School activities for opening day highlight the excitement that the first day of school brings. After a long summer, many kids are anxious as they anticipate what crafts or lessons their teacher decides to feature on opening day. Some activities might involve class rules or what to expect for the year ahead. Teachers also encourage students to introduce themselves and discuss their personal interests with the class.
Class Scrapbook
Begin the first day of school right by starting a class scrapbook that you and the children will continually craft throughout the year. Show the kids how to add embellishments to the first page and spend some time taking photos of the kids for future pages. Use plain colors in addition to patterned card stock. Dedicate one page for goals for the year. Ask each child to write her name on the page in alphabetical order and write one or two sentences that describes their most vital goal for the year.
Class Garden
Buy potting soil along with a miniature pot or several pots for each child in the class along with seed packets for peas, flowers and other plants. Ask the kids in the classroom to choose what type of plant they would like to grow. Help them fill their pots with potting mix and plant the seeds. Place the pots on a table near a sunny window and watch the plants grow. You can also ask the kids to write a report about why they chose a particular plant and how fast they think it will grow. This is another hands-on activity that starts the year on a positive note.
Introductions
Ask the kids to introduce themselves in front of the class and tell everyone about their summer vacation. This is a great way for kids to get to know each other and find out a little about their classmates' lives. The kids can also talk about what their goals are for the new school year.
List of Favorites
Ask the kids to write down a list of their favorite things such as cats, dogs, bikes, Disneyland or teddy bears. Give the kids magazines and ask them to cut out pictures they find of their favorite things. They can also draw or print out pictures online if they are not able to find an item in a magazine. Help the kids glue pictures of their selections on construction paper and encourage them to write down why they love these things.