Back to School Activities

Pretty soon all teachers and students will be back in classes again. Are you still looking for an activity or two to round out your first day? The first day of a new school year is very important. It establishes you as an authority figure in your classroom and gives students their first impression of you. It is very important that you begin to get to know your students from day one, and that your students get to know each other as well!

There’s all sorts of things you can do to accomplish this. You can try activities, writing prompts, crafts…there’s a myriad of options, and so one is sure to work for you! If you’re stuck, try out one or more of the ideas we’ve come up with!

Activities

A fun activity to encourage students to speak to one another is to have them become detectives. Students will become their own version of Sherlock Holmes as they investigate clues about their classmates. Each student gets a card and writes down clues about themselves. Give some examples of the types of clues students should use. Remind your students they cannot use the words on the index cards! They must engage their brain to try and ask their fellow students questions related to the clues on the cards without using the word. This activity will make students think and interact with others as well!

If you’re looking for a classic activity, a time capsule is the way to go. There are many ways to handle an activity like this, but here’s what we recommend. Give each of your students a brown paper bag and tell them to decorate it however they want. They can draw on it, glue pictures of their favorite shows, books, sport players…whatever they want! Inside the bag they should place several items they feel represent them. Make your own bag as an example. They should also fill out a sheet of paper with answers to questions you come up with. Some great ideas are favorite school subject, school subject they struggle with, favorite TV show, hobbies, etc. Later that week every student explains their bag and chooses several questions on their sheet to share with the class. At the end of the year they get their bags back and can see how they’ve progressed and what has changed!

An active social life at school is almost as important as an active academic life at school. Some students struggle with making friends. Maybe it’s because they are shy. Maybe because they have a difficult time finding people with the same interests as them. Well that’s what this activity is for. Line your students up and instruct them to step forward if the answer is “yes” to any of the questions you ask. At this point, ask questions related to student’s interests. Some examples: “Have you ever been to a baseball game?” “Do you enjoy reading?” “Do you play an instrument?” Invite students who step forward to share details if they wish. Once the activity is complete, encourage students to seek out others that answered yes to some of the questions they answered yes to. This allows them to discover what students they have things in common with, and allows you to get to know them better.  

Writing Prompts

Instead of simply asking students to write an essay about what they did over the summer, focus on a writing prompt that is going to help you get to know them better. Here’s some options!

·         What are your hobbies? Write an essay describing them, why you love them, and a personal anecdote about you doing each one.

·         What goals do you have going into school this year? What goals do you have for the years beyond this one?

·         What was an important event in your life, and how has it changed you?

·         What do you enjoy about school? What do you not enjoy about school?

·         The science project that went wrong (fiction)

·         The class that had no rules (fiction)

Of course, that’s just a small list of the many activities and writing prompts you may use. We hope that some of them will be useful! 

Creative Summer Activities

We’re right in the middle of summer, and some kids might be getting a bit bored. Or are you just looking for something more creative to do that your kids will be talking about for ages? We’ve compiled a list of ten creative activities you can do this summer that kids will love.  

1.       Put some time and energy into creating a box house with your kids. You can make all different sizes, and this house can be as easy or complex as you want. For the youngest kids, all you need is a large appliance box and a box cutter to make some windows and a door. If you want something bigger, you can make the frame and roof of the house with multiple boxes. Kids can help make it too! Let them draw where they want windows and doors, color on details such as window sills and curtains, and more!

2.       Be prepared for summer storms with a rainy day box. It’s really simple! Just fill a box with indoor things for rainy days. This way kids won’t default to watching TV shows and movies for the whole day. Great items to go into this box are board games, coloring books, craft kits, books, and more. Update the box after every rainy day with new items.

3.       Plenty of kids run a lemonade stand in summer. Why not try something different, such as a bake stand? Kids can bake a small variety of treats such as cupcakes and cookies, then set up a stand. They can even offer lemonade as well! This makes the stand a multiple day activity, with all of the baking.

4.       Another fun idea that really utilizes kid’s creativity is to have them roleplay. Most kids engage in roleplay activities with items such as play kitchens, but push it further. Make the roleplay fresh. Have kids do a super hero plot, with someone as the hero, villain, and victim! Kids can dress up, use household items as props, or even make props for the occasion. Some other creative options include witches/wizards, western, and medieval times!

5.       Make a nature scavenger hunt for your kids. All you have to do is type up some items then take your kids outside or to the park to find everything. Need some examples of things to have kids hunt for? Send them searching for items such as sticks, multiple types of leaves, something green, different sized rocks, and more!

6.       Help your kids create something magical by working on a fairy garden together. This project will likely take you a few days and requires some planning. First you’ll need to find the right section of yard or container for your garden. Next you will have to get ideas for the garden so you can gather supplies. What does your kid want? A pond? A cave? Once you gather the materials, all that’s left to do is put it all together. If you want a detailed tutorial there’s tons of them online.

7.       Create a water park in your backyard! Put together different water activities. Set up the sprinkler, fill the baby pool, lay out the slip n’ slide, as well as any additional things you can think of! You could set up a water balloon and water gun stand, or make it like a real water park with a section of lawn chairs for resting in the sun. If you want to get very creative, you could even set up a snack station outside to serve as the food court!  

8.       Another great indoor activity is a themed movie night. Choose one or two movies, both centered around a similar topic, and make an event of it! For example, what if you choose two movies about magic? Make some snacks such as wizard hat cupcakes, and have everyone make their own wands to bring for the evening. What about a movie about animals? Have everyone wear something with an animal on it, such as a T-shirt. Have a big container of animal crackers for snacks. There’s tons of options with this one!

9.       Have fun with chalk in a new way! Are your kids bored of chalk? Try to challenge them! Have them pick out an art piece they like and print a picture of it. Your child can then try to re-create it in chalk. This will be more difficult and will likely occupy kids for a while.

10.   Celebrate cooking in a new way with a mud kitchen outside. Give your child several pots and pans, as well as some dishes to play with. We recommend old ones you no longer plan to use. Then have kids mix up their own “meals” using items from outside. Fill jars with dirt and sand. If you have any empty spice containers, fill them with pebbles, small sticks, and torn up leaves. Now kids can mix up “food” without using any actual ingredients.

There you have it! These great ideas are sure to keep young ones entertained. Give them a try next time your kids are looking for something new to do.

Make Father's Day Special

Father’s Day is fast approaching, so it’s time for kids to start planning what to do with their dads! Though it is fairly standard to give a gift, children should be encouraged to do more than that! There’s tons of things you can do on Father’s Day to make dads feel special. But don’t fret if you need ideas, because we’re here to help. Offer these tips to students to help them get creative with the holiday.

Many dads enjoy cooking out, especially since Father’s Day falls in June, when the weather is heating up and it’s the perfect time to be outdoors. Encourage students to participate. They can watch and learn about grilling food. They can offer to help with more simple tasks, such as buttering corn on the cob. They can set the table for the family. The help is sure to be greatly appreciated.

Summer is also a season for sporting events, and Sundays are big days for games. Students could offer to watch a game with their dads. They can ask questions to learn more about his team, his favorite players, and more. Dads will love talking about it, especially to their children who are not sport inclined.

It’s a stereotype that dads enjoy gold for a reason. Students can offer to go golfing, whether it is to the driving range or for a round of mini golf. The offer will be appreciated.

Fishing is another classic Father’s Day activity. If you live anywhere near water, it can be a fun bonding experience for children and their dads. This pastime is relaxing, allowing time to chat, and exciting, when someone is attempting to make a catch.

Encourage students to find out what their dad’s favorite meal is, and have them cook it! Whether it’s making much of it on their own or just having several small tasks in the process, their dads are sure to appreciate it.

Above all, students should ask about his interests and use those to plan a fun activity. Does he enjoy art? Maybe it’s time for a trip to the museum, or to paint together. Interested in history? Watch a documentary together. Students who attempt to find an activity that is personal will leave their dads touched.

Make sure you encourage students to do something special to show all the dads out there how important they are! 

Free Mother's Day Printable

Mother’s Day is just several days away. Do you want something fun but simple to do with your class? Then this free Mother’s Day printable is perfect for you! Simply print it and hand it out to your class. This is an easy but sweet craft that students can give to their mother’s on Sunday.

It’s not a color by number printable, which will give students a chance to be more creative in their color choices for this picture. Need more? Have students try these additional things to make Mother’s Day even more special.

~ Suggest students write a letter to go with the picture.

~ Have students create their own homemade cards. All they will need is a piece of folded construction paper to get started!

~ Show students how to make personalized coupons for their mothers. Offer suggestions such as “One Free Hug” or “Clean Room”.

~ Encourage your students to try writing a poem or a song for their mom.

~ Tell your students to try making breakfast for their mothers (with another adult’s or sibling’s supervision, for young ones).

These simple ideas are particularly good for young students! 

Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is just around the corner. Do you have a lesson planned for your students yet? It’s important that the next generation understands the importance of the Earth. They should know what they can do care for the planet. In a world where technology is so prevalent, this is also a good time to encourage students to spend more time outside, enjoying nature. Below we’ve compiled a list of ways to teach and inspire students on this very important day.

·         Teach your students about gardening. Explain plants, vegetables, how to care for a garden, and more. Some schools may even have a small garden you can take students to visit.

·         Explain recycling to your students, including the type of items to recycle, how to do it, and why it is essential.

·         Take your older students out to collect trash that’s accumulated across your playground. It’s a great way to clean up your school, while showing students the importance of not littering.

·         Have students bring in several recyclable items, then have the class sort them like they would if recycling at home.

·         Have students do an eco-friendly craft. There are tons of them out there, and all you need to do is a simple search online.

·         Get your students outside. Plan a picnic in the school lawn, take a field trip to somewhere outdoors, or organize a classroom wide sporting event outdoors.

·         Ask students to brainstorm ways they can help the environment, whether long-term or on a day-to-day basis.

Our natural resources are essential for our survival, and you should make your students understand that. We want the Earth and its resources to be around for a long time. That includes our trees, rivers, animals, and so much more. There is a large host of activities to do with students, and different aspects of the world you can choose to focus on, largely depending on the age group you are working with.

While you are at it, why not stop to consider in what ways you can help the environment? What about taking reusable bags when you go shopping? Or recycling any item that can be recycled, rather than only the obvious ones such as cans and newspaper? There is so much we can do to keep this planet healthy, and the future generations depend on it.

Earth Day is April 22^nd. We hope you enjoy it, and take it as an opportunity to inspire your classroom.

Spring Activities

March is here, which means spring is just around the corner. If you are looking for a simple, fun activity to do with your students to celebrate, then look no further. This spring word search features fun, spring words that students can hunt for.

Use this to teach young students more about the season, or just as a fun exercise.

If you are looking for something more active to do with your students as the temperatures rise, we’ve created a list of options!

1.       Have a picnic. A lot of schools will do end-of-the-year picnics, but why wait? Plan one for a nice spring day to get students excited!

2.       Have students pick flowers, if your school has a grassy area.

3.       Bring in chalk and let students get creative!

4.       Plant flowers, with the school’s blessing, of course!

5.       Get out the sports equipment and have a classroom-wide game of kickball, soccer…whatever you and your students feel like!

6.       Take your students for a walk around the school, or get permission to take a short walk in the neighborhood.

7.       Organize a day to clean up the playground to help the environment.

8.       Have students hunt for four-leaf clovers for good luck.

9.       Have students make bird feeders. There are tons of tutorials online to be found with a simple search.

10.   Take a field trip to the park.

We hope you enjoy the free printable, and the rising spring temperatures! 

Valentine's Day Printables

Valentine’s Day will be here in only a week. Are you still looking for something fun to do with your students? Why not try our free Valentine’s Day printables? These printables are a fun and easy way to celebrate the holiday!

Heart Match Game: Have students match the differently designed hearts to the correct match!

H is for Heart: Let student’s practice their handwriting with this fun, themed worksheet!

Valentine Bingo: Play this fun game with students before the weekend starts!

Valentine Maze: Challenge students to make it to the center of the heart!

Valentine’s Day Word Search: Let students hunt for themed words such as card, chocolate, heart, and more!

Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate love and friendship. You can encourage your students to bring in Valentines or treats to share with the class. Keep them in high spirits with these fun, free printables!