Start the year off strong with first-day-of-school activities to help your students feel welcome, excited to learn, and part of a classroom community.
Back-to-school season brings fresh starts, new students, refreshed classroom decor, and the promise of a great year ahead. While it’s a time to introduce rules and set expectations, it’s also the perfect opportunity to build the foundations of strong relationships and a positive classroom culture.
Your first-day-of-school activities help students to feel safe, seen, and connected. Simple, thoughtful activities that invite students to share about themselves and learn about their classmates can make a lasting impact from day one.
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Start strong with icebreakers to engage students
Icebreakers are an easy, effective way to build classroom connections. You can try these as a morning warm-up or just during downtime in the first week to set a positive tone for the year. Try out icebreakers for kids or icebreakers for high school students that match your students’ ability levels.
Get talking with student interviews
Even if students know each other from previous years, every classroom brings a new dynamic. Help them form fresh connections by pairing them up for short interviews. Encourage students to talk with someone new to spark meaningful conversations and maybe even new friendships.
Ice Breaker for Back to School Getting to Know You Activity
By K’s Classroom Kreations
Grades: 1st
Standards: CCSS SL.1.1a, 1.3
Build classroom community with this interactive spin on a classic “All About Me” activity. Students will pair up, interview one another, and share names and favorite things. It’s an easy way to break the ice and start building connections.
Build a positive team environment
Creating a connected, safe classroom environment is key to a successful year. Icebreakers and team-building activities for kids help build trust and foster collaboration. Use them during instruction or as brain breaks to strengthen relationships and boost engagement.
Getting to Know You! {30 Icebreakers & Team Building Activities}
By Christine Statzel
Grades: K-6th
These 30 first-day-of-school activities are designed to help students feel confident and comfortable. Each activity includes clear instructions and a list of materials to make setup quick and easy.
Discover classmate preferences and make new friends
Building classroom community can be more challenging in upper grades or subject-specific classes like music, but it’s still essential. Connecting with students and learning about them as individuals strengthens engagement. “Would You Rather?” games offer a simple way to gain insight into your students’ personalities while keeping things fun and low-pressure.
Would You Rather for the Music Classroom – Great Icebreaker & First Day Activity
By Music with Melody
Grades: 1st-5th
Use these “Would You Rather?” cards during the first week of music class to learn more about your students. Each student chooses between two options, then explains their reasoning to spark conversation and build classroom rapport.
Build connections with getting-to-know-you activities
After the excitement of the first day fades, encourage reflection and meaningful sharing with back-to-school games. These getting-to-know-you prompts help students better understand themselves and their classmates.
Encourage meaningful discussions
First-day-of-school activities that stick get students talking, with each other and with you. They encourage discussions around interests, hobbies, and school life, creating common ground for the class. Thought-provoking questions during circle groups and morning greetings build trust faster than you might expect.
40 Get to Know You Task Cards – Back to School – Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
By Mata Math and Science
Grades: 5th-12th
Get to know your students during the first week of school with 40 engaging question prompts designed to spark conversation. Use them as exit tickets, circle time discussions, or even adapt them for math workshops and centers.
Back to School Getting to Know You Activity
By Room 213
Grades: 6th-12th
This activity features creative getting-to-know-you questions that help older students learn about each other while collaborating to create class rules. The two-page PDF is designed for a 30-minute session and easy classroom use.
Plan get-to-know-you projects
Showcase your students with back-to-school bulletin board ideas that help build classroom connections from the start. Display getting-to-know-you projects around the room to create a gallery walk where students can explore their classmates’ work. This encourages conversations, highlights shared interests, and fosters a sense of community.
All About Me Pennant Banner Back to School Activities Getting to Know You
By Kim Miller
Grades: 1st-6th
Start the first day of school by gathering key information about your students. This resource includes two printable versions and a Google Slides option. Students can share their name, birthday, favorite things, and even draw a self-portrait.
Try meet the teacher activities with your students
Teachers often get a glimpse of their students’ personalities through quick hallway chats or classroom moments. But what do your students know about you? Build those early connections by sharing a few fun facts, your hobbies, favorites, or quirky preferences. It’s a simple way to show your human side and invite students to open up in return.
Spanish Meet the Teacher One Page Editable Template – Back-to-School
By First Generation Dreams
Grades: Not grade specific
Introduce yourself to students and families with this set of “Meet the Teacher” templates in Spanish. This resource includes six unique designs, available in both colorful and printer-friendly versions, perfect for open house, back-to-school night, or the first day of class.
Keep the focus on students with first-day-of-school introductions
Not every student is ready to speak up right away. Some open up through writing, drawing, or private reflection. Offer flexible ways for students to share who they are.
I Wish My Teacher Knew {Now Your Teacher Knows}
By Sarah Plum
Grades: Not grade specific
This free pack helps you create a safe, welcoming classroom community by giving students a private way to share anything they’d like you to know. It comes with anchor charts, directions, and a note from the teacher to write back.
Me, My Identity, and I: A Student Journal
By Caffeinate and Educate
Grades: 5th-8th
Begin the school year by fostering a strong sense of community with this self-identity journal resource, an engaging way for students to explore who they are and express themselves. The resource has 28 journal slides, nine blank slides to edit, and directions.
FREE Student Information Sheet for 1st day of school – “Get to know you”
By Modern Mayberry
Grades: 7th-12th
This free resource includes everything you need to start learning about your students and collecting parent information. It’s printable, easy to use, and perfect for the first week of school.
Warm up the classroom with first-day writing activities
Kick off the year with writing activities that build relationships and camaraderie. These short projects double as an informal writing assessment and give you an early glimpse into each student’s personality and communication style. They’re a simple way to start meaningful connections while staying aligned with your curriculum. You can easily align your writing activities with CCSS for writing.
Start with “all about me” projects
“All About Me” writing prompts are a great entry point: They’re approachable for students and offer structure while still allowing creativity. Use them to spark self-reflection, gather key student info, and introduce writing routines in a low-pressure way that fits naturally into your ELA block.
Back-to-School First Day Icebreaker & Beginning-of-Year ELA Writing Sample
By Brenda Kovich
Grades: 3rd-4th
Gather beginning-of-year writing samples with “My Classmates” and “All About Me” worksheets. These first-day-of-school activities help students learn about each other while giving you a clear snapshot of their writing skills.
Back to School Student Survey – Get To Know You Activity – Digital / Print
By Addie Williams
Grades: 6th-10th
Featuring fun, reflective questions, this resource keeps things light while providing meaningful insight. Available in PDF, Google Apps, and Easel Activities formats for easy use.
Prompt students with word work
Unique and creative writing activities engage ELA learners across all levels. With small adjustments, prompts designed for elementary students can be adapted to challenge high schoolers with critical thinking and analysis. They’re also an effective way to get to know your students and build trust, fitting easily into downtime, group work, or as quick exit tickets.
Back to School Writing Prompts and Word Work Activities – Google Slides
and PDF
By Mrs Beattie’s Classroom
Grades: 2nd-4th
These no-prep writing and word work activities are perfect for the first week of school. The collection includes fall-themed prompts and word work center ideas, making it a fit for fall activities for kids.
3rd Grade Daily Grammar Practice ELA Spiral Review Morning Work Sentence Editing
By Your Thrifty Co-Teacher
Grade: 3rd
Use these oral language sentence editing worksheets as daily bell ringers or morning work to reinforce language skills year-round. Starting back to school season with daily grammar practice helps establish a routine and sets clear expectations.
First Day of School Activities – Back to School Ice Breaker and Writing Prompts
By Kalena Baker – Teaching Made Practical
Grades: 2nd-5th
Standards: CCSS SL.2.1a, 3.1b, 4.1b
Try 24 fun questions perfect for first-week activities with partners, small groups, or morning meetings. Use them to help students practice speaking and listening skills while connecting on a deeper level.
Launch learning with first-day crafts and games
Fun is the name of the game when it comes to first-day-of-school activities. With students’ minds still in summer mode, engagement and movement are key to getting them back into a learning mindset, especially for your younger elementary learners.
Start strong with simple lesson plans and crafts
Many teachers need more than just one activity; it’s nice to have a little variety so you can truly match the vibe of your class. These are activities you can use to tie into last-day-of-school activities to show students how much they’ve grown.
First Week Activities and Centers for Kindergarten
By Keri Brown
Grades: PreK-K
This back-to-school resource will help organize your first week of kindergarten lesson plans with your kids. It includes first-day memory book sheets, handwriting, handprints, games, and coloring sheets.
Back to School: Interactive Flip Book To Plan a Successful Year
By Literary Sherri
Grades: 6th-8th
This ready-to-use flipbook includes activities designed to help you get to know your students and their interests during back-to-school time. You’ll receive a cover page, goal-setting tools, clear directions, and a grading rubric—all in one convenient resource.
Give these tried-and-true first-day activities a try
It’s always great to start the year with a fresh, original activity, but sometimes, it’s the simple, tried-and-true favorites that every classroom loves. These easy go-tos never fail to break the ice and get students smiling.
- “Would You Rather?” questions
- Two Truths and Lie game
- Class scavenger hunts
- Collaborative art projects
- Beach ball toss
- Get-to-know-you Bingo
Celebrate the first day of school with TPT activities
Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned pro, having engaging activities to build teamwork and classroom community is a must during those first few days of a new school year. Keep the energy high and students engaged with ready-to-use first-day-of-school resources. From interactive slides to creative crafts and meaningful projects, you’ll find everything you need to start the year strong, because every teacher deserves a little support to kick things off right.
