22/01/2026
New year activities! 🌟
If you’re looking for some activities to do with your new class in the first few weeks of Term 1, here are some ideas that I’ve in the past!
💡’All About Me Tumblers’: My students selected three stickers to ‘decorate’ their tumblers with and then wrote a sentence or two about why they chose that sticker, what it represents etc.
💡’All About Me Shields’: The shields are broken up into multiple sections and you can direct the students to put different things in each space. Over the years, we’ve done favourite sport/food/hobby/colour/animal/number/subject, nationality (many have done a flag or flags), their family, the current year… it can be whatever you want!
💡 ‘Identity Collages’: To create these, I take a photo of each of the students and print them off on A3 paper. The students then cut out around the outline and use magazines, catalogues etc. to collage on top of their picture. They find pictures of things that interest them or represent their hobbies, likes, personality etc. I then get them to trim off any of the excess and we stick them on to coloured A3 paper. I collected brochures and catalogues at the shops and many local FB groups (such as a ‘Buy Nothing’ group) give away magazines for free too 👍🏻
💡 Class Expectations: A simple (but important!) activity is to go through your class or school expectations. This can be specific to your class, or you might do something like your school’s affirmation. I have always liked to break this down with the students and we’ve done a senses brainstorm and discussion (e.g. what does it feel like, sound like, look like when we do this).
💡If I Was A..! activity: I made this activity when there was a very popular TikTok trend, a few years ago! Whilst the kids didn't have
TikTok (or they shouldn't have, because they were in Year 4!), they loved doing this. As a class, we helped each other pick different things to represent them.
💡 Class Crosswords or Word Searches: I have often placed these crosswords or word searches on their desks, as an activity to do when they come in on the first day. I use a free website to create the crossword, like Teacher's Corner, and I’ve created word searches on Teach Starter. I like to insert it into a PowerPoint/Word Doc/Canva so I can edit the layout slightly and add some clip art. I did word searches when I taught Year 3 and 4, but found the crosswords better for the older kids.
💡’Moving On Up’: I did this with my Year 6s to discuss what they’re excited for, nervous about, their favourite subjects etc. Simple!
💡'Student Bingo': This one is super easy and doesn't take long at all. Each student receives a sheet and needs to go around the room, finding a classmate that can be put in each box. They're encouraged to not 'double up' so they get to speak to most of their new peers.
💡’2026 Balloon’: The balloon is broken into sections and has general ‘all about me’ types of headings, such as class/year level, age, favourite colour etc. but it also has ‘Word/s to describe 2026’, what they’re excited for and something new they’d like to learn about or try!
