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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My favorite first day activity is to do a 5 senses activity using Pop rocks. I also love getting that first day hug or high five.
The first day of school, I have the students complete a who am I activity. We share. I then give a tour of the classroom.
Finally we go over the class routines, rules, and expectations.
I teach Middle School so I always do a ice breaker on the first day. It is a bingo type of set up where the students have to find someone who fits the square description and have them sign it. The first student to fill the whole board wins a free homework pass.
On the first day of school, I help make students feel at ease, set up classroom routines/expectations, and teach them how to use our resources the correct way. I find that establishing this first helps them know what to do and how to do it so the rest of the year runs smooth in no time!
As a Kindergarten teacher for the last few years I always read a Pete the Cat book and took a tour of the school while looking for Pete. This was instrumental because it’s there first year in the “big” school so going together during a fun activity helped them feel less intimidated. It also allowed them to learn a little about the school. However, I am moving to Second Grade and don’t know what I am doing yet : /
I always do a hunt and search around the classroom to help explain what is in the classroom and its purpose. I also take a picture of each student on the first day and send it home that week at Back to School night so that every parent has a keepsake of their child’s first day of first grade.
One thing I like to do on the first day of school is read Dr. Seuss Oh! The Places You’ll Go. We talk about the “places” they will go in third grade and then they write their own story following the structure of the story.
I like to do a little get to know you activity called truths and fibs. I have several statements about myself pre-written and displayed on the data projector screen. The students have to guess if it is a truth or a fib. I try to pick things they wouldn’t know unless they knew me; things most are really surprised to learn are truths. It’s a hoot! Afterwards, they do the same on their own form, writing statements about themselves. We play hands up, pair up over the next few days so students can better get to know each other.
The first day is when we try to calm the nerves of the new, introduce each other, make selfies for lockers and name tags for desks. I also start to read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I also begin to establish routines the very first day, we take a tour of the classroom and start to learn what is what in the classroom.
Read aloud! I love, love, love to read to my students. I want them to love reading as much as I do!! I try to find books that will hook them, so I read a wide variety of genres so that everyone can find what interests them. This past year I had a student who hated reading and always had. I finally found books that he loved!! I bought everyone I could find. (Interactive history books)! Who would have thought??!!
One thing I always do on the first day of school is build our classroom community by doing team building activities, read alouds, and reflections!
On the first day of school, I always have my students write a letter to themselves that they receive on the last day of school.
I am a high school special education teacher. After we introduce ourselves and do a small introduction activity, I have the group make classroom rules all together. I do this so I am not just telling them rules and so we can make sure everyone has a comfortable learning environment. I make a list on a poster and post it on the wall. Depending on the class, I follow up with a sheet that helps me understand their comfort level. We go through a list of questions as a group and they circle “comfort zone”, “challenge zone”, or “panic zone”. I allow students to share if they want but they do not have to. I do this and collect them later to see how each student learns best. An example statement may be reading in front of the class.
I ask my students what kind of a teacher they expect me to be before we discuss classroom rules on the first day. Then, they write their name on a piece of puzzle and decorate it as their own before we combine them to build a big class puzzle.
We go over the rules & the each student fills out an All About Me sheet which they share.
This will be my first day of school and I would like to develop an anchor chart with my students about what will help them succeed this year. I really appreciate all the ideas shared in these comments as it has provided excellent fodder for my own first day!
On the first day of school I always spend time getting to know my students and go over procedures with them. We have share time and I take them on a tour around the school. I introduced them to the centers and each classrooms in the school.
One thing I always do is pray for my students. Before the day starts, I sit at my desk and specifically say each students name and pray that I will be able to reach them and to keep them and their families safe.
I need to make time for this Monday morning. Thanks for reminding me of what’s really important!
This is only my second year teaching third grade, but one thing we did last year on the first day was first day selfies, read First Day Jitters, took a tour of the school, and did some team building activities! Ready for this year!
I always love to do first day pictures. It is really great to look back on these when doing last day pictures.
I always start with asking my firsties how they felt the night before school. After a discussion of their feelings, I read the book, The Night Before First Grade. We discuss what happened in the book, and then we make a craftivity.
I always put on my bright red lipstick and smile until my cheeks hurt.
I always have the kids write a letter to themselves. They have to talk about what they are looking forward to, nervous about and how they are feeling so far. We usually write them after lunch on day 1.
I save the letters and put them on their desks on the last day of school. They love to see how “bad” their handwriting and sentences were and it’s great to see how proud they are of their growth.
One thing I always do in my Kindergarten class on the first day of school, is share the book, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”. Kids love that book and so do I. I like the fact that it is something familiar to most of them and they feel more comfortable with something they are familiar with. We sing the abc song forward and backwards. The kids are usually very impressed that I can sing the abc song backwards without looking. It builds anticipation to be able to do this, too, and it challenges the ones that don’t know their alphabet that well to work harder to learn it…not only forwards, but backwards. We talk about why we do need to learn the alphabet and I sing another alphabet song I know that stresses the reason we learn the alphabet is so that we can learn to READ.
On the first day of school I always play a funny get to know you game where everybody has a piece of sticky tape on there nose and they try to take other people’s tape by only touching noses. The last one with all the tape stick to their nose wins. It’s always a hilarious sight!
I love doing the all about me bag. The kiddos have so much fun with it!
I always read The Giving Tree.
I always try to do an activity that will help me get to know my students a little more without giving them the anxiety of speaking in front of their peers. I’ve done group shares, posters for the classroom, little books.. things like that. Taking notes on my students’ interests helps me make connections through the year.
I set aside time for the students to have a Q & A with me so they can get to know me better. Most students have lots of questions once I tell them that I use to be a Deputy Sheriff before I became a teacher.
We have some editable labels we’d love for you to feature if you’re doing a post update for 2018! We typically use them for organization, but love the idea of using them for names too.
I taught 6-8 Math Resource this past year and gave each grade level a color and used the labels for workbook bins, class schedules and turn-in drawers to help students remember where to look for their grade level.
Great post on how to make your first day back to school success, I would definitely like to read on similar topics
Great ideas! I like the idea of crafting back-to-school decors to add a fun yet academic vibes to the classroom. Do you have any tips for making great event graphics as designs?
These activities can create an exciting and positive atmosphere on the first day of school, and help students feel comfortable and excited to start the new school year. Well written article really liked it
It was really nice to see your advice about eating lunch with the kids. I do think it is important for teachers to show their students that they are a family. My daughter for one would appreciate it if her teacher was like this. She’s in constant need of a role model. At home it’s me. Hopefully, at school, it’s her teacher.