YAY! I’m officially a teacher with my own grade!  🙌🏼 So…. now what do I do with them????

Ahh, the long-awaited first week of school! Whether you’ve been in the teaching game for years and you’re in need of some first day class activities, or it’s your first day as a full-fledged teacher, the first day jitters are bound to creep in regardless of how long you’ve spent preparing for this moment! 

Your students are more than likely experiencing a serious case of the first day nerves, too. The uncertainty that comes with an unfamiliar classroom, a whole sea of new faces and the prospect of making friends - putting yourself in their tiny shoes for a moment can be quite daunting (and uncomfortable, ha)!

You have enough on your plate in the first week of school as it is - let alone trying to plan five days’ worth of activities! That’s where my First Week Back to School Pack is a major lifesaver - 54 pages jam-packed with resources to make your first week of school a breeze!  

This is where it’s your time to shine as a teacher and make their transition into the classroom as easy and fun as possible. Not only will a great first week ease those anxious minds, it will also set the tone for a great year together in the classroom. 

So, BFFs, take a deep breath in and out, shake off those first day jitters and get those first week of school activity ideas sorted. Don’t worry, I’m here to help! Here are my ideas to help you nail your first week in the classroom with your little learners.

Give Them a Warm Welcome!

It’s amazing what a warm welcome can do to ease your students’ nerves and kick-start an awesome teacher-student bond. 

Kick-starting that bond begins the moment they walk through your door! Get this Welcome Posters here to see how these little touches can make all the difference for your little learners!

Place an editable Welcome Sign Poster on or near your classroom door with your grade name as you welcome your students into their new classroom for the year. Not only does it introduce your super stylish theme from the get-go, it’s also a great way to let your students know that you’re excited to have them!

There is nothing quite like a student’s face lighting up when they spot their own name on the door! Check out my editable Door Displays here to create a space where every child feels they truly belong from day one—and help parents easily find exactly where their little learner will be growing this year.

You could also transform your classroom door using decorations that can not only greet your students on their first day, but also welcome any visitors to your classroom throughout the year!

With my editable Door Displays, you can print out a label for each student in your class and create a personalized welcome poster for the first day! There are a variety of themes included in my collection and classroom essential decor pack, so you have complete free rein to create something special for your students.

Love this look? Grab this specific Bee Hive or Spotty Pastel Door Display on its own, or explore our full range of door display included in my decor bundles. With over 26 different themes and hundreds of must-have resources, you’ll find the perfect match for your unique classroom style!

Capture Those First Day Memories

Cue the absolutely too-cute, oversized uniforms and bags bigger than the student. The first day of school is a momentous occasion for your little learners and I love to capture the memory, for the students and parents alike. 

Check out all my First Day of School Signs here. 

My adorable First day of school signs are the perfect prop for your student to proudly hold as you capture a happy snap that they’ll look back on in years to come. Not only is it a great way to get your students’ days started with a fun activity, it’s also a one-way ticket to being in the good books with the parents (and who knows, maybe even scoring yourself a great end of year gift!).

Plus, it’s so amazing to compare them on the last day of school and see how much they’ve grown. I am a huge crier when it comes to the end of the year, so this was a LITTLE like self-torture… but so worth it! 

Establish Your Classroom Rules

The first week of school is a great time (and let’s be honest… the only time) for you to establish your classroom rules and expectations for your students. 

Establishing expectations early is key, but it doesn't have to be a lecture! Shop my Classroom Rules Posters here to see how you can build a positive culture together with your students from day one.

It doesn’t have to be so serious though, there are totally fun and inclusive ways for you to create rules *together*. Giving your students a sense of responsibility makes them want to uphold the rule that they helped create (handy little trick of the trade!) When your students are involved in creating your classroom rules, that sense of ownership will be more effective in getting them to behave than even your glariest of teacher glares!

This Back to School Activities Pack has got your back in that all-important first week of school!

My Back to School Activities Pack features a great resource for laying out the rules together, that uses positive and inclusive language to create a positive attitude towards classroom rules. Creating a sense that you’re all on the same team will make your students more willing to hold themselves accountable and work towards the common goal! Having been through a few ‘first weeks’ in my time as a teacher, I found that having a go-to set of activities was an absolute game-changer and lifted so much of the pressure that I was putting on myself! It’s since become one of my best-selling resources, so obviously a lot of teachers feel the same way. 

Ready to set a positive tone for your new school year? Check out the Back to School Activities Pack here. It’s the exact set of activities I relied on to lift the pressure off myself during those busy first weeks!

Having been through a few ‘first weeks’ in my time as a teacher, I found that having a go-to set of activities was an absolute game-changer and lifted so much of the pressure that I was putting on myself! It’s since become one of my best-selling resources, so obviously a lot of teachers feel the same way. 

Keep your classroom rules clear and concise and implement them in a way that is... well, as fun as rules can be. 

Bond Over These First Week of School Books

The first week can be overwhelming for both you and your students, so a great first week of school activity idea when everyone needs a bit of a breather is to enjoy a good book as a class. 

One of my absolute favourite books to read aloud to my students on the first day of school is the genius First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. 

I have so many fond memories of reading this book to my classes over the years! 

Not only is reading to the class a great and fun way to engage your students, the narrative behind First Day Jitters is about as perfect as it gets for your little learners. The book has a gorgeous little plot twist that reveals to students that teachers get nervous on the first day of school, too… gassssp! 

This can create a sense of comradery among the classroom, and can also lead to great classroom discussions about how everyone is feeling and lead the way for a strong student teacher relationship - a win-win! 

Old Friends, New Friends by Andrew Daddo is another beautiful first day classic that repositions those first day nerves about making new friends into ones of excitement!

So, there you go BFF, some of my favourite back to school activities for a great first week of school! I am *so* excited for you to spend time with your little learners and to set your class up for an amazing year. 

Let me know if you use any of these suggestions, or if you’d like to add some of your own down in the comments below!