10 Easy Activities to Help a New Class Settle In

The start of a new school year is exciting, but it can also feel a little daunting – for children and teachers!

A new classroom, new routines, new classmates, and in some cases, a completely new school can mean that those first few days are filled with a mixture of excitement and nerves.

Taking a little time to help children feel comfortable, get to know one another and understand their new classroom can make a big difference. And the good news? It doesn't need to involve hours of preparation.

Here are 10 simple, low-prep activities to help your new class settle in and start the year on a positive note. You can also download our FREE 'Back to School Activity Pack' here.

1. All About Me

An old favourite for a reason!

Ask children to create an All About Me page featuring things such as:

• Their name
• Favourite food
• Favourite book
• Favourite subject
• Hobbies and interests
• Something they're really good at
• Something they'd like to learn this year

You could add the finished pages to a classroom display or turn them into a class book that children can look through during the first few weeks.

Top tip: Include one unusual question, such as "If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you choose?" It's a great conversation starter!

2. Find Someone Who...

Create a simple grid containing statements such as:

Find someone who...

• has a pet
• likes football
• has been on an aeroplane
• enjoys reading
• has a brother or sister
• can ride a bike
• likes maths
• has the same favourite colour as you

Children move around the classroom and find a classmate who matches each statement.

It's a simple way to encourage children to talk to classmates they might not usually approach.

3. Would You Rather?

This one requires virtually no preparation and can generate plenty of laughs!

Give the class fun choices and ask children to move to one side of the room or the other depending on their answer.

Would you rather...

• be able to fly or become invisible?
• have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon?
• live under the sea or in space?
• only eat pizza or only eat ice cream for a week?
• be super fast or super strong?

Once everyone has chosen, invite a few children to explain their answers.

It's an easy way to get children talking without putting too much pressure on them.

4. Our Class Recipe

Ask the children:

"What ingredients do we need to make a brilliant class?"

Write their suggestions on the board. You might end up with:

• 2 cups of kindness
• 3 spoonfuls of listening
• A handful of laughter
• Plenty of helping each other
• A sprinkle of patience
• A big scoop of trying our best

Turn the ideas into a giant Class Recipe poster.

It's a fun way to introduce expectations and classroom values without starting the year with a long list of rules.

5. Classroom Treasure Hunt

Help children become familiar with their new surroundings by creating a quick classroom treasure hunt.

Can they find...

• where finished work goes?
• the class library?
• spare pencils?
• the pencil sharpener?
• where coats and bags belong?
• the timetable?
• the recycling bin?
• something in the classroom they've never used before?

For younger children, you could complete the treasure hunt together as a class.

It helps children learn classroom routines while also encouraging them to explore their new environment.

6. Two Truths and a Fib

Each child thinks of three statements about themselves – two are true and one is made up.

For example:

I have two dogs.
I have been to Spain.
I can juggle.

The rest of the group has to guess which statement is the fib.

This works particularly well in small groups and is a lovely way for children to discover interesting things about their classmates.

Teachers can join in too!

7. Birthday Line-Up

Challenge the class to arrange themselves in birthday order from January to December.

For an extra challenge, ask them to do it without speaking!

Children will need to communicate using gestures, fingers and plenty of teamwork.

Once they're finished, go along the line and check how they did.

8. My Hopes for This Year

Give each child a small piece of paper and ask them to complete the sentence:

"This year, I hope to..."

Their answer could be academic:

"I hope to get better at my times tables."

Or something completely different:

"I hope to make a new friend."

"I hope to be more confident putting my hand up."

"I hope to read ten chapter books."

Collect the answers and create a Our Hopes for the Year display. You could revisit them later in the year to see how everyone is getting on.

9. Build the Tallest Tower

Divide children into small groups and give each group the same basic materials – paper, card, drinking straws, building blocks or whatever you have available.

Their challenge is simple:

Build the tallest free-standing tower you can in 10 minutes.

The real purpose isn't the tower – it's teamwork.

Afterwards, talk about what helped each team work successfully.

Did everyone get a chance to contribute? Did they listen to each other's ideas? What would they do differently next time?

10. A Letter to My Future Self

Finish the first week by asking children to write a short letter to themselves.

They could include:

• How they're feeling about their new class
• What they're looking forward to
• Something they want to improve
• Something they're proud of
• What they hope they'll have achieved by the end of the year

Put the letters somewhere safe and return them during the final week of the school year.

It's a lovely way for children to see just how much they've grown and achieved.

Keep the First Few Days Simple

The first days with a new class don't need to be packed with elaborate activities.

Sometimes the simplest things – talking, playing a game, working together and learning a little more about one another – are exactly what children need.

Creating a calm, welcoming environment and giving everyone plenty of opportunities to connect can help set the tone for the weeks and months ahead.

And remember: you don't have to establish everything on day one. Routines, relationships and confidence all take time.

Here's to a happy, positive start to the new school year! 🍎