Books to Prepare Children for Going to School for the First Time

With only a few weeks left till Labor Day and start of school, parents of three, four and five year olds are getting ready to send their little ones to school for the very first time. Like most new experiences, going to a new place without their parents is especially tough for little ones. I have been incorporating tips and ideas all summer to prepare my child for starting school. In the next few days, I will add some more best practices for helping my child transition back to school.

While getting into a familiar school going routine and talking about all the fun things that happen in school is invaluable, reading books and listening to songs can really help in reassuring young children that nursery, preschool and kindergarten are fun, safe places for the little ones to play and learn, even when their mothers and fathers are not with them.

Here are some of my favorite starting school books, in no particular order. The Kissing Hand, the NY Times #1 bestseller that has unfortunately spawned Chester the Raccoon merchandize is a must read for school going kids of all ages. I am somewhat partial to Anna Dewdney’s expressive sketches and catchy rhyme. Shy kids will benefit from sharing Franklin’s first day of school experience, while precocious ones will enjoy the Charlie and Lola adventure.

·         The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

·         Owl Babies: Candlewick Storybook Animations by Martin Waddell

·         The Invisible String by Patrice Karst

·         Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

·         I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas

·         I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child

·         First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg

·         D.W.'s Guide to Preschool (Arthur Adventures) by Marc Brown

·         Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois

·         Maisy Goes to Preschool: A Maisy First Experiences Book by Lucy Cousins

·         My First Day at Nursery School by Becky Edwards

·         Kindergarten Rocks! by Katie Davis

·         Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner by Amy Schwartz

Related articles:
How to Calm Your Child's Fear of Starting Preschool or Kindergarten

Off to School: Planning a Successful Start to School for Kids

Sesame Place visiting tips: When to go, what to do

Sesame Place, located in Langhorne, PA, is a wonderful amusement park suitable for families with young children. For tips on how to save on Sesame Place entrance tickets and dining experiences, please read my other Sesame Place article. Although Sesame Place is only 90 minute away from New York and only a 30 minute from Philadelphia, like most amusement parks, maximum enjoyment needs some advance planning and logistics. Here is what to do, when to go, and what to avoid so that Sesame Place is the maximum fun and minimum stress for your tiny tots.

Children over 3 years can generally spend the entire day at Sesame Place. When my child was younger, we left home after lunch, had him nap in the car and got to Sesame Place when he was ready to wake up. This also worked well when we bought Twilight tickets. Now we plan on being there the whole day, so we arrive before the scheduled opening to get the better parking spots and shorter lines. Although we never stayed overnight, our friends recommend the Courtyard at Marriott, which is in walking distance to Sesame Place but also runs a shuttle.

Before our first few visits, we reviewed the Sesame Place online map and noted the attractions that were on our must-visit list. For example, we excluded the ones that were too scary for our child (Vapor Trail, Sky Splash or Sesame Streak) or or ones that seemed geared towards younger children (Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool, Ernie's Waterworks). The early morning hours are great to hit the dry rides like the Sunny Day Carousel, Big Bird's Balloon Race, Flyin' Fish, Grover's World Twirl or Ernie's Bed Bounce, because the lines get long and kids get tired of waiting. When we don’t expect very long lines (say in mid-May), we arrive in our swim clothes and do the wet rides first, which amounts to one less change of clothes.

Like other amusement parks, large plastic strollers with canopies are available for rent at Sesame Place. However, we bring a small inexpensive stroller which navigates the crowds well and leave the big diaper bag in the car. We carry a waterproof case with cash, a credit card, ID and car keys and leave a small bag with basic necessities (drinks, snacks, towels, sunblock, couple of diapers, change of clothes) etc. in the stroller. Shade is tough to find at Sesame Place, except a few umbrellas near the Count's Splash Castle, so everyone wears hats.

Despite the best efforts at planning ahead, kids will be kids. There have been times when we had to change our plans at Sesame Place because it is too hot, too crowded or our child is simply not up to it. Since Count's Splash Castle, Tidal pool, and Block play area don't have any lines, they are our best bet when things are not going according to plan. In fact, with the umbrellas and changing areas, Count's Splash Castle typically becomes our home base at Sesame Place. The other option, besides the restaurant, that allows kids to wind down is the live show. The main theater offers an air conditioned respite which can help calm down little kids. Just be prepared to stand in line at least 15 minutes before the show.

Sesame Place hosts weekend Halloween Spooktaculars (with trick or treating), a Furry Christmas Party, and weekend Fall/Winter days. Wet rides are always open from Memorial to Labor Day, but sometimes they are open on other days. Call the infoline (866-GO-4-ELMO) for ride closings. Sesame Place fireworks details are posted on the special events calendar, which also offers tips for viewing. Be warned, the entrance/exit is blocked off 30 minutes before the show, and families can be split up as a result of going to the car to get the camera.

Sesame Place: Guide to Deals on Tickets and Dining

Sesame Place, located in Langhorne, PA, is a wonderful amusement park suitable for families with young children. About a 90 minute drive from New York and only a 30 minute drive from Philadelphia, Sesame Place can be a lot of fun even for toddlers. Here are some great mom-tested time and money saving tips for entrance tickets and dining at Sesame Place.

Entrance Tickets

For 2012, Elmo's 2^nd Day Free tickets cost $58.99. The 2^nd day does not have to be a consecutive day, meaning it can be used during the entire season Sesame Place is open (April to October). Children over 24 months pay the full price. This means if you want to take an almost two year old child to Sesame Place for his birthday, you should go the weekend before. Every adult with a season pass or multi day ticket needs an ID to enter and will be fingerprinted, so the tickets become non-transferable.

Discounts abound on Sesame Place tickets. I always visit www.sesameplace.com for the special event calendar, partner discounts (which include McDonald’s and Rite Aid) and disclosures and bought and printed tickets online to avoid long lines at the entrance. Right now, the online tickets are selling at $10 off. Weekday tickets are also discounted. It makes sense to know the terms of the discounts (AAA, military etc.) and coupons. For example, typically you can’t combine them or use them on the two day pass.

Season Passes

Although the two day pass, which can be used on non-consecutive days, offers a decent value, those planning on multiple visits should invest in a season pass. Big Bird and Super Grover Season passes allow holders to “Meet and Greet” (and hug) all the characters (in the locker area near the start of the parade route) from 6:40-7:00pm and ride the parade float afterwards. The Big Bird Pass, which sells for $136.99, offering free preferred parking ($18/day) and 30% off meals and merchandise, which amounts to decent savings. Our family usually purchases at least one Big Bird pass, which lets us participate in the the Meet & Greet and allows us to skip the dining experiences, which are expensive. Typically, if you buy a current season pass in late summer (early August), you get next season’s pass for free. Season Pass holders also get discounts on additional tickets, as well as free entry on select days for friends and family.

Dining

A special experience at Sesame Place is to have breakfast, lunch or dinner with your favorite Sesame Street characters such as Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, and other Sesame Street friends. I do not find much value in these (since the Meet and Greet is quite intimate without the distractions of food), but the passes do offer a 10% discount. Veteran Sesame Place goers recommend booking the character dining experiences online a couple of weeks in advance, since they sell out. If you cancel with more than 24 hours advance notice, you get a full refund.

Although the menu has seen a healthier upgrade in 2012, food at Sesame Place is expensive, mediocre and not too healthy (pizza, fries, chicken tenders, etc), and the lines at lunchtime can get long. No outside food is permitted, with the exception of soft side coolers. Unfortunately, unless you purchase a “smart cup,” you cannot fill beverages in your own cups. We often eat outside Sesame Place, at the nearby Romano's Macaroni Grill, Pizzeria Uno, or Chili's. Visitors get a hand stamp that allows them to return to the park on the same day. The season pass offers a 30% discount on food, so we remember to carry ours when placing the food order.

For more tips, please read my other article on Sesame Place logistics.

Find the Closest Public Restroom When Traveling with a Child

Summer is often a great time to start potty training your child. It is also the time to venture with your baby a bit farther from home. But are you worried that your newborn or potty-training child will have a potty related "accident" on the go? You will be less stressed if you are prepared and know where the closest clean public restroom is when you are traveling.

Places that routinely have public restrooms include bookstores, shopping malls, sit-down restaurants and many coffee shops. My tip is to avoid those that are frequently used (e.g. fast food restaurants in tourist spots) and go for the less frequented, which are usually cleaner. These include doctors' offices (avoid the infectious disease specialties) and department stores. Many high-rise residential buildings, hotels and office buildings also have a clean restroom in the lobby.

When you are farther from home, your best bet is to be prepared and know the restrooms along your travel route. There are several ways to locate bathrooms in New York City. If you have an iPhone or smartphone, download NYC Way, an award-winning free application that lets users search (amongst 50 plus other things), the closest restroom based on their location. Besides the address, it also says if the restroom is free. www.thebathroomdiaries.com is probably the most comprehensive global list of bathrooms available on the Internet. Their New York entries are extensive and rated by their cleanliness. Another website www.sitorsquat.com also maps restrooms and has a mobile app. If you are worried about accessing the Internet on the go, take a printout of restrooms along your planned travel route.

And don't forget the wipes! Baby wipes double as family face wipes. Antibacterial (Wet Ones) wipes are useful too.

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1134582