15 Back to School Activities for Kids

Don’t you think the first day back to school deserves a little celebration? Whether your child is starting school for the very first time or heading back to see their friends, it’s the start of a brand-new adventure.

I love making the return to school feel a little more exciting with a few simple activities. They can help turn those nervous first-day feelings into something to look forward to, or simply add to the excitement for kids who are already counting down the days.

If you’re are looking for some fun first day of school activities, here are some of my favorite ways of celebrating at home and in the classroom.

1.Back to School Decoder Hunt

If you’re looking for a memorable way to kick off the school year, this is probably one of my favourite ideas.

The Back to School Decoder Hunt transforms an ordinary surprise into a bit of an adventure. Instead of simply handing over a gift, children use a secret cipher wheel to decode school-themed symbols and solve a series of clues leading them to a mystery surprise.

Unlike traditional treasure hunts with fixed hiding places, this one can be played almost anywhere. The included locator sheet lets parents or teachers choose their own hiding places, making it perfect for any home or classroom.

This such a fun way to reveal a new backpack, funky lunchbox, books, stationery, or treats.

Teachers can use the kit to help children discover important areas around the classroom, making the first day both fun and practical. Great for team building too!

2.Countdown to the First Day of School

I love creating excitement with a countdown makes the return to school feel exciting instead of overwhelming.

Create a simple paper chain or printable countdown where children remove one link each day until school begins. I think its a lovely way to build anticipation while at the same time giving younger children a visual reminder of how many days they have left.

I put together a countdown activity kit that includes lots of fun mini activity ideas to do on the countdown to going back to school. It includes silly jokes to decode and even a printable pencil gift box that you can personlize.

3. Take First Day of School Photos

I’m so glad I made taking first day of school photos a tradition when my children were growing up. It’s amazing how quickly the years fly by and just how much they can change in such a short time, it’s actually a bit scary! Looking back through those photos now always puts a smile on my face.

I didn’t use photo props when my own children were little. It was before the days of Instagram-worthy first day of school photos! These days, though, I’m completely here for the trend.

I’ve created some for my sister’s children and I love them. They make the photos feel that little bit more special and are such a lovely way to capture all the excitement before they head off to school. And the kids do love posing for a selfie!!!

One of my favourite ideas is to recreate the same photo at the end of the school year. Seeing how much they’ve grown, both in height and confidence, is something you’ll look back on for years to come.

4.Write a Time Capsule Letter

This is a nice activity to do with your child. Have them take some time to sit down to write a short letter to their future selves.

You can give some prompts to help them

• What are you excited about this year?
• What would you like to learn?
• Who do you hope will be in your class?
• What are you looking forward to most?

Seal it in an envelope and open it on the last day of school. Or if you are like me and you totally forget where you put its fun to open with your older children.

5. Back To School This or That Game

Need something quick? This printable asks children to choose between two fun options. Some are really quite silly. Just a bit of fun to

For example:

• Eat your lunch with giant barbecue tongs OR Eat it with tiny cocktail sticks?
• Only speak in pirate language for the whole day OR Only speak like a robot?
• Have your backpack magically organise itself OR Have your bedroom tidy itself after school?

It’s a great conversation starter and works equally well at home or in the classroom as a bit of a brain break activity. If you would like a copy of the game, scroll to the.

6. Play Back To School Prize Bingo

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that my family absolutely loves a game of prize bingo. We don’t give away anything extravagant, just a few fun little prizes for completing a line or getting a full house. It’s become one of our favourite traditions because it gets everyone together for a bit of friendly competition.

Of course, you don’t have to play for prizes. Bragging rights work just fine! But that’s just not how I roll.

For younger children, I like to pick up a few inexpensive treats such as novelty erasers, fun pencils, sticker packs, bookmarks or colourful stationery. They’re perfect little prizes that tie in with the back-to-school theme without costing a fortune.

The prizes don’t even have to be physical gifts. Reward vouchers are just as much fun. You could offer things like:

• An extra 30 minutes of TV time
• Choosing the family movie
• Staying up 15 minutes later
• Inviting a friend over after school
• Picking what’s for dessert

My favourite part comes after the game has finished. Everyone gets to barter and swap with each other. It’s amazing how much excitement a novelty pencil or a sheet of stickers can create! The negotiating, trading and trying to convince someone to swap is often just as entertaining as the bingo itself.

7. Play a Back to School themed Escape Room

Want something a little different?

A printable escape room is a fantastic way to get children thinking, solving puzzles together and having some fun before school starts.

It’s especially fun if the reveal at the end of the escape room is something fun for going back to school. A fun backpack, new pair of trainers or perhaps a special meal invitation to celebrate going back to school.

Setting up an escape room can be a lot of fun I absolutely love creating them. Think crossword puzzles, secret codes and jigsaw puzzles that reveal secret messages. All leading to a fun surprise at the end. This can become a yearly back to school tradition that kids will look forward to.

8. Create a Life-Size Portrait

This was one of my favourite rainy day activities when my children were younger, and it’s a wonderful way to get them excited before the new school year begins.

Roll out a length of lining paper (the Ikea drawing roll of paper works brilliantly for this) and ask your child to lie down while you carefully draw around them.

Children can decorate their self-portrait however they like. They might draw themselves wearing their new school uniform, design their dream outfit, or even imagine what they’d like to be when they grow up. Perhaps they will want to become a firefighter, astronaut, teacher, artist or veterinarian?

Bring out the paints, coloured paper, stickers, fabric scraps, buttons or anything else you have in your craft cupboard. There are no rules, so let their imagination take over!

Once they’ve finished, hang their masterpiece on a bedroom wall or keep it somewhere safe to look back on. It’s a wonderful snapshot of their personality and interests interests and dreams at that moment in time.

More Fun First Day of School Ideas

• Make a school themed snack board.
• Create a back to school playlist.
• Make friendship bracelets.
• Make a back to school time capsule.
• Get the kids to create their own secret code. Then use it to create secret notes to their friends.
• Play a game of Uno, its a great family activity.
• Have a fun Movie night before school starts.

Happy Back To school

I hope these ideas have inspired you to celebrate the start of a brand-new school year in your own special way. Don’t feel like you have to do everything. Even choosing just one activity can help turn those first-day butterflies into excitement and make the whole experience just a little easier.

If you try any of these ideas, I’d love to hear how they went! Feel free to leave a comment below or tag Lock Paper Escape on social media so I can see what fun you get up to with your own back-to-school celebrations.

Happy Back to School.