How to Prepare Your Toddler for Their First Day at Daycare

What to Pack For Daycare

Make sure you always have enough diapers and wipes packed for the week, and you check daily to replenish. Having a change of clothes, some bibs, a cup for water, snacks, and food for your child.

Ask your daycare provider if they would like you to pack anything else or keep a stash of diapers and wipes at the daycare center. A lot of child care providers will have a list of things they would like you to keep at daycare for emergencies.

Also, label everything, and we mean everything. Diaper bag, clothes, shoes, snack bags, cups… everything. If you want it back make sure it’s labeled.

Daycares have a lot going on, and your provider can only do so much to make sure everyone has the right things. Help them out by making sure your little one’s name is on everything you bring to daycare.

On the First Day at Daycare

Your child’s first day at daycare is going to be a bit stressful, only because of the unknown. We will do everything we can to help make the transition as easy as possible for you and your child. After all, we want your child to be all they can be.

Try to make sure that your child has a good night’s sleep and a good filling breakfast. This will avoid any irritability from hunger or tiredness.

Try to keep all the routines and sleep schedules you have practiced as consistent as possible. Toddlers thrive on consistency, this will help them adjust. And remember that this first day will likely be more difficult on you than it will be on your child.

Quick Drop-Off

Have an idea of what you want your drop-off to look like, and make it quick. It might be easiest for the daycare provider to have an activity ready to distract your child.

Never sneak out, this could trigger a natural sense of abandonment, make sure to always say goodbye. Your child is probably going to cry, this is normal and it is a good reaction.

Crying means your child loves you and feels safe with you! After all, you are their primary caretaker.

Reassure your toddler that you will come back to get them in a little while. Toddlers have absolutely no sense of time, ten minutes and six hours are the same amount of time to them.

As soon as you are out of their view, your child will calm down and start to play happily, we promise! After you leave, you will have a harder time than your child will.

Ask your daycare provider if they have a preferred drop-off routine. Daycare teachers have seen it all, and they likely have a tear-free method for drop-offs. Make drop-off as quick as possible to lessen the tears and help your child start having fun very quickly.

Bring a Comfort Item

Pack your child’s lovey. Their comfort item, whether it be a stuffed animal, a blanket, or a pocket watch, will help your child feel comfortable. This is particularly essential for nap time.

Comfort items provide extra transitional support for your child. Often, they will treat their lovey the way they would like to be treated in the moment.

The stuffy is hungry, or sad, or needs a hug. The comfort item encourages emotional intelligence.

You could also choose to give your child a particular item of yours like a t-shirt or sweatshirt, something that smells like you and will bring them comfort. Or a new stuffed animal whose job is to stay with them at daycare.

Depending on your child’s age, contact the daycare to make sure that a comfort item is allowed at daycare.

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