'It was a way for my son to be heard' 👂
How interactive stories can make unvoiced feelings heard about a new transition, like kindergarten.
When my eldest, Alanna, went to kindergarten, we were NOT prepared. It was a new campus, she didn't have any friends, and she didn't know the teachers. Of course, she (and we) were nervous!
We did our best with school visits and summer kindergarten playdates, but there's something different about role-playing. We made up a little story together about what her first day would be like: what she would see, what the routines would be like, and who would be there. They made her feel more relaxed.
How Interactive Stories Help with Kindergarten Anxiety
Our role-play sessions are the inspiration behind the latest Wanderly story:
My First Day of Kindergarten
Get ready for the first day of Kindergarten! Create space to talk about how your little one is feeling. Use role-play + some personalized details to prepare them for transitions, activities, and what their first day will be like.
I had a chance to test this story with a teacher at my youngest daughter's preschool, and this is what she had to say:
As a preschool teacher experiencing firsthand the different ways change can impact children, and as a mom of a neurodivergent child transitioning to kindergarten, the kindergarten story has been a super helpful tool to prepare my son for this change. While we build the story together, even for my "non-verbal" son who is expressing a few words, he was able to express the part that was more difficult for him about this new transition BECAUSE of how the book interaction interested him.
It gave me the information I needed to know what he was most anxious about and where I can reassure him more, it was a way for my son to be heard and express his feelings through the fun of storytelling. This helps children prepare visually for a new transition, and while children are resilient, these types of stories can help them to know what to expect, give them security and reassurance to be happy and thrive.
I'm trying not to tear up just reading it again. 🥲
Why Stories Matter for Big Transitions
This is what I made Wanderly for: an opportunity for families to use stories as a way to connect, for kids to express the feelings that might be hard to say, and to help kids through challenging moments.
If you are a parent with a soon-to-be Kindergartener, please check out the story! If you'd like me to create a printable PDF version of the story, just reach out (or order a custom book in the app!). I'd love for more families to experience My First Day of Kindergarten.
Wishing all of you back-to-school luck!
P.S. If you have a child going through a different back-to-school transition, reach out and I'm happy to create a new Wanderly story if it can help.