On a late summer day In the afternoon, 21 prospective kindergarten children met for an important role play.

The children sat mostly cross-legged on benches decorated with the letters of the alphabet, their colorful outfits and Crocs exuding a wild summer as they learned to follow directions. Story time. Although their attention waned by the end of the hour-long program, They were rewarded with the opportunity to board a bright yellow school bus and practice how to casually wave goodbye to crying parents.

The children practiced their debut in primary school in Kindergarten, Here We Come! is hosted by the Howard County Library System and Howard County Public Schools. The last class is August 24, and it’s a dry run of sorts that educators say can help children – and their parents – feel more comfortable on their first day of “big school.”

Here are five more ways you can prepare your kindergarten child.

Visit the school before the first day

If your child’s school has a playground you can go to, a visit can be a great way to familiarize your child with a new environment, says Jimmy Venza, executive director of the Lourie Center for Children’s Social and Emotional Wellness. And better yet, if the school is open before the school year starts, you can take your child for a walk through the halls and get to know the new adults in his life.

Kate Ayres is a former kindergarten teacher and current second-grader at Henderson-Hopkins School in East Baltimore. She said her school meets with parents before the first day so they can learn more about what to expect while also getting a feel for their child’s grade.

“This allows the parents to get to know you and the students to get to know you,” Ayres said. “It makes the first day less intimidating for the kids.”

Tanya Morales brought her son, Adrien Lopez, to the Here We Come! daycare in the hopes that he could overcome his initial nervousness. The program proved difficult for the 5-year-old, who did everything asked of him while tears streamed down his cheeks.

Morales said she believed Adrien was afraid she would leave him there.

“I think maybe the whole thing made him feel like he was in a real kindergarten, in a classroom where we have lessons. We have a teacher, we have books, we have music and children,” Morales said. “He did great. He is so strong.”

Adrien, holding orange and yellow pencils, admitted that he was scared of the coming year. But the lessons had done their job: he was already feeling better.

Create a calendar, new routines

Venza recommends hanging a calendar at home so kids know what’s happening next in their lives. Mark milestones like family vacations, the first day of school, and other important school events that occur throughout the year.

In this way, expectations can be formulated and routines established, such as getting ready in the morning or saying goodbye when dropping off the child.

At school, teachers establish their own routines, such as sitting on the carpet while reading stories, putting things in bins, or lining up before going to the cafeteria. It’s “a lot of practice in how to navigate a school building,” says Brittany Skinner, who taught kindergarten for eight years.

It takes time for children to adjust to these routines, so Skinner didn’t allow parents back into classrooms until late October, when most children had mastered daily expectations and overcome their separation anxiety.

“We have to figure out how to go to school and interact with people without our parents,” Skinner said.

Read all about the first day together

During “Kindergarten, Here We Come!” some students recognized children’s teacher and research specialist Evelyn Gerkin Greenberg, who had changed her name from Ms. Evelyn to Ms. G for the class so the children could practice calling the teachers by their last names.

Greenberg read “The Night Before Kindergarten” to the class and encouraged them to read and rhyme along with her.

Venza suggests reading books about going to school with your preschooler and encouraging them to ask questions, or even ask some themselves. Listen carefully to identify what your child is focused on or what he or she is afraid of.

Parents and teachers suggested titles such as Monsters Love School, David Goes to School and Chrysanthemum. Skinner and Ayres recommended First Day Jitters, a book that shows children they are not alone in their fears.

Be curious every day

When your child comes home from school, take 15 minutes to ask him open-ended questions about his day, Venza advises.

Be ready to share your child’s joy when he or she tries something new or offer support when he or she experiences something upsetting, such as a classmate hurting his or her feelings.

If something stressful happens, hopefully an adult is there for the children. Malikah Arnaud brought her five-year-old grandson, Amir Peterson, to the library event and it was a comfort to her to see how Greenberg interacts with children when they are struggling.

“I hope they have the same experience in kindergarten and know that there is someone there who can comfort them immediately if they are a little scared or anxious,” Arnaud said.

But if your child is excited about something, let him or her lead the conversation. After the incident, Amir rushed to tell his parents all about holding up the school crossing guard’s stop sign, Arnaud said.

Meet your teacher

Venza said children grow and learn best in school when the adults in their lives build supportive, nurturing relationships.

“Children are leaving the most important relationship: the one with their parents,” Venza said. “And now they’re spending more time with their teachers. And that teacher-student relationship then becomes a central part of how children learn and grow throughout their academic careers, careers and life.”

Venza said teachers and parents need to work together to support children in trying new ways of learning, especially because a child can become stressed if they don’t master new topics right away.

Skinner said the relationship between parents and teachers is “vital” because children may try to play one off against the other if they are not on the same page. He compared it to children who will ask a parent for something in a sneaky way when their parent turns them down.

It also helps if both parties are forgiving of each other, Skinner added.

“When teachers and parents come together and see each other as people first, your child’s educational journey will go much more smoothly,” Skinner said.

Most importantly, remember to cherish the memories of the first day—and everything that led up to it. Standing outside the classroom, Greenberg encouraged parents to take a mental snapshot.

“I promise this day will bring tears to your eyes when you think about it in 10 years,” Greenberg said. “Or five years. Or one year.”

One parent added: “Or right now.”

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