30 First Day of School Activities for Elementary Students
The first day of school activities, you choose, sets the tone for everything that follows. Students are nervous, curious, and watching everything you do — and the right mix of icebreakers, community building, and creative activities can turn that anxious energy into something that actually works in your favor.
These are 30 first day of school activities for elementary classrooms that help students feel at home, learn each other’s names, and give you a real picture of who you’re working with this year.
This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. We appreciate your support!
Icebreakers and Name Games for the First Day of School
The earlier students know each other’s names, the faster the classroom starts to feel like a community. These icebreakers are low-pressure, easy to run, and genuinely fun — even for students who are shy.
1. Beach Ball Icebreaker
Write questions on a beach ball with a permanent marker before the day starts. Sit in a circle, toss the ball, and whoever catches it answers any question visible on the ball before tossing it to someone else. It gets students talking without putting anyone too much on the spot. Works at every grade level. Grades K–5.
2. Just Like Me
Sit in a large circle. One student stands and shares something they did over the summer. Any student who did the same thing stands up and says “Just like me!” enthusiastically, then sits back down. Students quickly discover what they have in common, and the energy in the room picks up fast. Grades K–5.
3. Human Bingo / Find Someone Who
Give each student a bingo-style card with squares like “flew on an airplane” or “has a dog.” Students walk around the room, finding classmates who fit each square and writing their name in it. The first student to fill the whole board wins. This is also called Find Someone Who — you can grab a free version to use right away. Grades 1–5.
4. Two Truths and a Lie
Each student shares three “facts” about themselves — two true and one made up. The class guesses which one is the lie. Prepare for some creative answers and a lot of laughter. It’s also a good way for you to learn surprising things about your students early on. Grades 2–5.
5. Teacher Q&A
Let students ask you questions — favorite food, favorite color, favorite animal, anything they want to know. You can answer on the spot, or turn it into a quiz where they guess your answers first. Students love knowing something personal about their teacher, and it establishes right away that you’re a person, not just a classroom authority figure. Grades K–5.
6. Play a Name Game
Pick one name game and do it. Any of them. A classic: each student says their name and something they like that starts with the same letter (Marcus likes movies, Sarah likes soccer). Every time students hear each other’s names in a structured context, the names stick a little better. Here are 37 name games if you want options for different grade levels. Grades K–5.
Community Building Activities for Elementary Students
Community doesn’t happen automatically — it’s built deliberately, especially in those first days. These activities give students a shared experience to point back to all year.
7. Community Building Puzzle
Leave a puzzle piece and box of crayons on each desk before students arrive. When they walk in, they write their name and color every inch of the piece. Later in the day, the class assembles the puzzle together — and it becomes a bulletin board display titled something like “A Perfect Fit for a Perfect Year.” It’s a calm morning activity that gives you time to greet families at the door, and the finished puzzle stays up all year as a reminder that everyone belongs. Get the Community Building Puzzle here. Grades K–5.
8. Getting to Know You Small Group Craftivity
Break students into small groups and give each group paper shapes to cut out and decorate. Students complete sentence starters like “I feel appreciated when…” and share within their group. It’s a quiet, creative way for students to learn something real about the people they’re sitting with. Find the full activity here. Grades 1–5.
Getting to Know You Small Group Craftivity for Back-to-School
Help your students learn to work together as a team within their table groups. This folding person craftivity asks students to reflect on what they can do to effectively work with other students.
9. Classroom Cheer
Spend a few minutes at the end of the first day brainstorming a class cheer together. Students love contributing to something that belongs to the whole group, and you’ll use it all year to celebrate wins. Keep it simple, silly, and theirs. Grades K–5.
10. Start a Community Circle
A community circle is one of the most useful routines you can establish from day one. Students sit together, share ideas and feelings, and learn to listen to each other. Use it on the first day to introduce yourselves, talk about hopes for the year, or just decompress at the end of the day. The routine pays off all year long. Grades K–5.
Need ideas of questions you can ask your students? This post directs you to the right question for the right purpose.
11. Social Contract
Post four large papers around the room, each with a different question: How do I want to be treated by the teacher? By other students? How do I treat the teacher? How do we solve conflicts? Students write answers on sticky notes and place them on the posters. Then small groups sort the responses and identify the most common themes. The result becomes the class’s Social Contract — a set of expectations students helped create. Because they made it, they own it. Grades 3–5.
12. Class Mission Statement
Work with students to write a class mission statement or pledge they recite each morning. It connects naturally to student goal setting — once students define who they are as a class, they can set goals that align with it. Even younger students can contribute to a simple class promise. Grades 1–5.
13. What I Really Want to Learn
Put up a large piece of chart paper and have each student write one thing they genuinely want to learn this year. Read through the responses and look for opportunities to weave student interests into your curriculum throughout the year. Students notice when you follow through on this. Grades 1–5.
First Day of School Read-Alouds
A good read-aloud on the first day does double duty — it settles the class and opens up conversations about feelings, names, belonging, and community. These three are worth having on your shelf every year.
14. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
First Day Jitters is a perfect first-day read because the twist at the end catches students off guard and gets them talking. After reading, have students write you a letter with advice about why you shouldn’t be nervous. It gets them thinking about their own feelings while building empathy. Bonus: serve Jitter Juice alongside it for a memorable first morning. Grades K–3.
15. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
This one is a kindergarten and first grade staple for good reason — it speaks directly to the separation anxiety many young students feel. After reading, have students trace their hands, add a heart to the palm, and fold the fingers down. Send it home at the end of the day. It becomes a keepsake families genuinely appreciate. Grades K–1.
16. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
After reading, ask students to go home and find out how they got their name. Have them write about it as their first writing assignment of the year. Students learn something about themselves, share it with the class, and you get a piece of writing that tells you a lot about each student right away. Grades 2–5.
Creative Activities and Crafts for the First Day
Creative activities give students something to do with their hands, which is especially useful during the more anxious parts of the first day. These also produce keepsakes that mean something by the end of the year.
17. Back-to-School Bus Craftivity
This is a great end-of-day wind-down activity. Students complete a flap book where they tell about themselves, reflect on the first day, review the rules, and think about what makes a good classmate. It keeps students productively busy while giving you time to wrap up the day. Parents love taking it home. Get the Bus Craftivity Flap Book here. Grades K–3.
Bus Craftivity Flap Book for Back-to-School
Make back-to-school fun with this engaging flap book craftivity! Perfect for the first weeks of school, this resource helps students share about themselves, learn classroom expectations, and build community through writing and creativity.
18. Self-Portrait
Have students draw themselves on the first day. Keep the portraits and repeat the activity on the last day of school. The comparison between August and June is always striking — both in drawing ability and in how much older students look. Display the first-day portraits in the hallway to welcome visitors to your classroom. Grades K–5.
19. Dear Me Letter
Ask students to write a letter to their future self about what they’re hoping for this year, what they’re nervous about, or how they’re feeling right now. Seal the letters and return them on the last day of school. Students are always amazed at how much their handwriting changed — and how much they’ve grown. Grades 2–5.
20. When I Grow Up
Ask students what they want to be when they grow up — and actually listen. You’ll hear answers that surprise you, and you can use those dreams to make personal connections throughout the year. (“Didn’t you say you wanted to be a marine biologist? We’re studying ecosystems this week — pay attention to this part.”) Grades K–5.
21. Name Tags and Labels
Let students write their own names and decorate a border on name cards for their desks or cubbies. Laminate them for durability. It’s a simple activity that gives students ownership over their space from day one. Grades K–5.
22. Photo Keepsake
Take a photo of each student on the first day and again on the last day. Share the side-by-side comparison at the end of the year — it’s one of those moments students and families genuinely love. If photos aren’t logistically easy, a self-portrait drawing (see #18) works just as well. Grades K–5.
23. Kindness Quilt
Give each student a square of fabric or heavy paper to decorate with kind words and drawings. Assemble the squares into a class quilt and display it in the room all year. It becomes a visual anchor for classroom community and a reminder of what students built together on day one. Grades 1–5.
Exploring the Classroom on the First Day of School
Students who know where things are and how the space works feel safer. These activities turn the classroom itself into content.
24. Classroom and School Tour
Walk students through the classroom first — where supplies live, what areas are just for them, what areas are yours. Then take them on a tour of the school: bathrooms, gym, cafeteria, computer lab. For new students especially, this reduces anxiety about basic logistics. If your social studies standards include maps, this is also a natural hook for a mapping unit. Grades K–2 especially.
25. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Turn the classroom tour into a scavenger hunt. Give students a list of things to find or questions to answer about the room and school. They can work independently or in pairs. It’s active, it’s social, and students learn the space without it feeling like a lecture. Grades 1–5.
26. Sticky Note Survey
Draw a large bar graph on chart paper. Ask a survey question (“What’s your favorite season?” “How do you get to school?”) and have each student place a sticky note in the correct column. Change the question throughout the day. Students love the interactivity, and you can naturally weave in math concepts like data and graphing — which makes it a genuine lesson, not just a filler. Grades K–5.
27. STEM Challenge
A well-designed STEM challenge on the first day does exactly what you want: it gets students working together, problem-solving, and talking — before they’ve had time to feel awkward about any of it. It also signals right away that your classroom is a place where curiosity is valued. Grades 2–5.
Here are 10 back-to-school STEM challenges designed specifically for the first week.
Classroom Procedures and Expectations
The best first-day activities mean nothing if students don’t know how to function in your classroom. Weave procedures throughout the day — don’t save them for one long block.
28. Teach and Practice Classroom Procedures
Don’t skip this. It’s the most important thing you do on the first day. Go slowly through every routine that matters — how to get the teacher’s attention, how to work with a partner, how to transition between activities. Model the right way, model the wrong way, then model the right way again. Have students practice. Have them practice again. The investment pays off every single day for the rest of the year. Grades K–5.
29. Discuss Student and Teacher Roles
Talk with students about what they expect from you and what you expect from them. Anchor charts that define “what a good student does” and “what a good teacher does” make expectations concrete and give students agency. This connects naturally to goal setting activities you can introduce in the first week. Grades 1–5.
Do students know what their classroom roles are, how to make friends, and how their parents can help them at home? Teach it during the first week of school.
30. One-on-One Time With Each Student
This one isn’t dramatic, but it matters. Find a few moments throughout the day to connect individually with each student — when you’re handing out supplies, during independent work time, or at the door. Say their name. Ask one genuine question. Jot a quick note on a sticky note so you remember. By the end of the first day, you’ll have a richer picture of your class than any first-day activity can give you on its own. Grades K–5.
Building Your First-Day Plan With These Activities
You don’t need all 30 of these first day of school activities for elementary students in one day. Pick 4 to 6 that fit your grade level and your students, and plan more than you think you’ll need. The first day rarely goes exactly as expected — having extra in your back pocket means you’re never scrambling. Mix community building with procedures, creative work with movement, and you’ll end the day with students who feel like they belong in your classroom.
Looking for ready-made resources to use on day one? The Community Building Puzzle, Getting to Know You Small Group Craftivity, and Back-to-School Bus Craftivity are all designed for K–5 and ready to use the moment students walk in.
Want to Reduce Disruptions So You Can Actually Teach?
Check out this 100% FREE Micro Training
from my friend Linda over at Teach 4 the Heart.
Creating a calm classroom environment can be hard…and you probably didn’t learn everything you needed to about classroom management in college. (I know I didn’t!)
But there is hope and a way to make your teaching experience more fulfilling and less stressful.
Watch this quick 28-minute training to learn how you can minimize disruptions so you can actually teach your content (and get to do the projects & activities that make learning more fun for EVERYONE!
Linda WON’T just tell you to “build relationships” because, frankly, even the best connections can’t eliminate all classroom challenges. Achieving a smooth-running class requires a more nuanced approach.
So join me for this FREE 28-minute training and discover their Calm Classroom Blueprint, used by thousands of teachers to:
- Significantly reduce disruptions during lessons & work times.
- Gain confidence In handling challenging situations (that previously left them dumbfounded).
- Lower daily stress levels and find joy in teaching again!
Supplies, procedures, and letting each student personally know that I am excited they are in my class. No matter the grade (preK- 8th), the school, or the situation these are the three things I do every year without fail.
I always read the book “Miss Maple’s Seeds.” Actually, I do this every first AND last day of school! It’s a beautiful book, and students have very different reactions (all wonderful) on the two days I read it.
I have the students fill out a questionnaire sheet Bout themselves that they later share with the class and a “how well do you know your teacher” sheet and tally up how many questions they get right. It’s so much fun.
I always take a closeup of my firsties, then have them decorate a gingerbread cutout with their clothes for that day. I then place the closeup picture on their gingerbread boy/girl. I use these characters to keep track of AR points, math facts, or high frequency words. In that past, I would repurpose these characters as a cover for an All About Me book for the end of the year.
We always partner with someone else to create a Venn Diagram to learn what we have in common with someone else in the room. It is a good way for new students to make a friend.
I always have the kids make their own name tags complete with pictures that represent themselves.
We always read First Day Jitters and drink “jitter juice”. We also do a short writing about being nervous on the first day of school. My students always love this story!
First day of school, I would have a questionnaire
I always have my students work on an “All about me page”. Then they will share with the class to get to know each other.
I take pictures of my students to give to parents at conference time. They have such eager looks on their faces.
On the first day, I put out play doh and take photos of the kids interacting. I always read Mr. Peabody’s Apples too.
One thing that I always do is a getting to know you activity that gets the kids up moving and interacting with their friends.
One thing I do on the first day of school is make sure the kids go home with a little something. A principal many years ago told us newbies that this always make a child happy! 🙂 It could be a pencil or a treat or just a little note.
I always take a first day of school picture! I also start building a strong classroom community.
For the past two of my three years of teaching, I have had my students write what they need from me to be successful, what they need from themselves to be successful, and what they need from their classmates. It’s been a great way to get the students thinking about the school year, setting goals, and starting off on the right foot. So far the students have always written down things that encompass my classroom rules so its a GREAT way to have them feel invested in our classroom rules.
I read Chrysanthemum to the class and do an exercise where we crumple a huge paper heart every time we hear something hurtful. Then we try to smooth out the wrinkles and make it new again, like the hurtful things were never said. Of course that doesn’t work. It is a great introduction to using kind words, and demonstrating that emotional hurts aren’t so easily healed. Some kids just need to hear that over, and over, and over…
I always read about Chester in “The Kissing Hand” with my forties & do an art project tracing their hand, cutting it, & gluing a heart inside while folding the fingers down. I teach them the “I love you” sign in sign language & give them a note with a chocolate kiss at the end of the day.
One of the things I plan on doing every year on the first day of school is having students write about what they DIDN’T do over summer. Kids have all kinds of crazy answers!
I’ve been doing this for three years now, and it has been great. First greet the kids with a huge smile as they enter the classroom, right after practicing a little procedures we read Wemberly Worried and Chrisantemum, we do a little crafting and then we GoNoodle. It´s so much fun.
One thing I like to do at the beginning of the year is to find out about the students. We sit in a circle and I start (by holding a ball of yarn) by telling them something that they may not know about me. I roll it to a student across from me. When they are done, they hang on to the string and roll it to someone else. This goes on until all have a chance to share something. Then we reverse it and they roll it to the person who rolled to them. This is a great way to get them talking about themselves while they can focus on holding their yarn and who will get it next.
I always do an activity called “Find a Friend.” They move around the room talking to their peers finding people that match each description. I love that it gets them talking to each other as well as me! So important to build those connections from the beginning!
I like to give each student a piece of a puzzle made out of poster board. Each student decorates their piece with their favorite things. We use the puzzle pieces to introduce ourselves to each other at morning meeting and then put the puzzle together as a class. I glue the puzzle together on bulletin board paper and add, “A Perfect Fit… For a Perfect Year!” This hangs in our room all year long.
I always do something called marshmallow toes. My sister told me about it right before my first year as a second grade teacher. It has worked beautifully every year. I give each child a big marshmallow. We describe the way it looks, feels, smells, tastes and sounds. I tell them that we will always walk down the hallways “like marshmallows.” We practice by popping the whole thing in our mouths and taking a walk around the school! It’s a SWEET way to start the first day of school. 🙂
I always let the kids our their new supplies. I try to make sure we color, cut, and glue on that first day.
On the first day of school, I have each student write a letter to themselves, setting goals for the year, and telling about their favorite things and current events. They can share if they want but the fun is that we put the letters in a shoebox or poster tube and create a time capsule! On one of the last days of school, we give the letters out and share again!! They get to see if they met their goals, how they have changed and how much they have learned in their writing skills.
I love to read “First Day Jitters” on the first day, take the students’ pictures, and play get to know you scavenger hunt games.
I always read First Day Jitters!
I will welcome everyone with a high five! I read the thingamajig book of manners and play a fun activity related to how to use our manners in the classroom. This then leads into the school expectations. I also send the family a note with a questionnaire about their child and family. This allows me to get to know them quicker.
I take a photo of each student holding a first day of kindergarten sign. We take a tour of the building and they are so excited when we get to the playground
One thing I do on the first day of school is take pictures of the students. I take several of them and use these for their 2nd grade scrapbook, class story book, and for the “I AM…” pictures that hang on my wall all year. The student chooses a positive I AM statement and we cut out letters and glue them onto the picture. For instance: I am creative or I am a leader. The kids love to see their pictures on the wall.
I always buy an extra large coffee!!!
I’m a second year teacher and so far each year we have had a class “motto”. It’s either a short song or chant that reminds them the expectations of the classroom but is fun and encouraging. We add movements to it and it becomes something that gets us focused and ready for the day every morning!
I let the kiddos pick where they sit on the first day. It gives me a chance to learn who knows who and to get a sense of their precious lil’ personalities. I also have the students share what they’re looking forward to learning and doing this year.
I love doing some sort of Back to School Task cards to get the kids talking and getting to know each other.
I always take pictures of students with their parents so I can remember who belongs with who.
One thing I always do on the first day of school is to take a photo (head shot) of each student. I then make about 15 copies of each one and use these for file folder games, getting to know you activities, future artwork, and a whole lot of writing activities. I usually take one at the end of the year, too, so they can each see how much they’ve changed! Lots of fun!
I always do a Getting to Know Your Teacher Quiz. I create a PowerPoint Quiz about me. The kids guess what the answer for each question will be. Then I go over each answer so the kids can get to know me better.
One thing I always do on the first day of school is read my favorite children’s book, Arnie the Doughnut.
I have my kids do team building and get to know gig activities. Such as saving Sam, friend bingo, or the m&m game where everyone gets some m&m and each color represents something they have to state about themselves.
I love good team building activities, as well as a first day read aloud. Thanks for the great resources!
I always start with getting to know you activities and then some stem challenges.
I always take a close up and a regular picture of the students. I use these for books, name games, crafts, center board etc.
I give students an index card and have them write “2 Truths and a Lie” about themselves. Throughout the first few days I read the cards and we try to guess who the card belongs to and which one is the lie. The kids love it and so do I!
I always read “First Day Jitters.” The kid love discovering that the teacher, not a little girl, was the one with jitters. I also give the kids a chance to wander the room for about 3 minutes, return to their seats or the rug, and let them ask me questions about what they’ve seen/discovered. I then answer their questions.
I write questions all over a beach ball using a sharpie. We stand in a circle and toss the ball to whomever they choose, so long as they pick someone who did not have a turn yet. Whichever question their left thumb lands on is the one they share. Most are general getting to know you questions, but I throw in some silly ones too! They can bring it out at indoor/outdoor recess or during breaks throughout the year. I always look for opportunities to
take a lesson outside, and this is definitely a good activity for that! I’m a special education teacher and have always done this in a small group-smaller class size up to 12. Hopefully this would still be useful with a normal class size, but I’m not sure how long it would take. ***Check your class’s reading level and/or review the questions with the class before playing for struggling readers, and only write with words you’re confident they’ll know so they feel safe and successful from the first day!
I always have my students write a letter to themselves about what happened over the course of the year. Then, I give it back to them at the end of the year.
On the first day of school I always complete an “All About Me” activity. This gives me a chance to learn about my students and my students are able to learn about each other.
I always start the year with a read aloud. I want to develop a trusting relationship with my students with a good read. Thanks.
We go to the park on the first day of school.
Something I like to begin the year with is an all about me page with the students. It’s good info for me as a way to get to know their interests, and it also gives me a quick assessment for spelling and handwriting. Tghe students love to look at them at the end of the year!