The start of a new school year is the perfect time to set a positive tone, build classroom community, and help students get to know one another. Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school, the key to a successful first week is offering some engaging back to school activities. Students are often full of anticipation and nervous energy—so why not harness that with fun, meaningful activities?

Here are five tried-and-true back to school activities that encourage collaboration, communication, and a strong sense of belonging:

Get students moving and talking with a lively game of Icebreaker BINGO. Create bingo cards filled with prompts like “Has a pet,” “Speaks another language,” or “Traveled to another state this summer.” Students mingle with classmates to find peers who match each prompt, writing names in the appropriate boxes.

This activity can be replayed multiple times across the school year if you change your BINGO cards. You can easily create your own cards.  If you are low on time, check out this set of 10 Icebreaker BINGO cards with editable templates.

Why it works:
This activity helps students get to know each other without being put on the spot in front of the whole class. It encourages low-pressure conversation and helps students discover common interests.

Challenge your class to some friendly competition with a few rounds of Teamwork Trivia. Create a quiz with questions about the school, academic content, pop culture, or general knowledge. Students work in small teams to answer the questions. The Teamwork Trivia Game encourages small groups of learners to work together to brainstorm lists of responses to high-interest Top 10 questions. You can use this activity as a bell ringer, ice breaker, brain break, or team-building exercise.

You can create Teamwork Trivia games using your whiteboard and some paper templates. For an engaging, electronic version, check out this fully editable Google Slides version with 10 pre-loaded questions and included countdown timers.

Why it works:
Many students will be excited about the team competition aspect of this activity.

Turn your students into explorers with a schoolwide scavenger hunt. Provide a list of important locations, items, and people to find—like the nurse’s office, library, or cafeteria staff. Add clues or riddles for an extra challenge. For a simpler version, create a scavenger hunt that is specific to your classroom.

Why it works:
This activity builds independence and comfort within the school setting. It’s especially helpful for students who are new to the school or transitioning to a new grade level.

Use the classic Four Corners game to promote movement and reveal student preferences. Label each corner of the room with an option (e.g., types of music, favorite subjects, preferred activities). Read a prompt and have students move to the corner that best represents their choice.

Why it works:
It’s a great way to build classroom culture, encourage self-expression, and help students recognize shared interests—all while keeping energy levels high.

In small groups, have students create a “team resume” that highlights their collective strengths, interests, and skills. Each group designs a poster or digital slide listing their team’s “qualifications,” hobbies, talents, and goals for the year.

Why it works:
This activity promotes self-awareness, collaboration, and pride in one’s abilities. It also gives you a window into student dynamics and strengths you can build on throughout the year.

Starting the year with engaging, community-building activities sets the stage for a supportive and inclusive classroom environment. These five strategies aren’t just fun—they help students build relationships, develop teamwork skills, and feel at home in your classroom. Try one (or all!) during your first week, and watch your students start the year smiling and connected.