The first week of school is always a challenge. The kids have been playing and swimming for three months. How are you going to keep their attention for more than 5 minutes? You need some fun and engaging lessons for the first few days of school. Keep reading to discover 10 of my favorite first week of school activities. If you want even more ways to make this the BEST start to the school year ever, download my free Back to School Guide.
The first week of school is all about getting to know your students and getting them back into the school routine. You need activities that will get them up and moving and keep them engaged.
10 First Week of School Activities
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#1 – All About Me Bags
My students receive an All About Me Bag when they meet me at our Popsicle and Packet night the week before school. It has a note on the front telling them about the treats that are inside. It also instructs them to decorate the bag and put three things in it to share the first week of school.
The students bring the bag back on the first day of school, and we start the day by sharing 5 bags. Each student tells about the three items they brought. Then, they ask for 3 questions or comments from their classmates. This helps us get to know each other and make connections.
We share 5 bags each morning for the first week of school. By the end of the week, everyone has shared.
Get the Beginning of the Year Bag letter in the 6 Getting to Know You Activities for the First Week of School.
#2 – MINGO
All kiddos love playing BINGO. We start the year with a game of MINGO, where the students have to find classmates who fit certain characteristics.
This activity gets the kids up and moving and talking to each other. When they find someone who has done an activity, that person has to sign the paper. The goal is to fill the whole MINGO board.
This MINGO board is also included in the 6 Getting to Know You Activities for the First Week of School.
#3 – Back to School Unlock the Box Mystery
An Unlock the Box Mystery is the perfect way to get your students up and moving the first day of school. We all know how hard it is for them to sit still for long periods of time!
Put a treat into a locked box and challenge your students to solve the clues and unlock the box. To solve the clues, your students will have to explore the classroom and get to know their new classmates.
Find everything you need for the Back to School Unlock the Box Mystery in the Teach Without Tears TPT Store.
Get more tips for engaging your students with Unlock the Box Mysteries.
#4 – Classroom Rules
One of the most important things to do the first week of school is to establish the classroom rules and practice them. In the past, I’ve read the book Do Unto Otters, and the students helped me write the rules.
This year, we have four school rules – Be Kind, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Ready to Learn. I’m still going to read the book. Then, the students are going to make a list of what each of those school rules looks like.
#5 – All About Me Writing
Another way I get to know my students is through an All About Me writing assignment. The students answer questions about their favorite things and draw pictures of themselves.
These make a great display for Meet the Teacher Night or any time parents are coming to school.
Get this All About Me Writing page in the 6 Getting to Know You Activities. There are even two differentiated versions – one for grades 1 and 2 and one for grades 3-5.
#5 – Me Quilt
The Me Quilt is an activity I’ve done since my first year teaching. It shows me how well my students are able to follow directions. The Me Quilt is a glyph where students have to listen to directions, find the correct item, and color it the correct color to tell about themselves.
This activity very quickly shows me who is able to follow directions. I know to keep an eye on those kiddos who are 3 steps behind me and those that keep asking me to repeat the directions.
Get the ME Quilt pattern and directions in the 6 Getting to Know You Actvities for the First Week of School.
#6 – Reading Interest Inventory
In addition to getting to know my students’ favorite foods and hobbies, I also like to start getting to know them as readers. I have them complete a Reading Interest Inventory so I can find out what types of books they enjoy and how they see themselves as readers.
We are starting Lucy Calkins Units of Study this year, so the Reading Inventory will let me help them select good-fit books for their book boxes.
You’ll also get this Reading Interest Inventory as one of the 6 Getting to Know You Activities. There are two differentiated versions of this activity – one for grades 1 and 2 and one for grades 3-5.
#7 – Numbers About Me
For math the first day, we get to know each other with numbers. I start by writing 5 numbers on the board that tell about me. Then, the students have to guess what the numbers mean. For example, they need to guess that 315 is my address.
Then, the students get a piece of paper and write 5 numbers about themselves. They trade papers with a partner, and the partner guesses what the numbers tell about them. This is a really fun activity, and it helps us get to know more about each other.
This Numbers About Me sheet is also included in the 6 Getting to Know You Activities.
#8 – Marshmallow STEM Challenge
Team building activities are so important at the beginning of the school year. The students need to be able to work together, even when the activity is challenging. I love STEM activities, and the Marshmallow Toothpick Bridges Freebie from Meredith Schaar is so much fun!
The students use mini marshmallows and toothpicks to build a bridge. Then, they have to see how many pennies their bridge can hold. It’s very challenging, and the students really have to work together to find a way to build a bridge that stands and holds weight.
#9 – First Day Jitters
My favorite beginning of the year read aloud is First Day Jitters. I read it every year. The students love finding out that teachers can be nervous on the first day of school, too. It leads to a great discussion of ways to overcome our fears and have a great school year.
#10 – School Rocks Game
At the end of the first week of school, we play the School Rocks Game. I put students into groups of 4. To play this board game, the students roll a die and choose a card. Each card asks a question about school. This game is a great way to review your classroom rules and expectations.
You can download it for free from Dots-n-Spots store on TPT.
Want to Learn More?
Don’t forget to download your FREE Back to School Guide! These 7 tips will help you have the BEST start to the school year!
Discover the 10 procedures you need to start teaching the first day of school.
As you’re planning for the first week of school, make sure you’ve done these things every teacher should do before the new school year starts.
Discover my favorite teaching resources on Amazon.
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What Do You Think?
What are your favorite first week of school activities?
Let me know if the comments below.
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Thanks for the contest!
Joyce from Facebook Friday
You’re welcome, Joyce!
My favorite first week of school activity is to read the story There was an old lady who swallowed some books! I go over school vocabulary and expectations!
I’ve never heard of that one before. I’ll have to check it out. That sounds like fun!
I like doing lots of name and getting to know you activities.
Getting to know you activities are so important the first week!
I love doing first Day Jitters!! I also like doing the Skittle or M&M activity where every color stands for a conversation started such as green=something fun toy did this summer and so on.
First Day Jitters is the best! I need to try the Skittles and M&M’s activity. That sounds like a great way to get my students talking.
I love the marshmallow stem challenge because it gives me an opportunity to observe my kids in collaborative play.
My kiddos had so much fun with it this year! Their bridges were so creative!
I love your blog name, and I wish you the best in your TPT and blogging journey. 🙂
Thank you so much!
Name Games
I play name games to help me remember my students’ names. They mostly know each other, but it takes me a few days to master all their names.
I love to do the math activity called “Figure Me Out”. It’s a fun way for students to get to know each other, and it’s an insight into my students’ math abilities. Thanks for the giveaway 😊
That sounds like lots of fun! You’re welcome, and good luck!
I love reading First Day Jitters on the first day of school!
Me, too! It’s such a great book!
Thanks f or the contest. You have great activities for beginning of school!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked the activities!
Lots of great ideas here! We did the Marshmallow STEM Challenge and it was a big hit with my 4th graders!
My students loved it, too! I tried it at home the night before with my son, and we had such a hard time getting our bridge to stand. I was so impressed with the strategies my students used. They did so much better than me!
I love having whole class meetings and sharing our goals and ideas for the year ahead!
That’s a great way to build a classroom community at the beginning of the year!
Favorite BTS activity? Self Portraits! I love to see their drawings! Wendy 1stgradefireworks
That sounds like lots of fun! We draw self portraits to go with our “All About Me” writing. The kids love it!
My favorite first week of school activity was a “Not Back to School” party with a bunch of retired teachers I used to work with; however, I took on a two hour a day teaching job at a private school, so I guess that makes me semi-retired!
Haha, a “Not Back to School” party sounds like lots of fun! Two hours a day doesn’t sound bad either!
I love the book First Day Jitters! I read it with my little ones and we talk about “butterflies” in our tummies and that it’s okay because we all have them!
First Day Jitters is my favorite! I read it every year!
There is a great book that is free right now on Amazon called, Missing Math a Number Mystery, it talks about where people see numbers in everyday life, I plan on using it on Tuesday.. I am hoping it it will help the students get ideas where they can see math all around them.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NBWNSA/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
I’m going to have to check that out! It sounds like a great activity. Thanks for sharing!
We did a lot of getting to know you activities!
Those activities are so important to build a strong classroom community!
Thanks for the opportunity to win BIG!!
You’re welcome! Good luck!
I really enjoyed your blog post! I will be using some of the ideas for sure! I am looking forward to reading more in the future!!
Thanks so much, Megan! I’m glad the ideas were helpful!
This was a great list of BTS activities and the freebies were so nice! I love1st day Jitters with some Jitter juice. Can’t wait to try the School Rocks game and Marshmallow Bridges. Fabulous for team building.
I’m so glad you found some good activities! I’m going to have to try Jitter Juice next year. The kids will love it!
My favorite first week activities are scavenger hunts! They get kids up and moving and helps them learn where things are or about new topics 🙂 Thanks for a great giveaway!
Scavenger hunts are one of my favorites, too! Thanks for entering the giveaway!
My favorite BTS activity this year was making a paper chain! It’s so simple but so powerful!! I had each student write what they think their best character trait is on a strip of construction paper. Then I looped each strip together and explained thay if one link one missing, our chain wouldn’t work!
That’s a great activity! I’m going to have to try that next year!
I teach primary and love the books Chrysanthemum and The Kissing Hand for the first week back!
Those are both great books with wonderful messages!
Glad to be a part of your group.
So glad you’re here!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing. And thank you for the contest!
You’re very welcome!
I like the Spotlight on Me poster and brown bag idea! Both are great ways to learn about your students!
Thanks, Anne! They are both fun activities!
First Day Jitters, If you take a Mouse to school, Froggy’s first day….etc. I usually do a craftivity with it. We also do a variety of get to know you actviities.
Those are all great books! Sounds like a fun start to the school year!
Love the ME quilt
Thanks, Janice! That’s one of my favorites, too.
We do some getting to know you activities. It’s fun getting to know my new students.
Getting to know you activities are lots of fun and so important at the beginning of the year!
Wonderful list! I will definitely be saving some of these ideas for next year. I especially love your suggestion of doing a Reading Inventory. This will be a great way to help them choose Good Fit books!
Love the “All about me” bags. You’ve collected some great ideas here!
Thanks, Susan! My students love learning about each other with the All About Me Bags!