Blog post written and submitted by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC

It’s that time of year again! Time to pick out a new backpack, sharpen pencils, and get ready to learn! For the first time in almost 18 months, children around the country are getting ready to go back to school for in-person learning. This can be a daunting time for any child, but may be especially unnerving for little ones. However, once you read Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin, your child will become familiar with some of the places in and around school. The laid-back song that accompanies this storybook will help to put your child at ease and feel more confident when it’s time to tackle in-person learning.

This story begins with Pete the Cat walking down the sidewalk in his new “school shoes.” Pete then gets on the school bus and rides it to school. Throughout the story, different places within the school setting are described and introduced: the library, the lunchroom, and the playground. In each setting, Pete is engaging in an activity while wearing his “school shoes.”

When reading this storybook with your child, encourage them to pick out some details: What is Pete reading about? What is he eating for lunch? Where is he playing on the playground? Not only will these questions allow your child to practice comprehension skills, but it will also give them ideas as to what they may do (read, eat, play, etc.) in certain settings in school.

One of my absolute favorite activities in school was coloring; and now it’s a part of my self-care routine! If your child enjoys coloring, check out our Rockin My School Shoes activity, where they can color a picture of what their back-to-school shoes look like. Encourage your child, while coloring, to think about the different activities they may do in their “school shoes.” You could also talk to your child about the range of emotions they may be feeling about starting a new school year. Check out our blog post about using social songs to help with the the transition back to school. 

Click here to purchase this storybook on Amazon. 

Best of luck to you and your kiddos in this new school year and happy reading!