Do’s and Don’ts for the First Day of Kindergarten

Hey there, teacher friend! It’s that time of year again, and we’re gearing up for the first day of kindergarten! It can be an exciting, but stressful time, but don’t worry! We’ve got some dos and don’ts to help make sure your first day is a success!

The Full List of Do’s and Don’ts for the First Day of Kindergarten

Do: Get There Early

It’s always a good idea to get to school early on the first day. You’ll want to make sure your classroom is set up and ready for your kiddos to arrive. Plus, it will give you some time for yourself and will help get you into the right mindset (aka, calm, collected, and relaxed!)

Don’t: Be Unprepared

Make sure you have everything you need prepped beforehand. You don’t want to be scrambling around on the first day trying to find supplies or materials or trying to make copies, it’s the WORST feeling (trust me, I’ve been there!) This may seem like a no brainer, but there are so many things we’re trying to do at the beginning of the school year that little things may fall between the cracks (like stapling those headbands together!) Write down a check list of all the things you need to get done the week before, including the basic little tasks. That way you can refer back to it and make sure you checked everything off.

Do: Go Over the Rules. And Then Go Over Them Again. And Again.

Make sure your students know what’s expected of them from day one. Go over your classroom rules and make sure kiddos fully understand them. The best way to do this is to have your rules visually displayed, written in kinder friendly lingo, and then physically SHOW students the best way to follow the rules. Act out how to follow the rules and how NOT to follow the rules. You can also put on a video on following the rules (Wondergrove does a great job, check it out here). Go over the rules every day for the first 30 days of school. We want our students to have those rules memorized by heart!

Don’t: Try to Do All The Things

Don’t go overboard with your activities and try to do too much on the first day. You don’t want to overwhelm your students or yourself. Keep things simple and easy to manage. Now is not the time to do that fabulous, elaborate craft you saw on Pinterest (doesn’t mean you can’t do it a few weeks from now!) It’s better to do a few things well than to try to cram too much into one day. If you do centers, keep them SUPER basic, like blocks at one table, coloring at another table, etc. This will help keep things calm and controlled.

Do: Go Over Procedures for EVERYTHING.

It’s crucial to go over procedures for how we act at school. Go over procedures for EVERYTHING. Don’t forget to act out how to do a procedure correct as well as how NOT to do a procedure. A few procedures you’ll want to cover are:

First Day of Kindergarten How To:

• Hang up backpacks
• Line up
• Wash your hands properly
• Play on the playground correctly
• Use the classroom reading corner
• Use the dramatic play center correctly
• Sit on the rug
• Rotate tables during center time (hint: walk one group at a time!)

*Tip: A great way to also help students get familiar with things is by doing a “tour” of the school and/or classroom. That way they know where the nurse and office is, where their cubby is, where the bathroom is, etc).*

Don’t: Underestimate How Long a Task Will Take

I don’t know why, but every year I think I’m a time management ninja and I think I can squeeze 80 tasks into 20 minutes. DON’T do this! Make sure you account for enough time to get everything done on the first day. You don’t want to rush through activities or leave things unfinished. That’s neither fun for you or your students. Think of how long a task may take, and then add another 10 minutes on to it. It’s always better to have extra time, than not enough time (and this is where you can pull out that fun video or game you had in your back pocket that’s marked “In case of extra time”!)

Do: Start Using Positive Reinforcement on the VERY First Day of Kindergarten

Start using positive reinforcement on the very first day of kindergarten and you’ll be thankful you did. You’ll also want to have your behavior systems set up and ready to go, so that way you can start praising and rewarding students from day one. This will help set a tone of positivity and is a great way to start motivating your students from the get-go.

Don’t: Forget to Have Fun

The first day of kindergarten should be FUN! That means fun for your students but also fun for you! Enjoy getting to know your students, watching them explore the amazing classroom you’ve lovingly set up, and laughing it off when crazy things happen, because we all know they will! But isn’t that why we love teaching kindergarten in the first place? There’s never a dull moment in a kindergarten classroom!

Final Thoughts on the First Day of Kindergarten

Remember, the first day of kindergarten sets the tone for the rest of the year. By following these dos and don’ts, you’ll be on your way to creating a positive and successful learning environment for your students. Have fun and enjoy the first day!

Want more ideas on how to set up
your kindergarten classroom for success?

Want to hear more about how to set up your kindergarten classroom for success? Check out my post “Top 10 Powerful Ideas for the Kindergarten Classroom.”