First Week of School Activities

Besides needing bottles of wine for your fridge 🤣 (I’m kinda, sorta joking). To help those of you who are stuck for ideas on what to do for first week of school activities I thought I would share some I love to use! It can be tricky because you’re trying to get to know your entire class and find out the dynamics of their personalities too!

 

These first week of school activities can be used and modified for varying ages and grades!

First Day Name Activity

This is a free resource (or there’s an all about me display pack), and one that I love to do with the kids. It allows them to build on their name recognition, and begins to explore their awareness of themselves too.

Cover the Table Dot Painting

Great for fine motor development but also allows you to see the social dynamics as the kids need to cooperate with one another as they find space to paint! You could even set a timer to make it more tricky, or get them to dot out their name or a picture (depending on your grade!)

Hands-On Open-Ended Play

I always love setting up some open-ended play first thing in the mornings. It can be tricky easing back into school, you might need to chat with parents, and drop offs can be a bit tough and you might be needed a little more for some children. So by setting up open-ended play materials (that don’t need you to explain what to do or how to use it!) it will allow the kids to come into an environment that they feel at ease in.

Fine Motor Activity Tubs

These can be a super easy set up for the mornings too (and a great opportunities for small group play – where you can be explicitly teaching to a smaller group while the others are engaged in their own open-ended play), or even for the afternoons when everyone starts getting a little exhausted. Things like playdough, blocks, sorting activities, LEGO and threading are all amazing. I also have fine motor bundles too which are perfect here too!

 

Do you have any other activities that you love to use within that first week of school?