First Day of School 2026 Activities Teaching Resources for 2nd Grade

Hopes and Wishes Jar - Goal Planning Template

Have your students craft a hopes and wishes jar to set goals for the school year.

All About Me Sundae - First Day Activity

Color Me Carefully – Geometric Animals

Hone in on your students' speaking and listening skills with this barrier activity.

I Wish My Teacher Knew Activity Sheet

Add an ‘I Wish My Teacher Knew’ activity to your first-day plans to learn more about your new students.

Printable SMART Goals Template

Start the school year by having your students use a printable template to set their own S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Free Blank Face Templates

Use these blank face templates to create fun back-to-school art celebrating the individuality and diversity of your new students!

Back to School - Get to Know You Dice Game

Play a Get to Know You dice game for students to get to know their classmates.

Editable All About Me - Getting to Know Me Worksheet

Use this printable Grade Level Getting to Know Me Worksheet to engage your students on the first day of school.

Back to School - Personalized Name Coloring Bookmarks

Inspire your new students to read, read, read with their very own personalized name bookmark to color!

Back To School - Listening Skill Refresh Activity

Refresh student listening skills with a Back to School Listening Skill Refresh Slides and script.

Add It In - Listen and Draw Activity

Practice following directions to color and draw pictures with a listen and draw activity pack.

Get to Know You Bingo - Back to School Game

Start your year off right with an engaging Get to Know You bingo game designed for early elementary students.

It's Me! Puzzle Collage Templates

Create an It’s Me! Puzzle Collage with our printable about me puzzle piece art templates.

Have a Bright Year! Lightbulb Goal Setting Craft

Brighten up your first day of school with a fun Lightbulb-themed goal-setting craft activity.

A Letter to My Teacher Activity Sheets

Get to know your students a bit better using a ‘Letter to Teacher’ template.

Student Interest Survey Pack

Use a Student Interest Survey to get to know your new students at the beginning of the school year.

All About Me Book - One Pager Template

Save paper and get to know your students with a Back-to-School About Me One-Pager Mini Book.

Goal Grid - Goal Setting Template

Set goals for the new school year with a printable goal-setting template for kids.

Back to School Coloring Pages

Use these back-to-school coloring pages as a first day of school activity with your students.

Color-by-Code Grammar- Back to School Coloring Sheet

Use this color by code grammar worksheet as a back to school parts of speech review activity with your students.

Back to School Problem Solving Task Cards

Use this set of 20 task cards when teaching behavior expectations during your back-to-school lessons.

Fishing to Know You

Get to know your new class at the beginning of the year with this Fishing to Know You activity.

Interview a Classmate - First Day of School Activity

Help your students learn more about their new classmates (even if they have been together for the last 5 years) with this fun speaking and listening activity!

Funky Apple Craftivity

Have fun on the first day of school with a fun customizable, Funky Apple Craftivity.