Popular categories:
Classroom printables, activities & worksheets
First Day of School Activities Teaching Resources
Dive into a curated collection of teacher-created first day of school activities and ice-breakers to help your students settle in and feel comfortable.
Our back-to-school resources for teachers to use on the first day of the school year includes hundreds of printables and digital options, such as:
- First Day of School Bulletin Boards
- First Day of School Photo Props
- Back-to-school Student Data Forms
- First Day of School Signs to welcome students
- And so much more!
What to Do on the First Day of School for Students
If it's your first year as a teacher or your first first day in a brand new classroom, you may be wondering what to do on the first day of school for students. Don't worry!
Our team of expert teachers have put together dozens of first day activities! Some things you might want to add to your list:
- Have students fill out an "all about me" template to tell you about themselves.
- Take students on a fun tour of the school with a first day of school scavenger hunt.
- Share classroom rules and school procedures.
Show more
32 of 136 teaching
resources for those 'aha' moments
teaching resource
Printable Wanted Poster Template
A 'Wanted' poster template that can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom.
teaching resource
Classroom Behavior Discussion Cards
Encourage students to think about what a positive learning environment looks like, sounds like, and feels like with this set of 10 discussion cards.
teaching resource
Back to School Emoji Code Breaker Worksheets
Use this emoji code breaker worksheet as a back to school activity with your students.
teaching resource
Team Building Games – Upper Grades
Encourage communication and cooperation with this set of 10 team-building games.
teaching resource
Back to School - Plan a Field Trip Project
Integrate STEM activities into your beginning-of-year math and economics lessons by inviting your students to plan a field trip, calculate costs, and follow a budget.
teaching resource
Playdough STEM Challenge – Task Cards
Use this set of STEM challenge cards to foster critical thinking and problem-solving by building various items with playdough.
teaching resource
A Visual Story of ME! - Timeline Project
Apply knowledge of timelines while students share and celebrate their own life journey.
teaching resource
Getting to Know You T-Shirt
Start the school year off with a bang with this getting-to-know-you activity.
teaching resource
School Supply Shopping - Upper Grades
Calculate the cost of school supplies and answer questions with this back-to-school math activity.
teaching resource
Playdough Tasks - Teambuilding Activities for Kids
Use this set of Playdough challenge cards to foster team building in your classroom.
teaching resource
Number Anchor Charts - Math
Display this set of 1-20 math anchor charts in the classroom to encourage knowledge and understanding of each number.
teaching resource
Count and Graph – In the Classroom
Practice collecting, sorting, and organizing data to create a graph with this 2-page worksheet.
teaching resource
My Favorite Thing About School – Worksheet
Get your students excited about the new school year with this one-page worksheet.
teaching resource
Sit Down If… Back to School Movement Icebreaker
Have your students giggling on day 1 with this getting-to-know-you activity.
teaching resource
Would You Rather...? Question Cards
Would You Rather use this set of 31 question cards or eat a can of worms?
teaching resource
Let's Cooperate Code Cracker - Upper Intermediate
A whole class game including a collection of 6 activities that students need to solve to reveal numbers for a lock combination.
teaching resource
Build a Crayon Box – STEM Activity
Foster critical thinking and problem solving with this back to school STEM activity.
teaching resource
School Scavenger Hunt
Use this teacher-created resource to end the school year the same way it began... with a good old-fashioned scavenger hunt!
teaching resource
Color Me Carefully – Geometric Animals
Hone in on your students' speaking and listening skills with this barrier activity.
teaching resource
Never Have I Ever Questions... Getting to Know You Game
Get to know your new students with this child-friendly version of the popular game, "Never Have I Ever."
teaching resource
Beginning of Year Time Capsule Template
A time capsule template for your students to complete at the beginning of the school year.
teaching resource
Mindfulness Activities for Kids - Backpack Craft and Book
Promote mindfulness and social and emotional learning with this Mindfulness Backpack activity.
teaching resource
All About Me Pennant Banner
Use this pennant flag template as an activity at the beginning of the year.
teaching resource
Welcome to Our School - About Me Glyph
Celebrate the first day of school, get to know your students, and create an amazing bulletin board display with a Welcome to our “School” Fish Glyph.
teaching resource
Would You Rather...? Back to School Edition
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions with this set of 16 back-to-school “Would You Rather” questions.
teaching resource
Back to School STEM Challenge Cards – Primary
Integrate STEM activities into your back-to-school plans by guiding students to create a picture frame, name tag, and pencil cup.
teaching resource
Student Interest Survey - Primary Grades
Determine your students' interests with this survey for primary students.
teaching resource
This Is Me Task Cards
A fun, getting-to-know-you game to play in the first days of a new school year.
teaching resource
Our Friends in the Pond - Getting-to-Know-You Activity
Make getting to know your classmates a blast with this interactive bulletin board activity!
teaching resource
Color-by-Code Parts of Speech- Back to School Worksheet
Use this color by part of speech worksheet as a back to school activity with your students.
teaching resource
Behavior Charades
Explore appropriate and inappropriate behaviors at the beginning of a new school year with a fun charade activity.
teaching resource
Back to School Supply Shopping Task - Primary Grades
Calculate the cost of school supplies and answer questions with this back-to-school math activity.
- First Day of School Activities Worksheets
- First Day of School Activities Games
- First Day of School Activities Templates
- First Day of School Activities Projects
- First Day of School Activities for Pre-K
- First Day of School Activities for Kindergarten
- First Day of School Activities for 1st Grade
- First Day of School Activities for 2nd Grade
- First Day of School Activities for 3rd Grade
- First Day of School Activities for 4th Grade
- First Day of School Activities for 5th Grade
- First Day of School Activities for 6th Grade