This starting preschool post has been brought to you by Bright Start Kids.  All opinions are 100% my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

This year, D is 4 1/2 and really wants to go to pre-k like his older brother did two years ago.  He is going through a very clingy phase, however, and he is unsure about leaving his family for a few hours every day to attend pre-k.

1.  Read books about getting ready for preschool.  

The Night Before Preschool, The Kissing Hand, and Daniel Goes To School are just a few great books to read in the weeks before school starts to prepare your child for the things they will do and the emotions they will feel.

2. Practice opening and closing….everything!

In the months before school starts, work on things like shoe tying, zipping zippers, unbuckling tricky buckles (like on backpacks and lunchboxes,) any sandwich or snack containers, and more.  While preschoolers do not have to have these tasks mastered, it will help them feel less scared and more confident when they go to school and Mommy and Daddy are not available to help.

3.  Meet the teacher and classmates if possible.

Take advantage of back-to-school events and meet the teacher night.  It really helps children to get to know some of the people they will be spending the year with while Mommy or Daddy are around, to ensure that you trust them and so they will not be "strangers" on the first day!  

4. Let your child pick out a special t-shirt or shoes.

While a whole new wardrobe might not be necessary, a few new shirts or a new pair of shoes will get your child excited about back-to-school.  Letting him or her pick out a new shirt in their favorite color or with their favorite cartoon character makes the day more special.  You will want to wash and let your child wear the clothes for at least a half of an hour so they can tell you if something is uncomfortable.  Shoes might need to be broken in prior to the first day of school.

5. Personalize everything!

The best idea is to make your child feel special and have ownership over his or her things by using labels to personalize.  There will be no question of "is this mine?" when his or her name is on the backpack, lunchbox, nap mat, and any other school supplies that are not going to be used by all of the class.  (Check with the teacher before you label everything so the labels aren't wasted.) 

Bright Star Kids has lots of great labels and personalized products for back-to-school.  This company has a wide array of labels in all colors, shapes, sizes, and fonts for the name.  They have multiple, customizable label packages so you're sure to find the perfect fit for your child's needs. Just to name a few of the great labels you can customize:

• shoe labels – round or foot shaped
• pencil labels
• clothing tag labels
• iron-on labels
• large stick-on labels
• small stick-on labels
• clear labels
• round labels
• subject labels
• labels for allergies
• learn to type labels
• much, much more!

We ordered the Preschool & Daycare Labels Kit, which is currently on sale for $29.95, down from $62.  You get 170 high quality labels for your child in this package.  Here are the adorable labels we ordered.  (The name has been marked out for privacy, but you can see how high quality and beautiful these labels are!)

How do you prepare your kids for the first day of school?