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.
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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.
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I teach third grade, usually I know most of them or their brothers/sisters… but I made them fill some worksheets about themselves and their vacations, the things they like…but this year I will use lapbooks
On my first day I will read Bono the Monkey book.
I teach a triple grade (4-6) self-contained classroom in a rural area. Since I typically have largely the same group of kids every year and know the students entering my room we usually spend the first hour + doing some sharing about our summer and spending time together. I find that giving my students the time to share at the beginning of the day helps instructions go smoother later in the day.
On the first day of school I give my students a large index card to make a personalized name tag. The students write their name in the center then on each corner I have them put a fact about themselves. I have them draw a small picture and label for each fact. Some of the things I have had them share are favorite food, animal, sport, subject, or book. I also give them one wild card corner, that they can share anything they want the class to know about themselves. Then I have the students share the information on the name tag with the others in their learning club.
Always love doing get to know you Bingo. It’s a great way for the kids to get to know each other. I also like to make sensory bottles. This way kids have something right away.
We always make a chart of things the students want in a teacher. We use this as a time to discuss why those things are important to them and I can also share with them strengths I have in those areas! Alternatively, I can share with them weaknesses and goals I have to help meet their ideal teacher wishlist 🙂
On the first day, I like to walk through the school to get a feel for what the school climate will be, and meet all of the people (teachers and students) I’ll be working with through the year!
This is my first ear teaching, but one the first day I want to make up a cheer with my class! I think it’ll be a fun way to get the kids involved, getting to know each other, and a great way to celebrate in the class year round!
Every year I have students decorate their name for a door or bulletin board decoration. We take them out throughout the day. Keeps them busy when I have to deal with paperwork or last minute registrations 🙂
get to know each other activities
On the first day we playinite to win it fun challenges and it’s a great ice breaker!
I teach 5th grade. On the 1st day I always have the students fill in an all about me form so I know what name they like to be called, their birthrate, who they live with, what subjects they really like and what hobbies they like or sports they play. I feel that helps me to get to know them.
I always eat lunch with my students! I want them to know we are a family.
On the first day I always read the students the book “First Day Jitters”!
I love to do a math about me page with my students. It helps them get to know one another and start math practice on the first day!
I give everyone on my team a little gift!
My students come from all over the district to my program one day a week so I always have a tour the first day so the students get comfortable finding all of the important places in this school. I also do some Kagan get to know you activities for team building.
I’m a first year teacher and will be teaching Grade 2 (in Egypt!). I saw a great idea for a classroom scavenger hunt to help the students get to know the room, followed by a classroom tour. I definitely want to make this a tradition!
I like to do an activity where students fill out a worksheet that makes them guess what my favorite food, candy, color, etc is. Then we discuss as a group. The students get so excited when they get the answers correct.
I see each class in our school for nine weeks, so I have the opportunity to have the “first day” happen throughout the school year. I think the one thing we review in each class that day is the concepts of digital citizenship, and a discussion on why we use computers in our school and the rules around their use.
On the first day I always like to do an Ice Breaker activity to get to know each other, then I have them fill out a “Who am I…” questionnaire. Now that I am moving to K-5th grade from HS, I am still trying to pin down exactly what I will do…
I always have a special activity. When we started with the ocean, we would have a treasure hunt with coded clues and maps. When we started with a detective theme we would have a mystery case to solve. Again with codes, clues and maps. They get so excited and can’t wait to see what we will be doing next. It sure breaks up the day when we spend so much time on expectations and procedures.
I’m always looking for new ideas to try with my kiddos and there really isn’t any one thing I always do! I do love giving a themed gift at the end of the day congratulating them on making it through their first day of….
I always play a getting to know you game. I love finding out what the kids love to do.
I love the first day of school because everything is so fresh! I always start with sharks during the science part of the day. The children love it and it gives them a time to wind down at the end of the day. We study sharks for about two weeks–sometimes three weeks–depending on the class! They always love it!
I always start with growth mindset activities. It works for most of my kids.
I teach Kindergarten and on the first day I always let the kiddos write in shaving cream! I teach them class rules first and then we play! I have them write their name/letters in the shaving cream. It lets them have fun on a day with a lot of procedures and routines an is a quick check for me to see who can write!
For the 1st day/week of school, we always create a class pledge/promise after close reading the Pledge of Allegiances. Our class pledge is read ever day at the beginning of school, during morning meetings!
I like to make a class book on the first day, something we can look back on throughout the year!
I always make sure to teach my kiddos about how to ask to go to the bathroom, and the procedures for communicating that with me! They love the hand signals I use in my classroom- it’s like a secret code that only takes a nod of the head and they don’t have to be embarrassed about asking to go. Plus it doesn’t interrupt my lesson with a “Can I go to the bathroom” when I think it’s going to be a brilliant piece of insight into my lessons 🙂
I great each student at the door. I always introduce myself to the whole class. We go over rules and procedures. Our first writing sample of the year is How I Spent My Summer Vacation. I read the book to them. Tell them about my summer vacation. Then they write about theirs.
We read The Kissing Hand and have them put their hand print on a paper with a heart sticker in the middle of their hands – parents love this as a back to school memory
One thing I do on the first day of school is have students choose 3 books from our class library that interest them. We start the year getting excited about reading and finding books that we enjoy.
I always do a get to know you warm up activity.
On the first day of school, I always give students a “tour” of the classroom by walking through and pointing everything out to them. We also do a “tour” of our books, and afterwards, we will organize our supplies and desks.
I always start a read aloud sharing the importance of reading every day!!
I usually have the students participate in getting to know you activities, a group challenge to work together cooperatively, and general rules and procedures are introduced.
I don’t have a homeroom but work with kids throughout the school. I always help the kinders and new kids find their classrooms and then go visit my former students. Love those hugs!!
I give my students a silly questionnaire with questions like “would you rather live without your dominant hand or your cell phone? Justify your answer ” and “draw the perfect sandwich. include labels. ” This gives me a good sense of the person without getting too personal on the first day. I have them do a questionnaire online with Google forms later in the week for the more personal stuff, so I can compile it on a goggle spreadsheet for every class.
I always go over and model procedures. Over and over again!
We make instant pudding. Working together, following directions and a little bit of math makes this a fun way to start the year. Plus we have a sweet snack to end the day!
One thing I always do on the first day of school is teach procedures! Harry Wong’s book, First Six Weeks of School has been fabulous in establishing a great classroom.
On the first day of school we play some getting to know you games and we start to learn everyone’s name.
On the first day of school, I like to have my students write a short letter to me telling me one thing (or many) that they would like me to know about them. This allows my students to tell me what they think is important for me to know, which helps me to learn about them and the various things that might be going on in their lives.
I love having my students make a little “time capsule.” I have a paper for them to fill out about things they like, etc, then we hide it away until the end of school. It’s fun to see how we’ve changed! 🙂
I use a lot of music in our classroom, starting on the very first day. The first day every year I begin with the song “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bumble-Bee, Tell us what your name should be…” It is a chant of sorts, where the students echo the chosen student’s name, clap it, snap it, and whisper it, as well. Then, we all give a big “good morning!”, adding the child’s name. It is a class favorite and is often requested, especially when we have new students join us throughout the year.
Hi! One thing that I do on the first day of school: I do read First Day Jitters, I do set the tone, but the unique thing that I do is to have the students complete a couple of graphs. One tells how old we are, and the picture graph shows how we go home. We use the graphs to introduce ourselves and budging the listening and speaking standards.
On the first day, I greet each student work a smile at the door. I then tell them a few things about me and allow them time to share something about themselves. Then we work on a getting to know your classmates assignment. I also take “First day in 2nd grade” photos of them.
I always start with an intro of myself. Most of the students already know who I am, but having them as my students is completely different. They then participate in some interactive getting to know you activities.
I always make sure to do some team building/getting to know you among the students. I want to create community from day one.