Find out the weekly schedule so you can “talk up” whatever it is he’s going to do that day. Tell your child, “It’s a very special day today at school—it’s ART/MUSIC/COOKING/STORY day!” As long as you use an emphatic tone of voice, he’ll get excited.

Tell your child that it’s a special “wishing” day for every kid who goes to school that day—and that when you pick him up, he’ll get to make a wish for anything he wants.

Take your child shopping for “school stuff”—a lunchbox, backpack, new coat, etc. Let him pick items he really loves, but tell him that he can only use them for school. An Elmo lunchbox or Dora the Explorer backpack is a powerful motivator.

With your child’s help, make a special “school map” that shows the route you’ll take to school every day. Keep it in a special place, and when it’s almost time to leave for school, tell your child that “you can’t forget your map” and that you need his help remembering how to get to school.