Practical strategies to support belonging, confidence and curiosity through one of childhood’s biggest transitions. 

There’s a lot tucked inside a child’s school bag on their first day: a lunchbox, hat, drink bottle and, often, a mixture of excitement, curiosity and uncertainty. Starting school is a significant milestone, and children’s early experiences can help shape their relationship with school, learning and belonging.  

Importantly, transition isn’t a single day. It begins before children walk through the school gates and continues as they become familiar with new people, places, routines and expectations. Research increasingly views ‘school readiness’ as a shared responsibility: it’s not only about whether a child is ready for school, but also whether families, educators and schools are ready to support that child (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation [CESE], 2021). Strong relationships, continuity, play and belonging all matter (Barker & O’Farrelly, 2024).  

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 Five ways families can support a positive start

1. Make the unfamiliar familiar

Visit the school, attend orientation activities and practise everyday routines such as opening a lunchbox, wearing the uniform or carrying a school bag. Getting to know the school environment, routines and expectations before the first day can help make the transition feel more predictable and support a stronger connection between home and school (CESE, 2021).

 2. Talk about school realistically

Invite children to share what they’re excited, curious or worried about. You don’t need to promise that every moment will be wonderful. Calm, realistic conversations can help children know what to expect while making space for mixed feelings. Parents themselves commonly experience both positive and difficult emotions during this transition (Morawska et al., 2026). 

3. Keep playing

Play isn’t something children need to ‘graduate’ from before school. Shared reading, puzzles, pretend play and everyday games can provide natural opportunities to develop language, problem-solving, social and emotional skills and learning (Barker & O’Farrelly, 2024). 

4. Practise helpful independence

Give children opportunities to manage their belongings, use the toilet independently, take turns, ask for help and solve small problems. These practical and social skills can help children navigate school with confidence (Barker & O’Farrelly, 2024)

5. Share what you know

Tell teachers about your child’s strengths, interests, learning preferences and support needs. This helps teachers understand the child arriving in their classroom and create continuity from the beginning (CESE, 2021).

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Five ways teachers can support a positive start

1. Begin with belonging

Learn names, build warm relationships and create opportunities for children to connect with peers. Feeling safe, known and included is an important part of settling successfully into school (CESE, 2021).

2. Keep play in the picture

Children themselves identify play as an important part of a positive start to school. Age-appropriate play can support enjoyment, relationships, creativity and learning (Barker & O’Farrelly, 2024).

3. Make routines predictable

Teach routines explicitly, provide clear expectations and give children time to practise them. Predictability can help a new classroom feel more manageable.

4. Partner with families

Communicate early and make it two-way. Parents value opportunities to meet teachers, understand expectations and know how they can support their child at home (Morawska et al., 2026).

5. Think beyond the first day

Continue checking how children are settling, collaborating with families and early childhood educators, and adapting support when needed (CESE, 2021). Research into transition interventions suggests particularly encouraging findings for social outcomes, although results overall remain mixed (Donaldson et al., 2023). 

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A positive start doesn’t mean a perfect start. There may be nerves, tiredness, tears, excitement and plenty of adjustment along the way. Strong bridges between home and school can help children feel that school is a place where they belong, where they’re supported and where they can grow as learners. 

References 

Barker, B., & O’Farrelly, C. (2024). Practices of play in education: Play at home, school readiness, and a positive transition to school. In A. Durning, S. Baker, & P. Ramchandani (Eds.), Empowering play in primary education (pp. 27–47). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003321279-4  

Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. (2021). Transition to school: Literature review. NSW Department of Education. 

Donaldson, C., Moore, G., & Hawkins, J. (2023). A systematic review of school transition interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes in children and young people. School Mental Health, 15, 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09539-w  

Morawska, A., Mitchell, A. E., Etel, E., Armstrong, R., McAuliffe, T., Ma, T., McBryde, C., & Johnston, L. M. (2026). A systematic review of parents’ experiences during their child’s transition to school. Early Childhood Education Journal, 54, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01780-z