If you are looking for some great read alouds for the first day of schhol, this blog post has 5 wonderful picture books for you to read aloud on the first day of school. I am sure you will want to add them to your classroom library.

There is nothing quite like a good read aloud to break the ice, calm those first day jitters and engage your children.

Every early childhood teacher understands how reading aloud quality picture books to young children is one of the most important things you can do to develop early literacy skills.

Reading aloud

• builds foundational literacy skills

• introduces new vocabulary

• increases concentration

• develops listening skills

• helps children see the connections between the spoken and printed word

• fosters reading comprehension and cognition

• provides a model of fluent, expressive reading

• allows children to see that reading is fun and purposeful

There are heaps of suitable read aloud books to read for the first day of school but these 5 picture books for the first week of school are my favourites. I reach for them year after year!

I know you and your children will enjoy them during this special back-to-school time.

The Kissing Hand

When your little ones start school, everything is new, and it can all be a bit overwhelming and scary. Let me introduce you to The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

This delightful first day of school read aloud is one your children can easily relate to. It is always a must read on that very first day of kindergarten or preschool.

School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called the Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heart-warming book has become a children's classic that has touched the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation like starting school.

This lovely picture book is so impactful, I have designed a selection of resources to compliment the story and to help my children settle into that first week of school. All my Kissing Hand resources are age appropriate and designed with your early kindergarteners and preschoolers in mind.

If you think you might like to use them too, you can download them ALL for FREE in my FREE Resource Library HERE.

If you have checked out my first week of school planning, you will notice The Kissing Hand story and the related activities play a big part in our first week of school. Like so many other early years teachers, it really is my number one read aloud recommendation for the first day of the school year.

There is also a lovely clip on You Tube if you would like a few minutes to yourself and a chance to rest your voice.

First Day

Next on the list is First Day by Andrew Daddo. This is another picture book addressing those first day nerves. Again, this beautifully illustrated picture book is very relatable for children from kindergarten through to second grade. It is perfect for introducing or teaching the comprehension reading strategy of making a personal connection.

This Australian classic has a funny twist at the end which seems to go over the heads of most preschoolers but I have had a few grade 1’s chuckle at the clever ending.

'Are you ready? I'm ready. You look ready. Let's have a yummy breakfast. Pancakes? Fruit salad? Not porridge... It's time to get dressed! You can wear your new shoes, too.' Getting ready for the first day of school? This book is for you. A cute story (with a twist), illustrating the preparation before school for a mum and daughter team. Who's more nervous on such days? Parent or child? This story should help calm those nerves with its light-hearted approach. The quality watercolour illustrations create a rosy scene against the exercise book backdrop. A bright and quick to read for the big day.

And you are in luck!! This picture book also has a great version on You Tube with the added bonus of an Australian narrator.

My First Day at School

The next picture book on the list of our best read alouds for the first day of school is My First Day at School by Meredith Costain and Michelle Mackintosh. Meredith Costain is another Australian author.

There are four gorgeous characters in her book which your children will bond with and easily relate to. Once again,  this book is a great one for introducing or teaching your children all about making a personal connection.

My First Day at School is designed to help reassure and prepare school-age children for that magical first day in an unfamiliar environment. It follows the experiences and emotions of four very different children from their first teary farewells to their parents through to the joy of making new friends and the discovery that school can be an exciting and enjoyable place, however challenging.

Splat the Cat

Rob Scotton’s Splat the Cat is a funny read aloud your children will just love. This totally engaging story is always a favourite. The comical storyline and clear illustrations are just what you need to engage your children and settle a somewhat anxious child.

Meet Splat the Cat! An irresistible character from Rob Scotton, bestselling creator of Russell the Sheep. It’s Splat the Cat’s first day of school and he’s worried. What if he doesn’t make any new friends? Just in case, Splat decides to bring along his pet mouse, Seymour, and hides him in his lunch box. The teacher, Mrs Wimpydimple, introduces Splat to the class and he soon starts learning all his important cat lessons. But when Seymour escapes and the cats do what cats do (they chase mice!), Splat’s worried again. Maybe now he’ll lose all his friends, old and new! Just in time, wise Mrs Wimpydimple takes charge and teaches everyone an important new lesson…  Maybe Cat School is going to be ok after all!

There is a high quality clip on You Tube for this fun read aloud too.

Wombat Goes to School

This Australian classic is last on the list, but it is by no means the least. Wombat Goes to School by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley is primarily a picture book. It is short on words but not short on story.

The illustrations will help to take your kindergarten and preschool children on a hilarious school adventure they will love to retell over and over again.

It is a perfect addition to you class library area and because it is so easy for young children to retell, it would be perfect for a small world learning provocation too.

She eats. She sleeps. She scratches. She goes to school...  She sleeps. She eats. She scratches - and finds a hole. When Mothball discovers a new hole, it unexpectedly leads her to the local school. the children learn that wombats love carrots and grass, while Mothball learns that lunch boxes contain very few carrots, that sports sheds can be a good place to have a nap,  and that when you're brown and round, it's not a good idea to get too close to a ball.

So happy to find another You Tube clip for this story. Although we haven’t actually watched this clip in my classroom, it looks pretty good and I’m certainly going to add it to my favourites.

Start your school year off right with any or all of these 5 engaging read alouds. I try to fit in as many read alouds as I can because reading aloud with children is the best bonding experience. Sharing a story is not only quality time together but it builds our classroom community and helps children to develop their social, emotional and cognitive skills.

If you liked this blog post about engaging read alouds for the first day of school, please consider sharing it...

Just CLICK the sharing box below.👇