Review: The Day You Begin is here to help kids prepare for the first day of school

It's utterly nerve-wracking to be going into a new space where you don't know anyone, especially when it's a situation where you know you're going to be doing a lot of socializing. A new job, a class, a club. There's perhaps no such situation as earth-shattering and impactful as a kid's first day of school. Some of these kids probably barely even understand what going to school entails: You mean I have to go here every day? For how long? It's a huge deal, and one that PBS Kids is helping prepare young viewers for right ahead of the new school year starting (wow, how is it already August??) with its wonderful new special, The Day You Begin, based on the book by Jacqueline Woodson.

The 45-ish-minute special follows four kids attending their first day of kindergarten, with various levels of anxiety and excitement. All kinds of first-day jitters are accounted for: what if other kids don't like what I like? What if I don't make friends? What if I don't know what to do? 

Watching the kids get dropped off had me feeling supremely grateful I'm not a parent, nor will I ever be. I am such an emotional wreck, and I simply do not think I could handle dropping my kid off at their first day of school, watching them deal with those big feelings, the uncertainty, all of it. I know those milestones are cause for celebration rather than dread, but as someone who hates noticing the passage of time/fears dying/hates aging/etc., I think that would be a lot for me to deal with.

The special does a lovely job of laying out what school is, what a day might look like, how a classroom could be set up. As the son of a former kindergarten teacher, I thought all the major points were accounted for. The class's teacher, the charming (and hot) Mr. Veve is gentle, caring, and meets each student where they're at. He gives a tour of the room, showing the kids the library, their cubbies, the various centers where they can do different activities, the quiet corner. I can just imagine kids at home watching this with wide eyes and imagining what their favorite parts of their soon-to-be classrooms will be, what games they want to play, what books they want to read (once, you know, they learn how to read). 

After the table is set, each of our main kids gets their time to shine. We start with Angelina, a shy and bookish girl whose main anxiety is if anyone will like her. Luckily, her new friends think it's supremely cool that she already knows how to read, and she spends time in the library reading one of her books aloud, showing them what they have to look forward to. Once they all learn how to read, they'll be able to go on these amazing journeys to far-off places just by opening a book.

Next up is Rigoberto, who recently moved to New York from Venezuela. He misses his grandma and his dog who stayed behind, and he's anxious to find new friends who like playing baseball. At recess, everyone else seems to have other games and activities they want to do instead, making him feel a bit lonely, but soon enough, everyone's talking about how they want him to show them the ropes of America's pastime the next day.

Mirin is a Korean-American girl who is brassy and loud (and, thus, my favorite of the kids). She doesn't seem to have any anxiety surrounding her first day of school. She's confident in her identity, her family, and her culture. She especially loves food, and she's excited to show off her lunch in the cafeteria, but her friends are a bit put-off by her food, since it's unrecognizable to them. Mr. Veve swoops in to comment on how good her food looks, and to show the kids that some of the ingredients aren't so different from things they might eat at home (for instance, he points out that rice is the most popular food in the world). By the end of lunch, Mirin is showing her friends how to use chopsticks, and has them all excited to try eating seaweed for the first time.

Finally, we have Andre, a sensitive and artistic kid who probably has the hardest time of anyone. He has trouble with loud sounds, and kindergarteners are some of the loudest people on the planet, so his part of the film is about his friends learning how to be supportive without being intrusive, and realizing that sometimes the best way to be a friend is to give a little space.

Throughout the film, our characters learn skills to be good students, good friends, and good citizens of the world. They learn that the things that make them unique are worthy of celebration, and it's exciting to learn new things from your friends. This is primo educational content, but not of the dry variety. It's colorful and fun, and the song that weaves throughout is so jaunty and catchy, I was happily singing along by the end.

I can't recommend The Day You Begin enough for young viewers, especially ones who might be going to school for the first time this year. It'll help them know what to expect, prepare for the new challenges that might arise, and get excited for all the new friends they'll meet and things they'll learn.

Check your local listings to find out what time The Day You Begin airs on your local PBS affiliate this Friday, or catch it on the PBS Kids app once it's added there.