Middleton Public School welcomed 22 fresh-faced youngsters on Thursday morning for the first day of kindergarten.

They're among the 172 kindies that started in Parkes this week and 200 across the shire.

There were lots of smiles, laughs, excitement and a few tears.

Our journalists stopped in at some of the schools in town yesterday morning to capture the students, some with their families, on their first day of kindergarten.

Here are our photos.

There are multiple galleries and photos will appear in the print edition of the Parkes Champion Post from next week.

See part 1 of the Middleton Public School kindy gallery here.