Activities
Some teachers greet the first day of school with color-coded seating charts, freshly laminated name tags, and a smile that says I am totally ready for this (even if their coffee says otherwise). Others greet it with a deep breath and a mental pep talk in the parking lot (guilty!).
No matter where you land on that spectrum, the first day is your golden opportunity to start a tradition that will make this year feel special, for you and your students.
Here are 10 tradition ideas that are fun, meaningful, and don’t require 37 hours of prep.
1. Ready Confetti
When you’re putting together your welcome letters for students, add a touch of first-day magic. Include a short poem along with a small packet of confetti, and let students know they should sprinkle it under their pillow the night before school starts. It’s a simple gesture that can turn those first-day jitters into excitement and confidence.
2. Classmate Word Search
As students enter the classroom for the first time, have word searches available that will show them who is in their class. The process of making one is super simple with a free online generator.
3. Puzzle Pieces
Give each student a blank puzzle piece to color. Put them together and display the completed for the school year. On the last day of school, return puzzle pieces to students so that they have a piece of the year with them forever.
4. Mystery Read Aloud
Start reading with excitement on the first day of school! Wrap your first read aloud like a present and tell students that it’s your tradition to “unwrap the first read aloud of the year.” Before you begin, give students three playful clues: two true, one silly. For example, “This book has a main character who’s nervous about a big day, features a giant sandwich, and contains at least one talking squirrel.” Let students make predictions before unwrapping. Tip: Check out The Day You Begin as a first read aloud option!
5. Welcome Door Messages
Write a short, positive note for each student on a sticky note and place it on the classroom door so they see it as they walk in on the first day. It’s a small gesture with a big impact on first-day confidence.
6. First Day Certificates
Simple and effective! Print out colorful certificates to celebrate the survival of the first day of school. Slip them in mailboxes and watch kids show excitement to return for day two. And don’t forget to make one for yourself too — you’ve earned it!
7. First-Day Photo Booth
Set up a quick photo corner with a simple backdrop and a sign that says the grade you teach. Students can take turns snapping photos with friends. Keep it low-effort: cardstock letters and a dollar-store tablecloth will do the trick. Hang these photos on a bulletin board or keep them somewhere safe to return to on the last day of school.
8. Class Memory Book
On the first day of school, have students decorate a title page with their first-day reflections. Continue adding to it throughout the year, then send it home as a keepsake on the last day of school. As an alternative, create one big memory book together that will be housed in the classroom for years to come. Students can return to view it in the future.
9. Self Portrait
For this tradition, students can draw themselves on day one and again on the last day of school for a fun comparison.
10. Bookmark Making
Prepare a special bookmark for students on computer paper or cardstock. The bookmark could be their name in bubble letters or a simple pattern. If you need a place to start, it’s quick and simple to do on Canva!
Students can decorate the bookmarks on the first day of school. If you want, you can laminate them for safe keeping and then have students use them all year long! Students often keep these for future years of school too! Tip: Provide lines on the back of the bookmark for students to keep track of their favorite reads.
Traditions don’t have to be big or elaborate to make a difference, they just have to be meaningful. Start small, keep it fun, and remember: your first-day tradition is less about Pinterest perfection and more about people connection.
