Personalised book explaining a Reception school day for your child

What happens in your child Learns the School Routine

1. Your child arrives, hangs up their coat and joins registration.
2. Your child settles into classroom activities with their teacher.
3. Your child washes hands and finds their place at lunchtime.
4. Your child enjoys outdoor play, then comes back inside.
5. Your child helps with tidy-up time and heads home proudly.

How the first page could read

This morning, your child puts on their school uniform and checks that everything feels ready. There is a bag, a coat and a busy day ahead. At the school gate, your child takes a deep breath. First comes registration. Then, one small part of the day at a time.

Your child’s name, look and little details replace these words, and the whole story is written for their age.

Why this story works

Starting Reception can involve a lot of new information at once: where to put a coat, when to sit on the carpet, what happens before lunch and how the day ends. This story keeps the focus on the order of ordinary school moments, so your child can meet each one on the page before meeting it in real life. The routine gives parents clear moments to pause over and talk about, including handwashing, choosing lunchtime food and returning indoors after play. Made from a photo of your child, the book places them at the centre of a calm, recognisable school-day sequence suited to ages three to five.

Reading it together

• Read the story a few times before school starts, pausing to ask your child what they think happens next.
• Use the routine as a gentle prompt while getting ready, such as talking through coat, bag and school gate.
• After the school day, revisit one spread and let your child tell you which part felt most familiar.

Suggested art style: Storybook watercolour

Soft storybook watercolour makes the classroom, coat pegs and playground feel warm and easy to explore. A sidekick idea: a small robin who appears at each part of the timetable. You can pick any of the four styles and change the details in the form.