo of something she likes doing (that you know will happen at school). Then add a caption!

Once you have all the photos, it’s time to get the book together. Make sure the kiddo helps out with this process! The photos can be printed at a local store, then added to a small photo album. They can also be printed out at home and placed in a mini photo book.

How to make your own books

I like to add text to books we make together, and I do this one of two ways. Sometimes I add the photos to a Word document. Once the photo’s in the document, I create a text box and place the text where I want it. This can also be done in Powerpoint or your favorite computer program.

The other way I put together homemade photo books is with PicMonkey, an online photo tool. I open up PicMoney, choose the collage feature, and then pick a simple two-part collage frame. The photo will go in one part, and I’ll leave the other spot blank for text. I save the collage, bring it up in editor, and then add the text.

Once the photo book pages are ready to go, we print them out. Then we staple the book together, or use a hole punch and a binder ring or two.

Then it’s time to read. Read it over and over as the first day of school approaches! Kids may even want to read it after the school year starts, especially since they’ll have experiences to share!

Make easy to read back to school books to help children prepare for a new classroom
Another sample page for a kid-made back to school book. I just love this photo of one of my students from last year!

Possible back to school book topics to make

Make a book about the school (Here is my school. Here is my classroom. Here is my teacher. Etc.)

Create a book based on what the child will do each day (I will draw. I will build. I will listen to books. Etc.).

Put together a book about what the classroom will have (There will be pencils. There will be crayons. Etc.).

Once school has started, make a book about their class “family”. (I see Henry. I see Katie. Etc.)

Back to School Books to Read to the Kids

Preschool back to school books

Of course I have to share some fun back to school books to read with the kiddos too! There are tons of back to school books out there, I know! Below are just some of my favorites. I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

More Ideas for Preschool Back to School

Back to School Tips for Parents PLUS Visual Morning Chart! by The Preschool Toolbox Blog
Starting Kindergarten-Books and Activities by Capri + 3

4 Back to School Tips: Preparing for School by Learning 2 Walk
Preparing for Preschool: Creative Center in a Box by Powerful Mothering
How to Plan for Preschool at Home by Mom Inspired Life
Supporting preschool learning at home by Rainy Day Mum
Setting Literacy Goals by Growing Book by Book
How to Use Preschool Busy Boxes by Play Teach Repeat
Traditional Preschool or Homeschool Preschool or Both? by Still Playing School
Teaching Preschool at Home by Raising Lifelong Learners
Preparing for School Brings Mixed Emotions for both Parents and Children by The Educators’ Spin On It
Preparing a Hands-On Preschool at Home by Life Over C’s

Back to School Books to Read with Preschoolers and Kindergartners

Originally published August 5, 2015

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week, all while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life, can be a daunting task. That’s where Preschool Teacher 101 comes in to save you time!

Preschool Teacher 101 is excited to share with you some amazing lesson plans, activity packs, and much more! We offer a wide variety of themes that are frequently used in preschool classrooms, as well as some less common (but super interesting) themes. Click on the image below to learn more about our back to school mega bundle!

Back To School Mega Bundle preschool resource cover.
Back to School Mega Bundle

Join The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101 today for exclusive access to our amazing products. And we even have three different membership options to suit your needs!

Filed Under: Literacy Tagged With: #TeachECE, Back to School, Book Making

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Comments

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  1. Amanda says

    August 5, 2015 at 7:10 am

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Great for learning the sight words and getting excited about back-to-school. I’m going to make one with my kids! I will slide. I will write. I will make new friends.

    Reply
  2. Devany says

    August 5, 2015 at 8:19 am

    This is so great! I totally agree that books like this will be vital in preparing a child for school!

    Reply
  3. Clarissa H says

    August 5, 2015 at 10:11 am

    Eeeeeppp! I LOVE this idea! We are home preschooling, but this would even work for us! I can’t wait to make one!

    Reply
  4. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

    August 5, 2015 at 10:30 am

    Love this idea! We make so many books together at home and it was one of my favorite things to do in the classroom too.

    Reply
  5. Kim says

    August 5, 2015 at 11:43 am

    What a great idea! I love that the child can see themselves doing the activities!

    Reply
  6. Natasha says

    August 5, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    We haven’t made many books but I have them in the plans for this year. This would be nice to add to my prepping my girls to returning to the learning room. I’m pinning and sharing this.

    Reply
  7. Danielle says

    August 5, 2015 at 3:46 pm

    This is such a fantastic idea! I can see how it would be so helpful to students. I love the book list too! We checked out many of those books last week at the library. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Theresa says

    August 5, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    I love the back to school book idea. That is really great having children picture what they will be doing each day.

    Reply
  9. Cerys says

    August 5, 2015 at 5:07 pm

    When we get back off vacation we will be making a “Go to school book” – we’ve loved the starting school books we’ve found in the library but our own will make it better still.

    Reply
  10. Nicolette Roux (Powerful Mothering) says

    August 7, 2015 at 10:47 am

    yay to picmonkey double yay for books! I still need to get a new batch this this next year. oops

    Reply
  11. The Preschool Toolbox says

    August 8, 2015 at 11:51 am

    Love all the suggestions and experience you’ve offered to others! Kids love reading and making their own books – what a fabulous way to engage them in back to school!

    Reply
  12. Colleen Kessler says

    August 12, 2015 at 1:42 am

    I love making books with my kids, too, and do it as often as we can — one of my kiddos now wants to be an author when she grows up. 🙂

    Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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