The first day of Preschool is quite the big day for both kiddos and adults. It’s important to have enough choices for students to keep them comfortable. These first few days can be overwhelming. It’s an entirely new environment for your little ones. Include plenty of activities that make them feel welcome but also give them the space to take everything in and explore.
Along with that, it’s important to provide parents with some crafts that they can keep as keepsakes. As we said, the first day is pretty hard on adults too.
Without further adieu, here is a list of 25 First Day of School activities that will make your first day successful!
1. First Day Lacing
Finding different activities that can easily be done at students’ seats is perfect for the first few weeks of school. Try this shoe-lacing activity on the first day of preschool! It will engage students and could also build a community for students to help one another.
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2. Meet My Worry Monster
Building a classroom environment that fosters students’ feelings is vital on the first day of school. This is the perfect story for preschool classrooms everywhere. Create a feeling of relaxation and understanding with this circle time activity.
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3. First Day Tracing
The first day of school is an exciting time, so having different worksheets planned for students is a great idea. It will show parents what skills you’ll be working with throughout the year. While also helping students get into their new learning routine.
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4. Gluing Scraps
The first few days of school should definitely focus on different engaging activities. Gluing scraps is one of those activities that are perfect for students getting into the classroom setting. Using a sheet of paper and some cut-up colored paper, let your students get to work and use their imaginations in all the best ways.
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5. Mr. Potato 5 Senses
Creating a Mr. Potatoe head is a great idea for preschool teachers on the first day of school. Students will have so much fun learning about their five senses and creating a great picture to send home.
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6. First Day Handprint Crafts
Eager parents are all over the place when it comes to their babies first days of preschool. Therefore, creating a keepsake for parents should be somewhere in your lesson plans on the first day.
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7. Magnet Fishing
Having enough activities going on throughout the classroom during arrival time is essential. It will give all of your preschoolers a place to go throughout the classroom and set up before circle time. Magnet fishing is a very attractive game for students of all ages!
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8. First Day Name Activity
A first day of school name activity is important for building rapport with students. Students will feel much more comfortable and confident when they feel included! Using bright colors and stampers is a great way to engage your students and start working with their names.
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9. Back to School Coloring Banner
Okay, so I introduced a color mat into my classroom a few years ago, and the students loved it! This one may be a bit intense for preschoolers, but there are so many other options out there. Even turn it into a desk coloring activity and cover the entire desk with a sheet of paper and as students arrive at school.
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10. Mindfulness Jars
These are so much fun for students of all ages! Use your student’s favorite colors and create a few different jars and place them throughout the classroom. These will help with any first day of school preschool jitters that may arrive.
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11. Color Mixing
A brand-new school year calls for some brand-new learning! This activity for students is perfect for working together and creating different colors! It’s always calming to work with paint and bright colors.
Include this activity in different stations. It will give more choices that students will appreciate through the first day.
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12. Fingerprint Paintings
This craft is so much fun for preschool students. They’ll love getting their fingers paint covered on the first day and bringing home these adorable school crafts. Crafts like this are great on the first day because they’ll give kids the space to get messy and have some fun.
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13. First Day Sight Words
Do your students know their sight words already? Some might, some might not. That’s where stations come in handy. This is a great way to assess the different levels that students may be on. Work with students closely on this activity to help and guide them throughout the entire duration.
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15. Dinosaur Chant
Turn their first day into a day at school with dinosaurs! Having a dinosaur chant ready for the first day will help to get kids engaged and excited about the school theme this year! Whether you have mini books to accompany the chant or little dinosaur figures, your students will be engaged!
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16. Painting Ice
The first few school days can be quite warm, depending on your location. If it’s still warm and you really want to get your kiddos outside, try this sensory table! Using ice and paint brushes, your student will love fun activities like this to cool down their little hands.
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17. Caterpillar Names
A first day of school sign that uses student names is always a great introduction to the classroom. These adorable caterpillar name charts are perfect for the classroom. Allow parents to provide the introduction to school by helping children find their names.
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18. Ice Cream Color Matching
It’s important to have enough activities planned for students to gain a better understanding of classroom expectations. Work in different styles of activities to get children used to using different classroom materials as well as understanding the classroom management.
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19. First Day Stations
Here are four different stations that can be easily set up for the first day. Learning activities and play activities are vital to making sure students enjoy the first few days. This will help to set the expectations of students for the rest of the year.
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20. Water Play
Fun hands-on activities, like water play, are fun for children of all ages! Water tables can include different letter recognition objects and even drops of food color to make it more exciting. Water play will help students to take time to themselves or interact with others.
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21. What Was Your Favorite Part?
End school with individual questions. A language activity on the first day will enhance future learning experiences. Students will feel both loved and appreciated that teachers took the time out to ask and learn about how their first days went.
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22. My First Day of School
Read-alouds are great because they engage all children! Online books like this one can be used in the physical classroom as well as the digital classroom. This is an adorable story that will help students feel a little bit more comfortable on their first day.
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23. First Day Song
Can’t go an entire day without a first day of school song! Include this in your first day circle time activities plans because students will greatly appreciate it! Parents will also love learning it from their students after school.
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24. Fun With Play
Let your students play! The first day of school activities should include an exploration of your student’s new classroom. Coming into a classroom filled with all kinds of toys and exciting things can be overwhelming. Therefore, it’s important to give students enough time for free play and exploration.
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25. Daniel Tiger Goes to School
Sometimes when students are arriving at school, it’s beneficial to have a video going. This will help shy students feel more comfortable. Daniel Tiger is always a great choice because he fosters so many different aspects of learning and imagining as a preschooler.
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