10 First Day of Preschool Books I Never Start the Year Without

Oh, how my teacher heart LOVES a good book! ❤️ Reading stories is the whole reason I got into teaching. I'm passionate about making read alouds fun and engaging for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners.

So which books made the cut for my must-have first day of preschool books?

Let me tell you, it was way harder than I thought to narrow it down to just ten!

There were so many preschool storytime books I wanted to include. These are the first day of preschool books I rely on to set the tone every single year. Here's my go-to list of preschool books for September that I revisit every year.

Why These Back to School Books Work for Preschoolers

All of these books are:

• Short

• Silly

• Perfect for movement and interaction

Especially during the first week of school, I want my kiddos to see just how fun it's going to be. I skip the sap and keep it light. As much as I love The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, I don't read it the first week. It's too long, and I want laughs over tears.

And when it comes to routines, name recognition is a huge part of setting that tone. ➡️ Here’s the editable name writing practice bundle I use to make that part seamless and fun.

Remember, your preschool books read aloud don't have to be about "school."

Stick with preschool theme books that are engaging and fun. Here's what I recommend...

10 book wins to crush your first week" graphic with bold text and a surprised preschooler, promoting first day of preschool books for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers.

My Favorite First Day of Preschool Books

Here are the preschool books for September that always make the cut — short, silly, and guaranteed to get kids giggling!

10. The Wheels on the Bus, A Read-along Sing-along Trip to the Zoo

By Jeanne Willis and Adam Stower

This one is a hit from day one. It builds on a song your students already know, and the animal theme makes it even better! Pretend to be animals as you squish, squash, and snap along with the story. An easy win to kick off your first week with fun.

This classic first day of preschool book is an easy win! It’s short, musical, and makes the perfect preschool storytime book to kick off your week.

9. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

By Bill Martin, Jr., John Archambault and Lois Ehlert

Pull out your plastic or foam letters! Hand one to each kid as the letters climb the tree, and then let them fall! This one turns into a movement activity and builds letter awareness from day one.

This is one of my favorite preschool books for September! It’s movement-friendly, musical, and builds letter awareness on day one.

8. I Need a Hug

By Aaron Blabey

This porcupine just wants a little love — but nobody wants to get poked! Let your class run in place as each character runs off, then play the hugging game at the end. Funny and sweet with just the right amount of silly.

This read aloud is a gentle first day of preschool book that blends humor with empathy — perfect for breaking the ice that first week.

7. Don't Push the Button

By Bill Cotter

There's a reason the cover is worn and haggard in the picture below. Between my own kids and my school kids, this book has been through the wringer. It's adored by all my children and it's been read possibly a million times! 🤣 It's a quick win that grabs attention fast. Perfect for our preschoolers and Kindergarten littles!

This preschool book read aloud gets kids involved right away — they’ll love shouting, shaking, and laughing through every page.

6. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

By Eric Litwin and James Dean

Sing, dance, clap when a button pops off, and spin your hands when it rolls away! You can build so much energy with this one. It’s an instant mood booster.

Make movements to go along with the story ... the button popped off (clap your hands), and rolled (drawl out the word to make it longer, and spin your hands round and round) away (shout it and hold your hands up high)

A silly preschool storytime book that adds rhythm, counting, and energy to your first week — plus built-in class participation!

5. We Don't Eat Our Classmates

By Ryan T. Higgins

A nervous little dino... who keeps eating his classmates. This book is hilarious but I do wait a few days before reading it. I don't want kiddos going home thinking they are really going to get eaten by a dinosaur at school! 🤣 But once I build some rapport and reassurance that our classroom is a safe and fun environment, this easily becomes one of our class's favorite books.

A hilarious preschool read aloud that opens the door to friendship and classroom expectations.

4. The Pigeon Has to Go to School

By Mo Willems

Mo Willems is one of my absolute favorite children's book authors. His books are so funny! My own kids are obsessed with all of his books, probably because my husband does an awesome pigeon voice! 🤣

In this story, Pigeon has many worries about starting school...

• "What if I learn too much?!? My head might pop off."

• "What if the teacher doesn't like pigeons?"

• "Will finger paint stick to my feathers?"

This is one of my favorite preschool books for read aloud time — it totally captures those nervous, silly, first-week emotions.

3. Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes

By Eric Litwin and James Dean

Yes, I listed Pete twice — but for good reason! This one is perfect for singing, movement, and building confidence. Bonus: Some of your kiddos might already be familiar with the story and they'll be so excited when you pull it out!

Get your kiddos up and moving... stomp on those strawberries and blueberries, jump in those mud puddles!

A must-have preschool book read aloud that gets kids singing, moving, and feeling confident — it’s a go-to for every first week.

2. The Watermelon Seed

By Greg Pizzoli

Crocodile swallows a watermelon seed and freaks out. Let your class act it out, burp and all! This one always gets the biggest giggles.

The kids love to pretend along with me that they swallowed a seed. We get real dramatic and let out a huge BUUUUUUUURRRRP at the end!

This silly read aloud is preschool gold — it’s short, high-energy, and builds engagement from the very first page.

1. Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs

By Eric Litwin and Tom Lichtenheld

This is my ##1 book for the first day of preschool book — hands down. It's musical, energetic, and ends in a doggy ice cream dance party. It's the perfect mix of fun and silly for the first day of preschool.

It's a hit every. single. year!

My top preschool book for the first day — Groovy Joe brings music, movement, and just the right mix of silliness and structure.

✋ High five, friend — you made it through the top 10!

Got a book you’d add to the list? 💫

I’m always looking for new favorites to try the first week. Comment below and tell me your favorite preschool books for September!

Those are my top ten preschool and kindergarten books for the first week of school. They're all short, silly, and movement-friendly! I hope this list of first day of preschool books takes a little off your plate during that crazy first week of school! 😍

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Books? ✅ Check.

Now Let’s Talk Name Practice (the easy way!)

Let’s make name writing one of the easiest parts of your first week. These editable name practice pages are designed for preschool name writing practice that actually works — simple, hands-on, and easy to implement right away.

These preschool name writing worksheets are just right for the beginning of the year — they aren’t too much, too fast. Many start with simple first-letter recognition and gradually build fine motor skills through real classroom tasks like gluing snippets of paper, coloring, tracing, and more.

Here’s the resource that makes my first week feel smooth and manageable, even through all the craziness 🤪 of the first week!

➡️ Take a peek at the Editable Name Tracing Worksheets Bundle

These editable name tracing worksheets combine developmentally appropriate name writing practice for preschoolers with hands-on activities like coloring, cutting, and gluing — all designed to help kids learn how to write their name while boosting their fine motor skills.

This editable name writing practice bundle includes:

• 4 full sets of editable name activities that instantly generate from your class list

• Playdough mats, dot painting, rainbow tracing, cutting, and more

• Type-and-go format — zero formatting or setup required

• Built-in fine motor skill building — ✂️ scissor practice, ✏️ pencil control, 💡 dexterity, and more

Whether you’re doing morning work, small groups, or sending practice home, these activities get kids excited to learn their names — and they build independence from day one.

These editable name practice pages are perfect for independent work, morning bins, or sending home. With options like coloring, cutting, tracing, and more, they support fine motor skills while helping students learn how to write their name in fun, hands-on ways. They’re also a great fit for students just beginning to learn how to write their name — especially in Pre-K, preschool, and TK classrooms.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Made for the best first-day-of-school activity!"

— Rachel P.

➡️ Make your first week easier with the Editable Name Tracing Worksheets Bundle

Stop scrambling — this bundle is your shortcut to a smooth, low-stress start. Just type your names and go.

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