85 Fun First Day of School Activities for Elementary Students

The first day back to school is something that not only you look forward to as a teacher but also the students will be excited as well to.

As a teacher when trying to figure out what to on the first day of school besides reading first day back to school books, brain breaks, lesson plans, and many other things wanted done by administrators.

I can certainly help you come up with a variety of first-day activities for elementary students.

First day back to school activities will be fun!

These activities are designed to be engaging, fun, and helpful for students to get to know each other and the teacher. Here are 85 ideas to choose from:

1. Icebreaker games like “Two Truths and a Lie.”
2. Create name tags with a fun design and ask each student to introduce themselves.
3. Have a “Find Someone Who” scavenger hunt to encourage interaction.
4. Play “Human Bingo” with fun facts about the students.
5. Conduct a mini art project to decorate the classroom.
6. Engage in a “Classroom Scavenger Hunt” to get to know the classroom layout.
7. Read an interactive story and have students act out the characters.
8. Hold a “Show and Tell” session for students to share something special.
9. Play “Guess the Riddle” with clues about each student.
10. Collaborate on a class vision board or mission statement.
11. Design “About Me” posters with pictures and interests.
12. Have a mini science experiment to spark curiosity.
13. Conduct a “Math About Me” activity using numbers related to students.
14. Organize a “Classroom Community Circle” to discuss expectations.
15. Hold a “Back-to-School” themed quiz game.
16. Set up a “Break the Code” activity to decode a message.
17. Create a class time capsule with predictions for the year ahead.
18. Play charades with school-related topics.
19. Hold a mini spelling bee to gauge students’ abilities.
20. Design and decorate bookmarks for each student.
21. Organize a “Getting to Know You” scavenger hunt.
22. Have a “Back-to-School” bingo game with school-related items.
23. Set up a “STEM Challenge” using building blocks or craft materials.
24. Create a “Classroom Rules” poster together.
25. Hold a “Favorite Book” sharing session.
26. Engage in a “Guess the Emoji” game related to school topics.
27. Play “Pass the Ball” with questions about students’ interests.
28. Organize a “Collaborative Puzzle” activity for teamwork.
29. Have a “Math Facts” challenge with fun math problems.
30. Conduct a “What’s in My Bag?” guessing game.
31. Create a “Classroom Helpers” board for various tasks.
32. Organize a “Story Circle” where each student adds a sentence.
33. Play “Simon Says” to introduce listening skills.
34. Have a “What’s My Talent?” showcase.
35. Set up a “Design Your Own School” activity with drawings.
36. Play “Memory Game” with school-related objects.
37. Conduct a “Shape Hunt” around the classroom or school.
38. Create “All About Me” booklets.
39. Hold a “Mini-Debate” on fun topics.
40. Organize a “Guess the Sound” game with school-related noises.
41. Have a “Letter Hunt” to find hidden letters in the classroom.
42. Conduct a “Time Capsule Letter” writing activity to open later in the year.
43. Set up a “Word Search” with school-related vocabulary.
44. Play “Musical Chairs” with a twist by asking questions instead of music stopping.
45. Have a “Guess the Teacher” activity for the students to learn about the teacher.
46. Organize a “Classroom Photo Booth” for fun snapshots.
47. Play “Pictionary” with school-related terms.
48. Conduct a “School Supplies Scavenger Hunt” to familiarize students with materials.
49. Have a “Math Bingo” game with simple math problems.
50. Organize a “Mini-Geography Bee” with questions about the local area.
51. Play “Charades” using action verbs.
52. Have a “Guess the Number” game with math clues.
53. Set up a “Jigsaw Puzzle” activity for teamwork.
54. Create a “Classroom Quilt” with students’ artwork.
55. Hold a “Brain Teasers” challenge with riddles.
56. Organize a “Morning Meeting” with greetings and sharing.
57. Play “I Spy” to explore the classroom.
58. Have a “Design Your Dream Classroom” activity.
59. Set up a “Would You Rather?” game with school-related scenarios.
60. Conduct a “Classroom Code of Conduct” activity.
61. Create a “Time Capsule Drawing” to open later in the year.
62. Hold a “Mini-Talent Show” for students to showcase skills.
63. Organize a “Classroom Scramble” game with mixed-up letters.
64. Play “What’s Missing?” with school-related objects.
65. Have a “Story Starters” activity where students begin a story.
66. Set up a “Roll and Share” icebreaker game.
67. Conduct a “Classroom Tour” where each student introduces their favorite spot.
68. Create a “Classroom Family Tree” with pictures of each student.
69. Hold a “Creative Movement” activity with dance or movements.
70. Organize a “Mini-Survey” to gather opinions on favorite things.
71. Play “Who Am I?” with clues about famous historical figures or characters.
72. Have a “Classroom ABCs” brainstorming session with each student contributing.
73. Set up a “Color Sorting” activity with school supplies.
74. Conduct a “Picture Guess” game with close-up images of objects.
75. Create “Back-to-School” bookmarks for each student.
76. Hold a “Mini-Olympics” with fun physical challenges.
77. Organize a “Nature Walk” to explore the school’s surroundings.
78. Play “Rhyme Time” with words related to school.
79. Have a “Mini-Show and Tell” with a specific theme.
80. Set up a “Memory Lane” activity with photos from previous years.
81. Conduct a “Team-Building Challenge” with fun tasks.
82. Create a “Classroom Recipe Book” with students’ favorite recipes.
83. Hold a “Mini-Trivia” quiz on various topics.
84. Organize a “Design Your Own Flag” activity for each student.
85. Play “Emoji Charades” using emojis to represent actions or objects.

Feel free to adapt these activities to suit the age and interests of your elementary students. Have a fantastic first day of school!