Kissing Hand Activities for the First Day

One of my favorite ways to start the first day of school in Pre-K or Kindergarten is by doing Kissing Hand activities. The Kissing Hand is a precious little book with a lovable character, Chester Racoon, who captures children’s hearts right away because Chester misses his mom and is nervous about starting school.  Surely, every one of your little learners can relate to Chester!  I’ve created several Kissing Hand activities to go along with the book to make the first day of school memorable and comforting!

BEFORE the First Day of School

At Open House, I send home a QR code tag that has a link to The Kissing Hand being read online.  It encourages parents to let their child listen to the book the night before school starts.  (It also includes a web link for those who don’t know how to use a QR code.)  You could even record yourself reading the book on a YouTube video, and then give parents a QR code link to that read-aloud so children can get familiar with you before the first day.

I also bake Kissing Hand cookies the night before school starts.  We eat them at snack time our very first day.  (Be sure you’ve had parents fill out allergy information at Open House before sharing any food with the children!)  You could also bag these up as an end of the day treat for children to take home.

I found the perfect Kissing Hand cookie cutter on Amazon.  Simply roll out some sugar cookie dough and use the cookie cutter to make the hands.  The kids LOVE these!

First Day of School Kissing Hand Activities

It can be chaotic when the children first arrive.  Some are crying, and they’re all asking where to hang up their backpack and what to do with their supplies. Having something simple and self-explanatory is a must for first day of school morning work.  I always set out this coloring sheet to keep them busy while I help the other children unpack and get settled.  I encourage them to show me their best coloring.

This activity gives me a quick peek at their crayon grasp and coloring and writing skills.  I ask them to write their name on the paper.  Again, I get a sneak peek at what they can already do coming into school!  This coloring page makes a great portfolio piece to hang onto.  Then, you can compare their end of school work to their first day of school work.

The first day of school can be both exciting and nerve-wracking for young children. As teachers, it’s our responsibility to create a welcoming and supportive environment that sets the tone for a successful school year. “The Kissing Hand” provides the perfect opportunity to introduce students to the classroom and help them feel safe and loved. After morning work, read the book aloud, allowing students to connect with the story and its characters. Let the children open up and discuss their first day feelings.  When I introduce the book, I make a big deal about the TITLE of the book.  Then I show them an anchor chart about titles, and we display it in our classroom library on day one.

After reading and discussing the book it’s a great time for students to share their first day feelings.  Create a graph together, and give children the option to explain how they feel and why.  They won’t feel as alone when they realize there are other students who feel the same way as them.  This is also a great opportunity for students to begin learning each other’s names.

More Fun and Educational Kissing Hand Activities

Throughout the day, I like to extend the book by sprinkling in some academic Kissing Hand activities.  These small bits of science, literacy, and math are the perfect opportunity to show the children that school will be a place to learn…and have fun!

For science, we talk about the fact that raccoons are nocturnal, so Chester goes to school at night.  Use big words with kids from day one.  If they can say Tyrannosaurus Rex, they can say nocturnal!

We make a science chart together showing various nocturnal animals and display it in our science center.  The children already have one piece of text they can “read” from day one!  Building confident readers begins with simple activities such as this!

We also do a graphing activity which gives us a chance to discuss our first day feelings.  This social emotional activity is critical for young learners trying to process their emotions on the first day of school.  I always remind my students that it’s ok to feel different emotions; it’s what we do with them that matters.  If the students are comfortable, let them share why they’re happy, excited, sad, or scared.  They need to feel validated in their emotions.

Following Chester’s Raccoon Tracks

One of the children’s favorite activities comes after we discuss raccoon tracks.  I show them a real photograph of a raccoon and raccoon tracks, and then we travel around the school following Chester’s footprints wherever they lead. This serves as our school tour which is a very important first day of school activity for little learners.

At each location, they meet a school helper like the nurse, the secretary, and the gym teacher.  Our last stop on the tour is the principal’s office where a special treat awaits them!

In the principal’s office, students find a bag of Hershey Kisses just for them!  Each little bag has a tag on it that says, “Kisses from my First Day of School.” The kids get so excited to take these kisses home and share them with their families. You should see the joy on their faces when discover this special treat!

Get a free printable with 12 Ideas for Using The Kissing Hand on your First Day of Pre-k or Kindergarten by signing up below!

More Fun Kissing Hand Activities

I also like to do a handprint craft with the kids on the first day of school.  There’s nothing more special than a keepsake hand print from preschool or kindergarten, is there? (You may either trace the students’ hands, or add tempera paint or fingerprint ink to their hands and make the print that way.)

I add a sweet little poem to the handprint, and I’m sure the moms and dads cry when this treasure comes home!  I imagine they keep this special remembrance of the first day of preschool or kindergarten forever!

While I’m pulling children to my table to do their handprint craft, the other kids work on coloring a Chester crown to wear home in celebration of their first day of preschool, Pre-K, or Kindergarten!  This crown is absolutely the cutest to see as children walk out the door on that first day of school.

Consider purchasing a Chester Raccoon stuffed animal for your classroom.  You can find one HERE.   I also like the idea of using a Chester Raccoon puppet as your class mascot.  Children instantly get quiet when a puppet gets ready to talk!

Finishing Up Your Kissing Hand Themed First Day

I send a note home to parents at the end of the first day letting them know about our Kissing Hand activities. This note includes a QR code link to the book being reading online so children and parents can enjoy it together as a bedtime story.  Students also get to take home a sweet little certificate that makes them SO proud!

Even More Kissing Hand Activities

Here are some fun math, literacy, and fine motor Kissing Hand activities you can sprinkle throughout your first week of school.

I love this soft start approach to academics to gauge where children are and to make them feel comfortable and confident.

In this fun math activity, use real Hershey Kisses for the counters!  The kids love this and they get to eat a kiss (or two) at the end of the activity.  This is perfect for small groups.

Fine motor activities are a fun way to get children involved right away because they’re fun and non-threatening.  It’s also a great way to see who might need extra help with these skills throughout the year!

A Few More Tips

If you can’t fit all of these activities in the first day, or you have a half day program, feel free to stretch these out over the first week of school.

This complete printable packet also includes lesson ideas and detailed instructions for each activity!  Also, the packet includes each activity and printable for Preschool, Pre-K, TK, AND Kindergarten so you can print the set that’s appropriate for your age group.

Try adding some more Chester Raccoon books to your classroom library the first few weeks of school. There are 9 adorable Chester Raccoon books in all, and they focus on some great social emotional skills children need to learn.  I especially love A Bedtime Kiss for Chester as our pre-naptime book to help settle the children.

As you prepare for the first day of preschool or kindergarten, consider using The Kissing Hand to comfort and reassure young learners. By incorporating activities inspired by this beloved book, you can create a positive and nurturing classroom environment that sets the stage for a successful school year.  Grab the Kissing Hand 1st Day Activities pack so you’ll have everything you need to make the first day of school memorable and meaningful for your students. Here’s to a fantastic start to the school year filled with love, laughter, and learning!

Click on the Image Below to Get your Kissing Hand Theme Packet and start getting ready for the first day of school!  Whether you teach Preschool, Pre-K, TK, or Kindergarten, your first day or week of school will be epic with these Kissing Hand Activities!

Looking for more fun back to school activities?  Check these out:

• First Day of School Gift for Students
• Tips for a Tear-Free School Drop Off
• Friendship Salad Activity
• Editable Back to School Form