Transition to Preschool: Pre-K Adjustment Activities Unit

This free transition to preschool unit helps young children feel safe and confident when starting school. Students learn classroom routines, practice daily procedures, and become familiar with teachers, spaces, and expectations through structured activities and guided discussion.

Overview

Starting school can feel overwhelming for young children. This unit gradually introduces the classroom environment, daily schedule, and important adults in the school. Students practice arrival, group time, play choices, and dismissal while connecting school to their home life through family activities and classroom sharing.

Subject Connections

Health is emphasized as students learn routines that support emotional safety and independence. Students use English Language Arts when they talk about feelings, listen to stories, and describe daily events, and they use social studies when they learn about community helpers and shared responsibilities in the school environment.

Learning Goals

Students learn how to enter the classroom, follow routines, and participate in group activities. They identify important school helpers and understand what happens during a typical school day. Students also practice expressing feelings about being away from home and learn strategies that make school feel predictable and safe.

Materials

• Name tags or cubby labels
• Family photo activity (sent home before school)
• Picture cards showing parts of a school day
• Chart paper and markers
• Simple storybook about starting school
• Small stickers for encouragement

Preparation

Before the first day, send home a simple family project asking caregivers to trace the child’s hand and attach a small family photo. Prepare a visual daily schedule and create picture cards showing arrival, play time, snack, group time, outdoor play, and dismissal. Arrange classroom areas clearly so children can recognize where activities happen.

Teaching Procedure

Each session fits a short early childhood class block of about 25–30 minutes and routines are repeated daily to build confidence.

Session 1

1. Activity: Arrival Welcome Routine. Greet each student at the door, help them find their name tag and cubby, and guide them to place belongings away independently so they learn the arrival procedure.
2. Gather students on the carpet and discuss what school is and what happens there.
3. Students share their family handprint project and place it on a classroom display.

Session 2

1. Read a story about the first day of school and pause to discuss how the character feels.
2. Activity: Feelings Circle Talk. Students share one thing they feel excited or nervous about while the teacher models feeling words and reassures children.
3. Practice the arrival routine again, including putting away backpacks and choosing a quiet activity.

Session 3

1. Introduce the daily schedule using picture cards and walk students through each part of the day.
2. Activity: School Day Role Play. Students act out group time, snack, and clean-up procedures while the teacher models each step and reinforces expectations.
3. Practice dismissal by lining up, gathering belongings, and saying goodbye.

Session 4

1. Introduce school helpers such as the nurse, office staff, and principal using photos or a short visit.
2. Activity: Community Helper Drawing. Students draw a school helper and explain what the person does while the teacher records their words.
3. Walk to one location in the school so children learn where to go.

Session 5

1. Give students mixed picture cards showing the school day.
2. Activity: Daily Schedule Sequencing. Students work together to place the cards in the correct order and explain what happens first, next, and last.
3. Review routines and reinforce expectations for independence.

Assessment

• Student ability to follow arrival and dismissal routines
• Participation in group activities
• Correct sequencing of daily schedule pictures
• Comfort and independence in classroom procedures

Differentiation

Provide extra adult support during transitions for students who are anxious. Allow children to keep their family photo accessible during the day if needed. Offer visual reminders and repeat demonstrations for students who need additional practice.

Grade Adaptation

Preschool students learn routines through very short, repeated practice with heavy modeling, play-based demonstrations, and frequent visual reminders with adult guidance. Kindergarten students follow the same routines with more independence and can participate in simple group discussions about expectations.

Extension Ideas

Send a short weekly note home explaining the classroom routine so families can reinforce it. Students can also create a “My School Day” booklet by drawing each part of the daily schedule. Later in the month, students can help new classmates learn routines by acting as classroom helpers.