40 Teacher-Inspired Ideas for the First Day of School Activities
The first day of school can be an exciting time for teachers and students, but it can be an anxious time, too. What can you do to make sure your students (and you!) feel at home in the classroom on that first day?
Here are some teacher-inspired first-day-of-school activities for primary school children that teachers can use in their classrooms this back-to-school season.
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Do you wonder what to do with your students on the first day of school? The first day of elementary school is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for both students and parents. It marks the beginning of a new adventure as children explore new ideas, make new friends, and learn to navigate their ever-growing independence.
No matter how prepared a student or teacher may feel, it’s normal to have some butterflies in your stomach on the big day. With the right attitude and preparation, however, the first day of any grade in elementary school can be a wonderful experience that sets the tone for a successful year full of growth and exploration.
How can teachers help students transition from a summer at home to school on the first day of a new year? Check out these fun first-day-of-school activities to help students get to know one another and make it the best first day! You can use these fun activities in your lesson plans during the first week of school!
40 First Day of School Activities
Here are 40 surefire tips for making your first day back to school successful! Scroll to the comments for even more ideas!
Read First Day Jitters by Julie Danneburg
First Day Jitters is a great book to break the ice with your students. There are several activities for the first-day jitters book.
To make it extra special, serve Jitter Juice! Then, have students write YOU a letter with ideas on why you shouldn’t be nervous. It’ll get a few kids thinking about their jitters, and maybe they can help each other, too!
This is an excellent way for students to reflect on their feelings about the first school day and make meaningful connections with the text.
Do a classroom or school tour
Show your kiddos where all the classroom supplies are and help them know what areas are for them and for you only. Are students new to the school?
Take them around the whole school and show them where the bathrooms, the gym, the cafeteria, etc. Teach them the computer lab rules and lunchtime procedures. This is a great opportunity for new students to get to know their new school.
If your social studies standards include learning about maps, this is also a good time to lay a foundation for classroom and school maps.
Create a Scavenger Hunt
Take it a step further and create a scavenger hunt for students. Creating a scavenger hunt as a first day of school activity is an excellent way to engage students and break the ice on day one.
Create questions or tasks related to the classroom, school, or surrounding area, and have students work independently or in teams to find the answers.
Make a picture keepsake
Don’t forget this one! Take a picture of each student on their first day back to school, then take one on the last day of school. Turn it into a keepsake at the end of the year.
Better yet, let students draw a self-portrait on the first day and then again on the last day. Compare! They might have changed, and their drawing skills will surely have, too!
One-on-one time
One key first-day-of-school activity that I always make a point of doing is spending a few minutes one-on-one with each student. Get to know them, introduce yourself, giggle, and encourage them. Making that personal connection on the first day is so important! You may get teacher inspiration and insights into your students that you can use all year!
As you meet with each student, take along a clipboard or sticky notes. Jot down a few memorable notes about the student. At the end of the day, gather these notes together. Reflect on your class as a whole. What makes each student unique? How can they be an integral part of your class?
Take it a step further and turn these notes into words of encouragement. Write on students’ desks and leave a note about what you love about each student.
Back to School Craft
Are you ready for some downtime at the end of the first day?
You might need some, too! This is one of my favorite activities for the first day of school.
It allows the kids to wind down and still be productive. In this Back-to-School Bus Craftivity Flap Book students tell about themselves, review the rules, reflect on their day, and think about being a good classmate.
It makes a fun keepsake, too. Parents will thank you!
Teacher Q&A
Have fun with this one in a couple of different ways. Sit in a circle with your students and let them ask you questions like: What’s your favorite food? Color? Animal? Candy? Etc.
Or, make a quiz and see if they can guess the answers to these questions.
It’s a great way for your students to know more about you, a very important person in their day.
Start Your Community Circle
This is also a great opportunity to establish a community circle routine. Using a community circle in the classroom is an effective way to foster empathy and collaboration among students. A community circle creates a safe, non-threatening space for students to discuss their ideas and feelings with each other.
Community circles allow for a greater understanding and appreciation of different perspectives, which can help reduce conflict in the classroom. Creating an environment where all students are respected makes learning more meaningful and engaging.
Community circles also provide opportunities for teachers to guide conversations by introducing topics and raising questions that will help strengthen relationships. In this way, students are encouraged to think critically and find creative solutions to problems together.
Need some community-building question ideas? I’ve got 67 for you!
Make a classroom cheer
Who doesn’t love a good team cheer? Sit down with your students and brainstorm a catchy classroom cheer you can use throughout the year. This is a great team-building activity!
Discuss the Student’s and Teacher’s Roles in the Classroom
Do you know what your students expect out of the year? Do they? Have them do an activity with them to list their own personal goals for the school year.
This blog post has some great anchor charts that show how students define good friends, their role as students, a teacher’s role, and their parent’s role. It’s a great starting point for a discussion about classroom expectations.
Build community with a Class Mission Statement
Make a mission statement or class pledge/promise, and recite this each morning. Making a class mission statement aligns well with student goal-setting.
Once students define who they are as a community, they can set goals that align with the mission statement.
Create Name Labels or Name Tags
Make name cards for desks, lockers, or cubbies. Let students write their own names and decorate a border around them. Then, laminate, and voila!
Each desk or cubbie has a personal touch. At the end of the year, you could even add name tags to students’ portfolios.
Beach Ball Ice Breaker
Take a permanent marker and write questions on a beach ball. Sit in a circle with your students and toss the beach ball to each other. Each time students catch the ball, they answer any of the questions visible, then toss it to someone else.
It’s a fun way for students to get to know each other and you!
Survey Students
Create a blank bar graph on chart paper, or better yet, create a horizontal and vertical bar graph. Use it throughout the day and week to survey students about various favorite things. Give each student a sticky note. As a question, have groups of students place their sticky notes in the correct columns.
Your students will love the interactiveness of sticky notes and placing them on chart paper! This is a cheat sheet for getting to know your students better, AND you can weave in some math skill work, too! Teachers will learn about important ideas about their students, too!
When I was a kid, I loved filling out little surveys that asked me all about myself! Besides the standard questions about their hobbies, siblings, or summers, don’t forget to ask some silly questions to make it extra fun!
Rules and Procedures and Classroom Routines
While you’re busy making this the most fun first day ever for your students, don’t forget the rules and classroom procedures.
Don’t skip this.
It is an essential part of ensuring your school year runs smoothly. Knowing what is expected of them is of great benefit to your students—and let’s be honest with you as well!
Party! Party! Party!
How exciting is the first day of school? Exciting enough for a welcome-back party!
No, really! Why wait until the end of the year?
Serve baked goods, orange or apple juice (or jitter juice! See #1), bananas, and grapes.
Include circle time to share summer stories and dance those jitters away!
Eat lunch with your students
Consider eating lunch with your students. Especially on the first day, showing your kids that your class is “family.”
Read aloud – a lot!
Reading out loud to your students often instills a lifelong love of reading in their hearts.
Choose quality books that take their nervousness away, make them laugh, or build their self-esteem and team spirit.
Don’t be afraid of classics with harder-to-understand language. Kids can fill in the gaps; it builds their vocabulary, and when the storyline is riveting, they will get it.
The first day back at school is a great time to relax and read to your students.
Create a welcome swag-bag
You love free gifts. I love free gifts. I don’t think many people wouldn’t love a free gift. Do you want to know who loves them the most? Your students!
Create a little welcome bag with treats and gifts for each student. Give it to them right after greeting them at the door!
Or, give each student a gift at the end of the day to congratulate them on a great first day. If your classroom has a theme, you might want to consider a gift that matches that theme!
Greet Students at the Door
Adults love to feel important and to know that they are seen. So do kids! Your students want to know they aren’t invisible to you.
So, first things first: Greet your students at the door. Meet them at their eye level and let them know you are excited to be their teacher. Introduce yourself, learn their name, and make this a positive start of their day.
Why not do this every day for the remainder of the school year?
Create a Puzzle
Kids love puzzles! It’s a great community-building activity that encourages creativity and cooperation.
I love using this Community Building Puzzle on the first day of school. I leave a puzzle piece on each student’s desk first thing in the morning. As students enter, they find a seat, write their name on their puzzle pieces, and decorate it.
Create your own giant puzzle pieces, or save time and sanity and get this one.
Students can color the whole piece or decorate the borders. They can write their name or list their favorite things. The possibilities are endless!
After they finish decorating, you can sit in circle time or have students sit at their desks. Use the pieces to introduce yourselves to each other and/or glue all of the pieces together and post it to a bulletin board labeled “A Perfect Fit…For a Perfect Year!”
Find Someone Who . . .
It’s a classic icebreaker game! Make a list of characteristics/experiences your students might have in common.
Think of “Find someone who has the same color hair as you,” or “Find someone who has the same kind of pet.”
Don’t overthink it, but make it fun.
Students walk around the room, list in hand, and find other students who will have something in common with them. They write the name of the person they found next to the question.
It’s easy, it’s fun, and it’s a great community-building activity.
Read The Kissing Hand Book
You cannot miss this one if you teach a lower elementary class, such as Kindergarten or First Grader!
For example, have your students trace their hands (they might need you to do that!) and cut it out. Glue a heart in the palm of the paper hand and fold the fingers down (but don’t glue the fingers!).
Teach your students “I love you” in sign language & give them a note with a chocolate kiss at the end of the day.
Ensure your kids take this “kissing hand” back home that same day to show their loved ones.
Ask Parents to Get Involved
We often ask students to write about themselves, but what about asking the parents to write something about their children?
You will receive insight into your children’s personalities that will help individualize your attention, care, and understanding of each student.
Use GoNoodle for Brain Breaks
Hey, teacher! (Hey, what?) Are you ready? (For what?) To pop! (Pop what?) Pop See Ko! I love GoNoodle. Chances are, your students love it, too. If not, they will!
It is the silliest, goofiest way to keep your students active and giggling. Just pull up YouTube, get them out of their chairs, and shake off the jitters (and sugar… if you had a welcome back party or allowed them to eat the candy you just put in that welcome swag bag above).
Social Contract
This activity is fun for upper elementary or middle schoolers and helps establish classroom management expectations.
Create four posters with one question on each. The questions should be something like:
- How do I want to be treated by the teacher?
- How do I want to be treated by other students?
- How do I treat the teacher?
- How do we solve conflicts?
Have each student write answers to each question on a sticky note and place the notes on the poster. Once everyone has placed a sticky note on each poster, break the classroom into four groups. One group for each poster. Each group will then sort the sticky notes into commonality. The group will agree on and write the best answers (multiple) on the poster.
Display the four posters in a prominent place and tell your students that this is the Social Contract of the class. It’s a great way to build community and set boundaries. Your students will love it because they helped set the rules. It will give a sense of ownership and understanding of others, too.
Getting to Know You Small Group Craftivity
Break your students into small groups for a fun craftivity that will help them build community and treat others with kindness.
Each group has paper shapes that each student can cut out and decorate. On each shape, write sentences for the students to complete.
Start the sentences with things like “I feel appreciated when…” or “I feel ___ when ___”. You can find a fun example already prepared for you here.
When I grow Up
What are your students’ dreams? What are their hopes beyond the first or last day of school? Do they want to be doctors, astronauts, or Lego designers?
Ask them!
You can utilize a “When I grow up, I want to be ___” or “When I grow up, I want to ___” in various ways.
Make it part of a giant puzzle (see # 2) or an icebreaker (see #3).
You can use it as a calm-down activity in circle time or at their desks. Ask each student and listen to their answers. Their dreams might surprise you!
Read The Name Jar
Students love this book and will talk about it throughout the year. You can make a fun assignment from this, too. Have your students go home and find out how they got their names. It’s a fun, investigative activity they can do with their families.
After they find out how they got their name, have them write about it. It makes an excellent first writing assignment for the year.
They’ll learn and appreciate their name, plus the names of their classmates—another tremendous community-building activity.
Who Goes Where?
This one is really important and cannot be skipped. Before school begins, ensure parents know to show up with their kids on the first day of school. They can help with what we call the “who’s going where?” sheet.
It helps you know which students will be picked up by their parents, which students ride the school bus, and which students stay for after-school care (and who will pick them up later).
Each student has their own card. For students with parents picking them up right away, take their picture with the parent. For bus riders, take their picture with a bus sign and the student. For after-school care, take a picture of the student, the parent who will pick them up, and the school mascot.
Later, all the pictures are added to cards, laminated, and attached to a binder ring to hang by the door. If students have different pickup days, you can write that on the back of the card as needed.
This is a great help in remembering who belongs to whom and keeps your students safe!
Two Truths and a Lie
This is a fun icebreaker game to play. Have each student think of three “facts” about themselves they want to share with the class. Two of these “facts” must be true, and one must be a lie.
The rest of the class has to guess which one is the lie. Prepare for some off-the-wall answers and lots of laughter. This is also a great way to learn fun facts about your students!
What I Really Want to Learn
Make a poster with the words “What I really want to learn” at the top. Have each student write something on it that they would love to learn during the school year.
It’s a great insight into their hobbies and interests. Use the ideas from the list as random activities and lessons throughout the year.
Summer Postcards
Before school starts, get a list of your students as soon as possible. Over the summer, send each student postcards.
Tell them how excited you are to meet them on the first day of school. Write them silly things about what you’re doing over the summer.
Make it adventurous or funny. Above all, make them feel valued before they even meet you.
Just Like Me
This is a fun icebreaker to play. Have the entire class sit in a large circle or oval. One student stands and tells the class something that they did over the summer (or over the weekend, if you play this at different times during the year) like “I flew on an airplane,” or “I went to the beach.”
If any other student (or you!) did the same thing, they get to stand up and enthusiastically say “Just like me!” Then, the next student stands and says something. The game continues until every student has a chance to tell something they did.
Human Bingo – Find Someone Who Activity
Another great way to change up the get-to-know-you icebreaker. Make bingo boards with activity or characteristic squares. Each square should say something like “Flew on an airplane,” “plays the piano,” “plays soccer,” etc.
This activity is also called Find Someone Who.
Give each student a bingo card. They go around the room to find other students that fit the square’s description. When they find someone, they write their name over the square.
The first student to fill the whole board wins a prize like a homework pass or something similar.
Kindness Quilt
This is a craft your students will treasure throughout the year. Give each student a square of fabric they can decorate. Have them write kind messages and color their squares.
When they finish, take the squares and have them sewn together into a quilt. Hang the quilt up in the room as a kindness reminder. Your students will love that they helped create something beautiful for the class.
Self Portrait
On the first day of school, have your students draw self-portraits. Make it fun or silly with googly eyes or yarn for hair.
However, if they want to draw themselves, let them. Hang them up in the hallway as part of a large poster that introduces them as your students.
Dear Me Letter
Ask your students to write a letter to themselves. Have them write about what they are looking forward to for the year, or what they might be nervous about, or how they feel.
Keep the letters and return them to the students on the last day of the year. They’ll be amazed at how much their handwriting improved and how much they’ve grown during the year.
Do a STEM Challenge
Kickstart your science lessons with engaging team-building activities and STEM challenges right from day one of the new school year.
These STEM challenges foster cooperative learning and ignite curiosity and critical thinking, setting the stage for an exciting and immersive learning experience for your new class.
Encourage your Grade Level Team
Be a team encourager! Put together a small gift for everyone on your teaching team (or the whole school staff). Include a note wishing them the greatest year ever.
Create a Small Booklet
Teach students to create a small booklet from a piece of paper. Have them jot down things they want to remember from the first day of school.
Don’t forget you on the first day of class!
This one’s for you. If you haven’t already done so, go to your classroom well before school starts, organize your desk, pour yourself that coffee, and put all that dark chocolate in your drawer.
This blog post about my favorite Teacher School Supplies will give you a few more ideas to add to your teacher area!
Walk through the school to get a feel for the school climate and meet the people you will be working with this year.
Smile
Last but not least, Smile! Be a positive you. Be approachable, laugh, and enjoy yourself!
EVEN More Back-to-School Ideas and Activities
Are you looking for more back-to-school ideas? Here are a few more:
- 9 Ways to Start the Year Off Right
- Five Things to Keep in Mind on the First Day of School
- Cooperative Learning Activities for the First Day of School
- 3 Tips to Get Ready for Back to School
- Teacher School Supplies You Can’t Live Without
- 80 Sponge Activities: A Teacher’s Guide to Making Every Minute Count
- Virtual Icebreakers for Distance Learning
- Create a School Time Capsule
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I always talk about goals with my students, and then take pictures with them holding a sign that says it is the 1st day of 2nd grade, and what they want to be when they grow up. We see how it changes throughout the year!
Another thing I do is read the book “The Name Jar” and then send home an activity for them to do with their families so they can find out how they got their name. It turns into our first writing assignment of the year, and is always exciting to learn about each of my students. They also really love this and remember it, and refer back to it many times throughout the year!
On the first day of school I always have students share what they feel will make our year the most successful, what they’ll need from me as their teacher, what they’ll need to contribute as a student, and what they’ll need from their classmates. This is a very good segway into expectations, and we start building a sense of community right away.
I always take a tour of the school on the first day!! It’s so cute when the kids walk through the cafeteria with their pretend lunch trays and lunch boxes! 🙂
I share the book “First Day Jitters” and serve the class jitter juice
I always like to talk about expectations and I plan to read first day jitters and schools first day of school. Always like to show they aren’t the only ones who get nervous.
I always read The Kissing Hand and practice routines with my new kinders!
As a reading specialist my first day is spent helping parents and students get to the right classrooms, helping classroom teachers and meetings to prepare for the beginning of the year assessments. On my first day with students I go over procedures and get to know them as readers.
I always read First Day Jitters and the kids draw a picture of themselves on the first day of school. I have them try and write about how they felt on their way to school that day.
One first thing I always do is tell my students how important and special they are and let them know tgat I chose them to be in my classroom. This helps establish a “family” environment for all of them.
On the first day of school I like to do a “Getting to Know Me” and a “Getting to Know my Classroom” scoot around the room. My students really seem to enjoy these scoots and the interaction that it creates. Oh, and the “Grand” conversations afterwards is priceless.
I always read “You’re Finally Here!” and have students share something they did during the summer while I was waiting for them. I also make time for students to draw a picture of themselves on the first day.
On the first day of school, I always have the K4 parents and kids help me fill out the “who’s going where?” sheet. It lets me know who are the pick up people and if they are bus, pick up or after school care. Then we take a picture of the child and pick up person together for a card for the sub, if the child is a busser we hold up my bus sign with number and take a picture and if they are after school care we have a panther(our mascot) and a picture. All the cards get laminated and put in a binder ring to hang by the door. It helps me the first few weeks and any subs in my class with pick up. If a child is more than one thing on different days I label the back of the card with the days of the week. Then I can use a dry erase marker to mark the cards for those “parent note” days of changes.
I have always wanted to play a super fun game that the students would talk about at home and help them look forward to being in class.
One thing we always do on the first day of school is learn our rules, routines, and expectations. We have lessons in them, role play, and even play a Kahoot to make sure we have them completely ingrained in us. Makes the rest of the year sooooo much better!
I try to have a one on one discussion with each student. I get on their level, look them in the eye, and try very hard to make a real connection with what they are saying. I want them to go home the first day knowing that I will listen and really do care about them!
On the first day of school, we always have a huge school wide first day event, where the teachers plan different activities for students to participate in, such as a hike or bike ride, rock climbing and zumba. We have a great day and the principal helps cook a BBQ for everyone to enjoy!
On the first day of school my 4th graders will draw a picture of a person or animal and we will talk about “what a friend is”. I will show them my what a friend is” poster and they will then label their drawing either copying mine or putting it in their own words.
I always do a Pete the Cat school tour. It is a great way to show the students around our school and they LOVE finding notes from Pete. At the end Pete leaves us a special treat in our room.
I always tell them how excited I am to be their teacher, and have them complete an “All About Me” page to help me get to know them. It also gives a quick assessment of their writing ability.
One thing I always do on there first day is read “First Day Jitters” and talk about how we are feeling about being at school, figuring out what they would like to learn this year and just do an overall temperature check.
I always have my students take a quiz about me to introduce myself. I am a math teacher so all the answers are numbers. After each slide I give them the correct answer and give them details about the question. An example is How many states have I lived in? The answer is 8 states and then I tell about each state I lived in and when. The students enjoy the quiz and we all have some fun with it. I also have an entrance ticket where they have to write down one thing they know about me (before we take the quiz) and then an exit ticket that allows them to ask me something they still want to know about me. Finally, their homework for the first week is to fill in a Who I Am sheet so I can get to know them.
I always take their picture and hang them on my door in little IPhones with the #firstsay!
I always do an All About Me activity with the kids.
I begin the school year by introducing myself to the students. Then, each student shares information about themselves. We spend the rest of the day practicing procedures, including how to wash their hands.
I’ve always left a letter I have written to them and at the end I ask them to write me back and answer specific questions.
On the first day of school I always have my first graders draw self portraits. They can use google eyes for their eyes. They love that! I display them in the hall with a poster in the shape of a crayon box that says, “Introducing Mrs. Pierce’s Pack!”.
On the first day of school I share my owl Oliver with my class and we talk about wise and unwise choices.
I always tell them how happy I am that I get to be their teacher!
We love taking our back to school pictures then circle up for introductions & procedures.
I always have my students make a kindergarten crown!
I always play some team building games with my students. It helps the kids to learn each other’s names, form bonds and it creates a conversation starter for the playground.
Every year I take first day of school picture of the class & then put it in a frame that sits on a shelf next to a picture of my family.
One thing I always do on the first day of school is create classroom expectations with my students.
On the first day of school, I have my students fill out a learning styles inventory to find out what their learning style is. Then, I have them create a name tent on card stock (folded horizontally). On one side they write their name in the middle, on the top left they write their learning style, on the top right a career the student would like to have, on the bottom left, three words that describe the student, and on the bottom right an interesting fact about themselves. On the back of the nameplate, the students divide it into four sections where they write goals every nine weeks. This name tent is kept in their binder and is used all year. These name tents can also be used when there is a sub instead of nametags.
Tbis is my second year teaching. The one thing I did last year was say hello to every student at the door. I started it last year on the first day and continued it every day. I plan on doing it again this year! The students loved that little bit of positivity and it always started the day off right!!
One of the books I always read on the first day is Jack’s Talent by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. I take the kids’ pictures holding a frame that says “Official First Grader” in big glitter letters. Near the end of the day, they draw a picture on a “first day” page. Some write a little, some dictate to me. I give these papers back on the last day of school. They are always amazed at how much more they can do!
One thing I always do on the first day of school is send home a note to parents asking for their input about their child. I leave it open ended saying something like ” please tell me anything you would like me to know about… most parents give me good incite to kids background etc.
I always wake up really, really early. I always greet each child as they enter the classroom and let them know that I’m excited to be their teacher.
Read a book and smile!
I always read Bucket Filler books and talk about ways we can fill each others’ buckets. As a contrast I read Yertle the Turtle and we discuss how he is a bucket dumper. I also play Bingo with student names to help us get familiar seeing names in print.
Today..he first day of school…we read First day Jitters. I love read alouds! Wendy 1stgradefireworks
One thing I always do is have my students fill out a list of their favorite things, then sharing what they wrote. They are surprised by how much they have in common and I get to learn a lot about them as well!
One thing that I always do is go over my classroom expectations so that the students know how I will hold them accountable, but also so students and parents know how they can expect to hold me accountable as well.
This is my first year teaching. One thing I want to make a yearly tradition is having the students create an “all about me” page to hangup on our hallway display.
I am a Spanish teacher.I always start the first day playing Spanish music (usually ABBA’s Dancing Queen in Spanish) as the students come in along with a power point seating chart with their names and assigned numbered seats moving around on the smart board. It periodically stops , they listen to the music and it starts up again. It starts the class with a smile from everyone. They can hear the music down the hall so it makes them excited to come in and see what is going on. I then give a smart board presentation with some Spanish memes as to what we will be doing throughout the year. We have shortened periods the first day, so the teaching period goes very fast.
One thing I started last year that I plan to do again this year is an interactive science all about me with questions on a beach ball.
Every year on the first day of school I play get to know you games and the name game.
One thing I plan to do on the first day is have the students tell of what they think the school year is going to be. Then at the end of the year have them recap how the year was and compare to what they said on the first day.
On the first day of school I always play a game right away. I just call it “The Name Game”. The first student says his/her name and says something he likes to do while acting it out. For example, a student would say, “My name is Shannon and I like to lay basketball.” The student would act out shooting a basketball hoop and the rest of the class would follow. Then, the next student says the previous students name, what that student likes to do (while acting it out) and follow the same routine for herself. This continues until the last person in the circle says everyone’s names and what they like to do. I usually follow up with a quick writing activity about themselves.
I always take a first day photo. This is used as the background on each students’ iPad, their lunch choice magnet, etc. I love taking one at the end of the year so they can compare and see how much they’ve grown.