Best Back to School Activities

Whether you are a homeschooler or classroom teacher, we’ve rounded up some of the best back to school activities to make starting a new year fun and exciting. These activities are practical, inexpensive, and take minimal prep. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can easily come back to it!

Why You Should Have Back to School Activities

The start of a new academic year is typically filled with anticipation but also overwhelm for both the teacher and students. Having back to school related activities will not only ease these feelings but also serve as an initial ice breaker. They can be used to help everyone get to know each other as well as get the year started off on a fun and exciting foot.

It is recommended to do at least one activity for per day for about a week (give or take). This will help everyone feel both comfortable and set the stage for what lies ahead.

Best Back to School Activities

Name Tag Challenge (For the Love of Teachers)

This name tag challenge is several activities wrapped up in one and includes STEM (although your students won’t know that). They will be given certain criteria for creating their name tag and you’ll instantly notice their creativity. Give the instructions, set the timer, and let your students have a name tag making good time. Don’t forget to do a show-and-tell once the time is up!

Goal Setting Craft (Inspired by Linda Kamp)

Having your class set individual and classwide goals is a great way to break the ice. You can use a template like Linda’s or come up with your own using a variety of supplies. The Dollar Tree typically has different shaped paper cutouts that can be used like stars, balloons, clouds, and the like.

Have your students write 2-3 personal academic goals they would like to accomplish during the school year (or in a shorter amount of time). Then, use a big sheet of paper for gathering student’s goals for the entire class. Be sure to keep up with them and celebrate students as their goals are reached.

Beach Ball Question Game (Teaching in Paradise)

All you need to play this game is a beach ball and a permanent marker. Write a few questions on the ball, put everyone in a circle, and simply toss the ball around. When a person catches the ball, whatever question their left (or right) thumb lands on is the one they have to answer. It’s a great way for everyone to get to know each other.

A Letter to Self

This is a great back to school activity for older students. Have them write a letter to someone (or a pen pal) answering a variety of questions. The questions should pertain to where they see themselves in the months to come, special things they want to accomplish, and other topics such as fears, anxieties, what excites them and so on. 

Gather the letters and return them to the students on the last day of school. They will be able to see how much they’ve grown and just how much of the letter they accomplished (or overcame).

Classroom Scavenger Hunt

Hide several things around the classroom such as pencils, crayons, books, and other classroom-related supplies. Put students in small groups and charge them to work together to find as many things on the paper as possible. Award the group who finds the most items.

First Day of School Photo Booth

Dedicate a part of your bulletin board to a photo shoot display. Provide students with a number of silly things they can take pictures with like oversized pencils, goofy glasses, and a back to school hat. Take their pictures and then use them to decorate another area of your bulletin board.

All About Me Activity

Having students complete an All About Me activity never goes out of style. You can collect these to read over yourself and/or have students share them with the class. Include questions about their favorite color, animal, movie, music, and more. Encourage them to include a hand-drawn self-portrait and pictures of other things that mean a lot to them.

Final Thoughts

Use these back to school activities in your classroom and homeschool to help get the new year started in a fun way. What are some back to school activities you’ve done in the past? Let me know in the comments below!

Sign Thank you, to all my HWM YouTube Community for all your support and I will see you all soon. Thank you, HWM by, Lori.

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