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First Day Nerves Worksheet: Free Printable Worksheet for Reception

  • ForReception
  • StageEarly Years
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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First Day Nerves Worksheet is a free printable activity for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children draw how they feel about starting school and what helps them feel calmer. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Page 1 is headed How I feel and What helps me. It has boxes for drawing or notes and lines for writing. Children draw first, then talk about their picture while a grown up writes down their words. They name a feeling about starting school and choose something that helps them feel calmer. There is no pressure to get it right.

  • How I feel
  • What helps me

Why talk about starting school?

Starting Reception is a big change for many children. There is a new room, new faces and new routines. Some children feel excited, some feel shy and many feel a mix of both. Talking about this before and after the first day helps children see that feelings are normal and can be shared. It also gives adults a clear idea of what each child needs.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development is one of the main areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It includes learning to understand feelings and to manage them, which sits within the Self Regulation strand. Young children often find it easier to draw a feeling than to explain it. A picture gives them something to point to and talk about.

Adults can use the picture as a starting point for a calm chat.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Naming feelings
  • Talking about worries
  • Choosing ways to feel calmer
  • Listening to a grown up
  • Drawing to share ideas

This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.

Framework Subject or area Strand Year
Early Years Foundation Stage Personal, Social and Emotional Development Self-Regulation Reception

What children will be able to do

  • I can say how I feel about starting school.
  • I can talk about my worries with a grown up.
  • I can choose something that helps me feel calmer.

Ideas for the grown up

  • Let them draw firstDrawing gives children time to think. Wait until the picture is finished, then ask them to tell you about it.
  • Write down their wordsUse your child's own words on the lines. Seeing their ideas written down shows that you are listening.
  • Share a feeling of your ownYou might say you felt nervous on a first day once. It shows that nerves are normal and can pass.
  • Keep it calm and shortStop if your child has had enough. You can return to the sheet another day without any fuss.

Key words

  • NervousA worried, fluttery feeling you can get before something new.
  • ExcitedA happy feeling when you are looking forward to something.
  • ShyFeeling quiet or unsure around people you do not know yet.
  • CalmFeeling settled and peaceful.
  • WorryA thought that makes you feel uneasy. Telling someone can make it smaller.
  • FeelingWhat you notice inside you, such as happy, sad, cross or nervous.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself.
  2. Sit with your child. Let them draw first, then ask about the picture.
  3. Write down what they say on the lines. Talk about each choice together the first time.
  4. Check page 2 for notes and the answers. Listen to your child's reasons as well.
  5. Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Offer feelings words such as nervous, excited, shy or happy. Point to a word and ask, "Is it like this?" Let your child pick one or show it with their face. Draw alongside them if they do not want to draw alone.

To stretch confident children

Draw a second picture of what school will look like. Then add the people and places your child expects to see, such as a teacher, a coat peg or the playground. Ask what they are looking forward to.

Make it a game

Practise a deep breath together. Smell the flower, then blow out a pretend candle. Do it slowly three times. Take turns to be the leader. Try it before drawing, or before leaving the house on a school morning.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child says "I'm fine" and will not draw.

Try thisOffer feelings words and draw beside them. Say that lots of children feel unsure, and let them join in when they are ready.

Watch forA child draws a worry but nothing that helps.

Try thisAsk, "What would make that feel smaller?" Suggest ideas such as a cuddle, a friend or a deep breath, and let them choose.

Watch forThe grown up rushes to reassure and the child stops talking.

Try thisListen first and write down what they say. Reassure afterwards, once they have finished.

Talk about it

  • Which part of school are you looking forward to most?
  • Is there anything about school that feels a bit tricky?
  • What helps you feel better when you are worried?
  • Who could you talk to at school if you felt unsure?
  • What would you tell a friend who felt nervous?
  • Can you show me your calm breathing?

Take it off the page

Teddy goes to school

Set up a soft toy as a new child. Act out saying goodbye, walking in and meeting a teacher. Ask your child how the toy feels and what might help.

Feelings in picture books

Look through a favourite story together. Pause on a page and ask how a character feels. Talk about how you can tell from their face.

Walk the school route

Walk or talk through the way to school. Point out places you will pass. Familiar routes can make a new place feel less strange.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Listen more than you talk. Use page 2 for ideas if they get stuck, and come back to the sheet before or after the first week.

Teachers

Use it as a settling in activity, a table task or a circle time starter. It needs no preparation beyond printing. It links to the Self Regulation strand of Personal, Social and Emotional Development and helps you hear what each child needs.

Home educators

Pair it with picture books, role play and chat on the way to school. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it later to see how feelings have changed.

Where this fits

Before this, younger children practise simple routines and saying goodbye. Goodbye Routine Cards from the Mini Minds Hub is a good step on from that. Children learn that separation is part of the day and that there are ways to make it easier.

After this, children can keep building the habit of naming feelings and asking for help. Good Listening Ears Chart supports talking and listening in class. Over time, these skills help children share worries early and manage their feelings with more confidence.

Check it worked

Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.

  1. How does your body feel when you are nervous?
  2. What helps you feel better when you are worried?
  3. Who could you talk to at school if you felt unsure?

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is First Day Nerves Worksheet for?

It is written for Reception, ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger or older children can use it too, as long as they enjoy drawing and talking about feelings with a grown up.

What will children practise?

Children name feelings about starting school and find a way to feel calmer. They also practise talking about worries with a trusted adult. It supports the Self Regulation strand of Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

How do I use it?

Sit with your child and let them draw first. Then ask about the picture and write down what they say. Work through it together the first time, and come back to it another day to build confidence.

What if it feels too hard?

Offer feelings words such as nervous, excited, shy or happy, and let your child choose one. You can also draw beside them. Stop and return later if they have had enough. There is no rush.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters or for another group, and use it again later in the term.

Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, a circle time activity, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.

Do I need to print in colour or use a screen?

No to both. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. It is a screen free activity that needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.

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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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