Ideas for books to ease starting at school nursery

[MWestie]

Hi all, my DS3.1 is due to start at the school nursery attached to our local primary in September, and he is not keen at all :(

Can anyone recommend any good books that might put a more positive spin on it for him?

[LadyBee]

There's a Harry & The Dinosaurs one...hang on




Oh yes... it's called Harry and the Dinosaurs Go to School (well it would be, wouldn't it).

It's quite realistic and not overly 'hoorah! school!' it quite subtly acknowledges that some children find it scary and want familiar things around them, but also shows the possibility for making new friends etc.

[krisskross]

hi my DS is almost 3 and started pre school in june and was not keen. we got him a lovely book by catherine and laurence anholt called something like anna goes to nursery (cant find it to get exact title).

to be honest, i took him out in the end as it wasnt as nice as it seemed on viewing (which you prob dont want to hear). but when i asked if he liked nursery he said 'no, i just like annas nursery' (as in annas nursery in the book)- so it paints a v positive picture. !!

[MWestie]

Thanks both, they sound just what I'm looking for, especially the Harry one if, as you say, it isn't overtly "oh isn't this fun" about school - that sort of thing immediately makes him suspicious!

krisskross - sorry you had to take your DS out of preschool, that must have been hard all round. DS has been to a little local preschool for 2 sessions a week but it took him ages to settle and he was distraught - am so worried about him starting in Sept at school nursery that will do anything that might make a difference ... think Amazon will reap the benefits later tonight!

[peachygirl]

We looked at the Spot one. It's actually about school but I changed the words and one about a little boy called Freddy.
here they are We got both from our library.

It is probably too late for you now but with DD I made her a little book with a few snaps of nursery in it. I took them on our pre visits (with permission - and featuring no other children) showing the building,the coat pegs, the rooms, one of the members of staff and her doing some painting. On the last page there was a picture of me with the line. Mummy will come to take me home.
We make books like these at work, formally they are called social stories. I hadn't clicked that this was one of these til one of my friends pointed it out!

[MWestie]

Peachygirl I really like that idea of the book you made for your DD. Must see if I can think of a way of doing something along those lines for DS, thank you! :)

[KAEKAE]

I got a few from Amazon, the one my son likes the best is www.amazon.co.uk/My-First-Day-Nursery-School/dp/1582349096/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281789310&sr=1-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

The book is American, which I didn't know before I purchased it. But not a problem as the only American spelling in the book, which I change anyway is Mom. My son starts nursery in September and the book has been a help.

[MWestie]

Hi KAEKAE, thanks for that, I ordered a few starting school books on Amazon the other day, including that one! Not yet arrived but good to hear your DS has found it useful, fingers crossed for mine...