The first day of school is exciting—and a little nerve-wracking, too! These first day of school activities for kindergarten and 1st grade will help you have a clear, simple plan to start the year off right.
In this post, I’ll walk you through my exact first-day schedule, with activities that build community, introduce routines, and keep things fun (and manageable!)- perfect for both new and experienced teachers.
The key to a great first day? Keep it simple, fun, and start setting routines. Below, you’ll find a complete first day of school schedule for kindergarten and 1st grade, with ideas for every part of the day, from arrival to dismissal.
Sample First Day of School Lesson Plans
Of course, times depend on your schedule, but I included times here just as a guide.
- 9:00 – Welcome– Print student names in a bubble font and place on desks, along with blank paper. As you welcome students in, ask them to find their names. Have them either decorate the names, draw themselves, and/or write something to you about themselves while you collect supplies and take attendance/ lunch orders. 👉WHY? This activity will let you know if students can identify their name. Leaving this open-ended relieves stress for struggling writers and differentiates naturally, allowing you to see the different levels of writing ability. Writing to you also gives them a purpose for writing, rather than just doodle.
- 9:30 – Introduction– Share about yourself (I have a ‘Me bag’ full of pictures and trinkets that tell about me), play 2 truths and a lie with a PowerPoint (I read them 3 statements about myself and they guess the lie. I added a FREE editable PPT for you in my free resource library- see bottom of post for how to get it). Give any kids who aren’t too shy an opportunity to also share something about themselves. 👉WHY? Students may be nervous and learning about you in a fun way can make them feel at ease. Not making kids share if they’re shy also makes them feel safe.
- 9:45 – Classroom tour- play I Spy: Ask kids if they can find the word wall, bathroom, pencil sharpener, cubbies/hooks, and any other important area in your room. Take this opportunity to also talk about routines for these areas. 👉WHY? Taking time to review routines now will save time later!
Read Aloud with a Purpose
Read-aloud time is especially important in the K-1 classroom because it helps kids build comprehension before they can read on their own. They’re also great for teaching important concepts on the first day of school, like classroom expectations! Read this post for more Back to School Read-Alouds.
- 10:00- Interactive Read-Aloud: My go-to is David Goes to School because it’s simple and funny. Create class rules, explain your behavior system (I use 3 levels, which you can read about in this blog post: behavior management).
- 10:30 – Snack- I like to play a rhyming game, and ask kids “Who has a snack that rhymes with Shmetzels, Yackers, Lookies,” etc. Did you ever read The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian? It is a must-read, in my opinion. So much fun! Read more about it and get a freebie here: The Hungry Thing FREEBIE. Note that the book is currently out of print, but you can still find it read aloud on YouTube!
- 10:45 – Read aloud: Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes is not only great for word work with names, but you can also talk about being considerate of others’ names, feelings, and being kind. I have a freebie in my TpT store as a follow-up activity to this book: kids create name posters, and I staple them on one half of a long sheet of construction paper and have them draw themselves on the other half. These make lovely displays for Meet the Teacher night!
- 11:30 – Teacher Prep time– label materials, take care of dismissal notes, take a coffee/tea break and sigh of relief!
- 12:15- ‘All About Me’ Glyph- You can make your own chart for kids to follow, or you can use the one I use with the book Chrysanthemum.
Afternoon and Prep Time
Lunch time, a.k.a. time to run around and make sure everything is set for the afternoon, dismissal, notes to parents, and anything else you need to do in your last few minutes alone.
- 1:50 – Math– If you have a calendar routine, start with that right away so students know what to expect daily. I also like to do class graphs as my first couple of math lessons, because they encompass so many different skills with your questioning. You can graph letters in their names, ways to get to school, pets, favorite fruit, etc.
- 2:30 –Wrap up: Review routines, play Dice Roll (write #s 1-6 on the board/chart paper and write a question next to each number. Have kids sit touching knees with a partner, roll a die and ask kids to answer the question to each other, for ex: What was your favorite part of today? Do you have any pets?) or Find-a-Friend (kids go around class to find a friend that fits different categories on their list- included in my year-long scrapbook).
First Day of School Pack-up and Dismissal
Leave extra time for this on the first day, to make sure everyone is on the right bus and knows the routine. It can be students’ most stressful time of day at first, so it helps to be ready and have them at the carpet for a story or game while you wait for dismissal to begin.
I also like to have a list of things to do in case of extra time (not likely, but like I said, I like to overplan!)
IF EXTRA TIME: exercise (make a list of 10 exercises with the class and do 10 of each! I have an exercise leader lead the class once they’re familiar with the exercises), read-aloud, practice routines, read a poem, sing and dance!
AND, don’t forget to take a class picture and individual pictures on the first day! I use these for their year-long scrapbooks and they write about their first day and classmates later in the week. These make the BEST keepsakes at the end of the year- students and parents love them!
I barely scratched the surface of things I love to do the first week of school! I’d love to tell you about our Gingerbread Man Around the School hunt, one of my favorite first-week activities!
Conclusion:
I hope this post gave you the clarity and confidence to walk into day one feeling calm and prepared. With just a bit of planning, your first day can be smooth and full of connection for both you and your students.
These first day of school activities for kindergarten and 1st grade are simple, fun, and meaningful. They’ll help you start building routines, setting expectations, and creating a welcoming classroom community from the very beginning.
Have a favorite Day 1 activity? I’d love to hear it. Share it in the comments!
GET YOUR FREE 2 Truths and a Lie PPT below.
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