Welcome back to school, first grade teachers! The start of a new school year is an exciting time filled with anticipation, curiosity, and endless possibilities. As educators, we have the incredible opportunity to shape our students’ educational journey from day one. To kick-start the year with enthusiasm and engage our first-grade students in meaningful learning experiences, we have curated a collection of five fun and educational back to school activities just for you!
#1: Read Meaningful Picture Books
One of my favorite ways to connect with my students during the back to school season is to read meaningful picture books that they will enjoy and relate to.
Here’s some of my favorites:
- First Day Jitters
- The Recess Queen
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
- All Are Welcome
- Our Class Is A Family
You can read more of my favorite back to school books here.
#2: Read To Students Before School Starts
If you’re interested in building community and relationships with your students before the first day of school is even here, you can read to your students! Each year before the first day of school, I would record myself reading The Night Before First Grade. I would then create a QR code so students could scan the code and listen to me read it. I passed out these QR codes on these tags at Back To School Night.
You can read a full explanation of how to create this recording and QR code here.
#3: Play Musical Chairs
Any way that you can get your students up and moving is a great activity for the first week of school. Don’t forget- they’re just as nervous as you are! The first day of school is exciting, but nerve-wracking for everyone!
I love playing musical chairs the “back to school” way. To set up, set the chairs in a circle just like you would for a typical round of musical chairs. Have pre-made “get to know you” cards (or use the cards from our back to school pack!). Play music and have students walk around the circle just like the normal game. The student that is “out” must draw a card from the pile and answer the question.
Find the First Week of First Grade Bundle on Missing Tooth Grins here.
Find the First Week of First Grade Bundle on TPT here.
Different “get to know you” questions:
- What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
- What is the most memorable thing you did over summer break?
- Do you like the ocean or pool more?
- What do you hope to learn this school year?
- What is your favorite animal?
#4: Play With Playdough
Playdough is a great tool for strengthening fine motor skills. More than likely, your students did a lot of gross motor activity over the summer, but maybe not so much fine motor. Time to strengthen those hand muscles! On the first day of school, I like to leave out playdough on everyone’s desk for when they come in in the morning. It keeps students busy while I am taking attendance, teaching students how to make their lunch choice, checking backpacks, talking to parents, etc.
I love to use this playdough mat that you can find in our back to school bundle!
#5: All About Me Craft
Let’s learn the scoop about our students with this fun ice cream craft. This activity is fun and educational. Students will enjoy talking about themselves and you’ll also get to see how they write. These make for a great back to school bulletin board as well!
This craft not only allows students to express their individuality but also serves as a great icebreaker activity for getting to know one another. Displaying the completed ice cream sundaes in the classroom creates a sense of unity and celebrates the diverse personalities within the class.
Find it on Missing Tooth Grins here.
Plan Your First Week of First Grade In A Snap!
When you use our first week of first grade bundle, you’ll be completely prepped with back to school activities and no prep printables to help you throughout the week! Games, playdough mats, no prep pages, book companions, and more are included!
Remember, building connections and creating a positive classroom environment is crucial during the back to school season. These five back to school activities will help you establish meaningful relationships with your students and set the tone for a successful and enjoyable year ahead. Let’s make this back to school season one to remember!