Uncover the Coolest Back-to-School First Day Activities

by Jo Edgar | Mrs Edgar

Hey teacher!

Excitement is in the air as the back-to-school season approaches – can you feel it? A new school year is like a blank canvas, brimming with possibilities for both teachers and students.

The first day sets the tone for the months ahead, so why not make it unforgettable?

Whether you're looking for back-to-school activities to break the ice or creative ways to kick-start learning, I've got you covered with some fun ideas.

Six Creative Back-to-School Activities

Three back to school activity ideas for primary classrooms.

1. Back-to-School Writing Display

Kick off the school year with our Back to School All About Me Snaps activity for Years 2-4, featuring customisable templates where students can personalise their own camera designs with stickers, photos, and drawings.

This fun, easy-to-use resource fosters creativity and community while saving teachers prep time.

A hand holding a bright All About Me camera-shaped flip craft on a timber desk, with a pot of coloured pens beside it and photo cards showing a surfer and a beach — The camera folds out into a strip of photo cards for students to fill in.

back to school activity - writing recount

Get the Back to School All About Me Snaps →

2. All About Me Poster

Let students showcase their unique personalities by filling in an All About Me Poster — their name, age, family, favourite things and a self-portrait, all on one page.

Display them together on the wall and you have instant community: every child visible, and plenty of "me too!" moments as they read each other's.

back to school activity - all about me writing prompt

Prefer one long strip across the wall? The All About Me Banner does the same job as linked sections you join together into a whole-class display.

Get the All About Me Poster →

A quick look at the All About Me activity as a back to school icebreaker.

3. Fact or Fiction: The Ultimate Icebreaker

This game is always a hit! Students share two facts and one fictional statement about themselves, and their classmates guess which one isn't true. It's a simple yet exciting way to build rapport and spark laughter in the classroom.

Back to school Fact or Fiction icebreaker activity cards

Get Back to School Fact or Fiction →

4. Guess Who? Back-to-School Edition

Bring the fun of guessing games into the classroom with Guess Who? Students write clues about themselves and attach a photo for extra intrigue. As the game unfolds, classmates connect over shared interests, setting a positive and inclusive vibe.

Grab Back to School Guess Who →

5. Math About Me: Combining Math Skills with Creativity

Challenge students to create a Math About Me display, using numbers to represent facts about their lives.

How many siblings do they have? How many pets? This activity seamlessly blends creativity with a bit of numeracy and makes for a great hallway display.

Back to School Maths About Me worksheet with number facts and personal information about the student

Get Back to School Maths About Me →

6. Our Class is a Family Display

If you read Shannon Olsen's Our Class is a Family in the first week — and a lot of us do — this is the craft that goes with it.

Each student builds their own little house, adds their photo and spells out their name, and the finished houses go up together as one street. It lands the message of the book better than any poster could: everyone lives here, everyone belongs.

Two hands holding a house-shaped Our Class is a Family craft in teal, with the name SAM spelled in letter tiles and a student photo in the middle, on a timber desk with scissors and a glue stick — One house per student — photo in the middle, name on the roof.

Get the Our Class is a Family Display →

Five Fun First-Day Games

1. Scavenger Hunt

Design a classroom scavenger hunt to help students explore their new learning environment. Add clues related to classroom rules or subject areas for an educational twist.

2. Two Truths and a Lie

This classic game is perfect for breaking the ice. Each student shares three statements about themselves – two true and one a lie. The class then guesses the lie.

3. Human Bingo

Create bingo cards with prompts like "Has a pet cat" or "Loves pizza." Students mingle to find classmates who match each prompt. It's an engaging way to get everyone talking.

4. Speed Friending

Set up short, timed conversations between students. Provide prompts like "What's your favourite book?" to encourage meaningful chats and help students make new friends.

If you want something they can hand in at the end, our Back to School Classmate Interview turns the same conversation into a writing task — students interview a partner, then introduce them to the class.

Hands holding a completed Introducing Sommer writing page with a student photo, beside the filled-in interview notes it was written from — Interview notes on one page, a finished introduction on the other — and a ready-made display.

Get the Back to School Classmate Interview →

Another get-to-know-you idea: the back to school interview activity.

5. Classroom Charades

Use school-related themes for a quick round of charades. It's a light-hearted activity to get students comfortable and energised.

Share Your First-Day Creations!

Have you tried any of these activities or games? Snap a photo of your students' creations or share your success stories with us on social media. Tag us @mrsedgarsclass – we'd love to celebrate with you!

Here's to a fantastic start to the school year filled with joy, creativity, and connection. 🎉

The Mrs Edgar Resources Used in This Post

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Let's make this school year unforgettable!

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