🌿 Growing Together with Knight ABA

Preparing for the First Day of School

Small Steps Today Can Build Big Confidence Tomorrow

The first day of school is exciting, but it can also bring a lot of uncertainty for children. New teachers, unfamiliar classmates, different routines, and changing expectations can feel overwhelming—especially for children who thrive on predictability.

The good news is that preparing for school doesn’t have to happen all at once. Small, consistent experiences before the first day can help children feel more confident and ready for the               transition.  Here are four simple ways to begin preparing at home.

1. Practice Daily Routines

Children often feel more successful when they know what to expect.

A week or two before school begins, gradually begin following the same schedule your child will have during the school year.

Try practicing:

✔️ Waking up at the school-year time

✔️ Getting dressed independently

✔️ Eating breakfast before leaving the house

✔️ Putting on shoes and a backpack

✔️ Walking to the car or bus stop

The goal isn’t perfection. You’re simply helping the routine become familiar before the first day arrives.

2. Build Familiarity

New places often feel less overwhelming after children have experienced them once or twice.

If possible, try to:

• Drive past the school.
• Walk around the outside of the building.
• Visit the playground.
• Attend an open house.
• Meet the teacher.
• Look at pictures of the classroom.

Talking about what your child might see, hear, and do can make the environment feel much more predictable.

3. Read and Talk About School

Books are a wonderful way to introduce new experiences.

Reading stories about starting school helps children understand what to expect while creating opportunities to talk about emotions.

You can ask questions like:

• What do you think the child is feeling?
• What are you excited about?
• Is there anything that makes you nervous?
• What are you looking forward to?

These conversations help children learn that it’s okay to have mixed emotions about something new.

4. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Preparing for school is a process.

Maybe your child wore their backpack for five minutes.

Maybe they walked into the school building.

Maybe they practiced sitting during story time.

Celebrate each of these small accomplishments. Every successful experience builds confidence for the next one.

Questions to Ask Your ABA Team

Your ABA team can help personalize school-readiness goals based on your child’s strengths and needs. Consider asking:

• Can we practice carrying a backpack and unpacking school supplies?
• Can we work on following classroom directions?
• Can we practice transitioning between activities?
• Can we work on waiting in line or taking turns?
• Can we practice opening lunch containers independently?
• Can we role-play asking a teacher for help?

Practicing these skills during ABA sessions and at home helps children use them more confidently when school begins.

🌿 Try This This Week

Choose one routine to practice every day for the next five days:

☐ Put on a backpack independently.

☐ Walk to the car with all school supplies.

☐ Practice your morning routine.

☐ Read one book about starting school.

☐ Talk about one thing you’re excited to do at school.

Remember, consistency is more important than doing everything at once.

The Science Behind the Strategy

Children often feel more confident when they have opportunities to practice new routines before they experience them in real-life settings. Rehearsing daily routines, visiting new environments, and gradually introducing school-related activities can reduce uncertainty and help children respond more flexibly to change. In ABA, this approach supports generalization—the ability to use learned skills across new people, places, and situations.

References

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2024). School Readiness.
• Koegel, L. K., Ashbaugh, K., & Koegel, R. L. (2016). Pivotal Response Treatment.
• Leaf, J. B., McEachin, J., & Taubman, M. (2022). A Work in Progress (behavioral teaching strategies for preparing children for new environments).